A New Way
posted by silentinfinite | August 17, 2011
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IcerocketIt's so odd to be enmeshed in a system or a culture that is based on exploitation. The will to exploit is rewarded and those who exploit, profit. At some point, people believe that the only way to profit is to exploit and that anyone who is rich has become so by exploiting people, animals or the environment at the highest levels.
People seem to have forgotten about truly adding value to a community or society and then naturally making a living that way. Where I came from (and this is still a pretty dominant ideology in America), a corporate job is widely believed to be the only acceptable way in which one can make a living. With the perceived need for a corporate job comes the attendant pressures to conform both ideologically and physically and before you know it, you're surrounded by a life that bears little or no resemblance to you.
This is not the only way to live.
I wonder why something like starting one's own small business is so frowned upon, in general. The same with trying to have a career in art. Instead of looking at those who have succeeded, many people will look at those who have failed and automatically assume that they, too, will inevitably fail. Anyone who succeeds, however, is immediately considered either an exception or a scam artist. Such an attitude only guarantees one a Lifetime Achievement Award in Armchair Criticism.
I want a real life.
A life replete with the necessary trials, failures and successes (both hard-won and seemingly accidental). What we traditionally think of as failure is essential to the process - and to be honest, I find it hard to categorize something as failure when it catalyzes learning and further develops thinking. We are always learning, growing and pushing towards eventual success.
I want a life that I know, love and understand.
Not a cookie-cutter, blandly conformist shortcut. I want, in my heart, to know I have really lived and not just distracted my way through an imitation of life. This strange culture is so prevalent that it is often believed to be "the only way". Its foundations are exploitation, distraction, conformism and competition. It is only natural that such a culture should be causing such suffering  upon this planet. It does not seek to build relationships but to cannibalize. It cannot survive in the end because ultimately it is destroying itself.
Though I grew up in it, I am not a part of this culture. I seek regeneration, complete cycles and healthy relationships. Creating and sustaining this life takes time, patience and effort - as do all good things.
The end result is always love.
Comments
There is a lot of Love around...
— Aug 19, 2011
Hi SI,
Beautiful blog – and I like your site very much too.
I think that if you really look around, you'll see that there are a lot more people on the same page as you. I believe it's actually a majority of the people in the world now, as consciousness floods this plane. If we listen to the media of exploitation, of course it's easy to come away feeling a little exasperated; but that corporate, fear-based message is not real. What is real is the Love you put in your blog, and in your life. It is the most powerful force for change we have – and it's everywhere!
here are some links to my favorite subject that I hope you'll enjoy...http://robertkopecky.blogspot.com/search/label/love
Thank you!
Robert
A great reminder
— Aug 25, 2011
Hi Robert!
So glad you enjoyed the post + site :)
Actually, I agree with you. You make some very interesting points, and yes, I do think that a lot of people do not agree with fear-based, exploitative corporate media.
It is important to remember that love is real.
Thank you so much for your thoughtful comment, I'll definitely check out your blog.
yes!!!
— Aug 19, 2011
Yes be the creator of your own waking dream!! Great post and the very energy I have fealt this week (I am galactavating a new business endevor in the creative field, this week, so I vibe your message)
I have always thought that the most fulfilling time of my life was when I was creating and recieving support from others who want to support a local economy. It is hard to have a small business but I feel the future depends on small local business....But you are dead on it takes patience and we need to slow our brains down, meditate and spend time alone in quiet with our passions. Unplug and get creative with your endeavors, then share with the many who are receptive(etsy?)!!!! Our economy will blossom if more people support those who choose this creative/dharma path!!! Even if you are in an office job don't forget your passions and try hard to return to your dharma.... It reminds me of a great quote from terrence mckenna..
"We have to create culture, don't watch TV, don't read magazines, don't even listen to NPR; create your own roadshow. The nexus of space and time where you are now is the most immediate sector of your universe, and if you're worrying about Michael Jackson or Bill Clinton or somebody else, then you are disempowered, you're giving it all away to icons, icons which are maintained by an electronic media so that you want to dress like X or have lips like Y. This is shit-brained, this kind of thinking. That is all cultural diversion, and what is real is you and your friends and your associations, your highs, your orgasms, your hopes, your plans, your fears. And we are told 'no', we're unimportant, we're peripheral. 'Get a degree, get a job, get a this, get a that.' And then you're a player, you don't want to even play in that game. You want to reclaim your mind and get it out of the hands of the cultural engineers who want to turn you into a half-baked moron consuming all this trash that's being manufactured out of the bones of a dying world."
Love this
— Aug 25, 2011
Beautiful, beautiful comment! I'm so glad this resonated with you. I agree that small business is definitely the future. The explosion of the DIY crafting community in recent years is something I've found really exciting - I like the idea of people following their passions on a large scale.
Thanks for the McKenna quote - truly inspiring :)
real = natural
— Aug 19, 2011
I think a "real life" equates to a Natural one, that also allows for real community (not corrupted by $) and the free time for real creative expression. This ideally would manifest as sovereign veganic homestead communities as I explain briefly in my "Refining the Path to Freedom" blog post if you're interested, any comments/suggestions would be appreciated.
Peace
Colin
natural
— Aug 25, 2011
I do agree with you that life has to be in balance with nature (assuming this is what you mean by natural) and that real community and free time for creativity is important.
I don't agree that money itself corrupts - at best, money is a symbol of exchange, and exchange to me is beautiful: it shows our interdependence & interconnectedness. I would say that greed corrupts and that it has definitely corrupted many (if not most) financial exchanges in this day and age. And definitely that the pursuit for cash alone is an empty one.
I will have a look at your blog! :)
