What a Way to Go: Life at the End of Empire

[Insurgent]

This much-anticipated showing was almost all it was cracked up to be, aside from the discussion time afterwards being cut short. We could have easily discussed the issues with Tim and Sally that they brought forth in the film well in to the early morning hours; unfortunately the venue the film was screened in required an early ending.

The content of the film was much of what I expected, having been following the blogs, reviews and dialogue surrounding the film and issues discussed within it. What was surprising was how much content, energy and depth the film makers managed to cram in to a 2-hour film. I commiserated with other attendees who experienced a slight headache afterwards!

Taking this aspect in to account, the film makers warned the audience to not try and analyze and digest the information presented in the film as we watched it, but to allow it to wash over us. This I did, refraining from taking any notes or dwelling on any particular topic. While numerous issues and emotions were covered, the ending presented challenges for us humans.

Afterwards a circle discussion ensued with thoughts shared one-at-a-time as the "talking stick" was passed around. The question posed was--what had moved us the most, about the film, and many honest and insightful ideas were expressed! 

Here is Tim's updated travelogue from the event http://www.whatawaytogomovie.com/2007/08/07/6-august-2007-keene-nh/

[CNHT]

Taking this aspect in to account, the film makers warned the audience to not try and analyze and digest the information presented in the film as we watched it, but to allow it to wash over us. This I did, refraining from taking any notes or dwelling on any particular topic. While numerous issues and emotions were covered, the ending presented challenges for us humans.

Well isn't that usually how propaganda works, on an emotional level?  They don't want you to 'think' and just about said so.

wash = brainwash

[jaqeboy]

...the ending presented challenges for us humans.

Yeah, I want to go over that again - I'm taking note of any presentation that, although it mentions many problems, has a set of suggestions of "what to do now that you know the problems." Let's watch the DVD sometime and then I want to actually get the text of those suggestions logged in.

Afterwards a circle discussion ensued with thoughts shared one-at-a-time as the "talking stick" was passed around. The question posed was--what had moved us the most, about the film, and many honest and insightful ideas were expressed! 

Here is Tim's updated travelogue from the event http://www.whatawaytogomovie.com/2007/08/07/6-august-2007-keene-nh/

I note that they have a few days off and are probably still in the area - maybe we could meet up with them and have more discussion. I'll call Rachel, who organized the event.

[jaqeboy]

...the ending presented challenges for us humans.

Yeah, I want to go over that again - I'm taking note of any presentation that, although it mentions many problems, has a set of suggestions of "what to do now that you know the problems." Let's watch the DVD sometime and then I want to actually get the text of those suggestions logged in.

Same for Zeitgeist

[jaqeboy]

Something also found that might be relevant to some of the non-movie issues on this thread:

Non - violent communication. There was a workshop on it in Nashua a few years back that I missed. Have been hearing more about it from others, and still want to learn more.

In my stuff, I found a booklet on this which someone handed me from the workshop in Nashua they attended. From the Introduction:

Nonviolent Communication (NVC) has been described as a language of compassion, as a tool for positive social change, and as a spiritual practice. NVC gives us the tools and consciousness to see clearly what triggers us, to take responsibility for our reactions, and to deepen our connection with ourselves and others. Ultimately, it involves a radical change in how we think about life and meaning. NVC is based on a fundamental principle:

Underlying all human actions are needs that people are seeking to meet, and understanding and acknowledging these needs can create a shared basis for connection, cooperation, and more globally -- peace.

Understanding each other at the level of our needs creates such connection because, at this deeper human level, the similarities between us outweigh the differences, giving rise to greater compassion. At this depth, conflicts and misunderstandings can be resolved with greater ease.
...

So, they are saying, in different words, what I was trying to say in an earlier post on this thread (where my post tries to apply it to the freedom movement):

Many are opposed to the same rapacious global elite that you and I are, but differ on other issues, or on the solution path. They are therefore allies on some issues already, and to get them on-board with us on the other issues is our challenge. Primary among our tools is the advanced knowledge of economics and history that most libs possess from their intellectual study. To help another person cross over the bridge from beliefs they hold in error to our more "enlightened" view, we will be more effective if we develop understanding of how that person comes to their views and then will need to develop and exercise effective communications skills. What has failed in the past for lo, these many decades, is finding the differences, emphasizing them and usually "beating them up" over the differences. That this tactic fails time and time again should be no surprise!

What we find works, then, is first to go out of our circle to meet with people with some similar views, but that differ on other views. Then our challenge begins. The benefits are great, as we make new friends in the process, too.

[jaqeboy]

Might be good to have another whole thread on inter-personal communications 

[Insurgent]

The film makers were interviewed recently on Peak Moment Television. They give a personal and heart-felt explanation of how they came to make this film, and also go deeper in to some of the issues discussed in the film. Highly recommended!

[youtube=425,350] qFyI5ZYG_pE[/youtube]

[Sam Adams]

CNHT evidences a maturity of experience and reason which rightfully grows impatient with less experienced voices that prefer the game to the truthful bottom line, and therefore she seems to dispense with fruitless frills of debate.

Truth isn't negotiable, nor subject to pleasantries, nor a matter of uninformed opinion or wishful thinking. Truth is.

Kudos, CNHT, for seeing the world as it is and being pissed off about it. People have some responsibility to get their own clues and not have to have their hands held the whole way.

There are clearly people on this board who are here for one reason only, to distract and disrupt with goading demands for argument. Sadly, they are recognizable by their very skilled, but invariably consistent, techniques.

[CNHT]

CNHT evidences a maturity of experience and reason which rightfully grows impatient with less experienced voices that prefer the game to the truthful bottom line, and therefore she seems to dispense with fruitless frills of debate.

Truth isn't negotiable, nor subject to pleasantries, nor a matter of uninformed opinion or wishful thinking. Truth is.

Kudos, CNHT, for seeing the world as it is and being pissed off about it. People have some responsibility to get their own clues and not have to have their hands held the whole way.

There are clearly people on this board who are here for one reason only, to distract and disrupt with goading demands for argument. Sadly, they are recognizable by their very skilled, but invariably consistent, techniques.

Thanks Sam... It's bad enough that people are being brainwashed, but that their brainwashers are actually telling them they are being brainwashed in the process and they ignore it.



Yes this video I imagine was very 'emotional' because, after all, isn't that how we convince people to believe things that are otherwise unbelievable when using reason and facts alone?

These people want you to give up driving your cars and must resort to powerful imagery to do it.
I'm old so I've seen it all...

[jaqeboy]

Thanks for posting the vid interview Insurgent. Makes it easier for people to make a judgement on the filmmakers at least, than listening to conjecture about what the film must surely say by people who have not seen it. Perhaps we can have a local showing of the whole movie to give others another opportunity to see it. Is there an "oil awareness" meetup in the Merrimack Valley area? That might be a good hosting group.

[EthanAllen]

http://relocalize.net/groups/contoock

The mission of the Post Carbon Contoocook Valley Relocalization is to prepare for a lower energy world by developing regional energy, agricultural and manufacturing capabilities. By planning for increased self-reliance the region may be able to mitigate the effects of a collapsing, high-energy use global enconomy by inventing a properous way of life within a lower energy existence.

[jaqeboy]

Thanks for the link, EA - we have a fledgling group forming in the Souhegan Valley - some of our local efforts include listing sustainable local enterprises and exploring possibilities for local/alternative currencies (for use among those merchants)! We hope these types of efforts will be expansive (serving a larger group of folks than just the limited number of Porcupines). Great places for libertarians to get involved and coalition with existing groups of people who already know "something is wrong"!

[Friday]

I have a video (and I mean "video", not DVD) called 'Fat of the Land' about four young urban women who learned how to make ethanol (I think that's the word; the gasoline equivalent that you can make out of corn byproducts?) and drove a regular, unaltered van across the U.S. (from San Francisco to NYC, IIRC) fueled with nothing but fast food restaurant grease and some chemicals anybody can buy at their local hardware store.  It's very entertaining and informative.  I could bring it... wherever if people wanted to watch it.  I don't own a couch, so I doubt anyone wants to watch it at my place. 

[jaqeboy]

I had a meeting hall available in Amherst, but we're looking into another regular venue for showings in Nashua. There is always the Media Center viewing room at the Nashua Public Library (downstairs) - you have to be a resident of Nashua to reserve it. The Library Auditorium is much bigger, and then there's the 3rd floor auditorium at City Hall (available to Nashua residents - contact is City Clerk). All of these venues have a strict 9PM closing and a no snacks policy (at the library, not the City Hall aud.)

Friday, would you like to reserve the media center viewing room for some night soon (being a Nashua resident)? I'll help promote a viewing (it only seats ~15, so it won't be hard to fill that room). It could be billed as an "energy awareness" forum. I think these kinds of events are good to draw in general public and other interest groups, as well as Porcs - the interaction opportunity is great, and with the broader intellectual knowledge of libertarians, we can help orient the audience away from seeking more state-oriented alternatives.

[CNHT]

http://relocalize.net/groups/contoock

The mission of the Post Carbon Contoocook Valley Relocalization is to prepare for a lower energy world by developing regional energy, agricultural and manufacturing capabilities. By planning for increased self-reliance the region may be able to mitigate the effects of a collapsing, high-energy use global enconomy by inventing a properous way of life within a lower energy existence.

And to fulfull the globalist dream of the UN's to relocate everyone...how touching.