Brian, I have been following your posts on building community and networks. To date me, I have been following politics since 1980! I started doing grassroots organizing work around the same time, in anti-nuclear, civil rights, police relations, environmental, and mostly community development work for the last forty years in a variety of movements.
I believe a more fundamental approach to change is needed. Even the method you suggest, to unify the "progressive" movement is still within what I call the Culture of Separation - in that it is based on a particular view of political power where different players are pitted against each other in a "battlefield."
Can we find a way to make fundamental systems change, while creating a new playing field instead? I know the answer is yes, and it starts in local communities (at the municipal and county level) around issues that people can rally around -- community re-localization around strengthening the local economy; local food production and consumption; and many more common issues.
But, this approach requires a redefinition of power from working to capture or wield power over others (on the right or the left) -- to a new definition of power which has to do with Love and Service. Politics is downstream from culture. We have to change our culture at the grassroots and then local politicians will get elected that reflect this new reality. I have direct experience with this and have seen it happen all the way to the state level.
thanks Richard! I think we are probably in agreement: to me the work of transformation is about changing the playing field... and I do agree that fundamental cultural change is necessary. I think politics is both upstream and downstream of culture: our political environment influences culture and vice versa.
to me a strong electoral campaign would in essence carry your message, while simultaneously contending for power in the existing system.
unfortunately I don't think we have the luxury of waiting for grassroots change to bubble up to new leadership... as Tim Hollo memorably wrote: "there's no time left not to do everything."
You're right about upstream and downstream. But, I have been watching this crazy electoral political show for so long that many see that underneath the surface of the Republican and Democrat two-party system, we have evolved a corporatist Oligarchy, not just in US but globally.
Proportionately, activists haven't spent the same level of intensity as they have given to the electoral route. Luckily, there are examples of cultural change strategies that can actually build a "parallel" society approach, what Vaclav Benda, during the Czech resistance to Soviet Communism called a "parallel polis."
Also, I have been inspired by the sixty-five year old Sarvodaya Shramadana movement in Sri Lanka who have built a national network of 5,000 bioregional ecosystem networks (parallel societies) serving millions of people. Their networks are both multi-scalar and also "fractal."
I am not trying to do self-promotion here but I reached out to you through your website to connect, but haven't heard back. I just released my book here on Substack that describes a grassroots parallel culture strategy.
Here is an overview. Would love to compare notes and potentially collaborate.
Fantastic post, Brian. I wish this post got in front of more heads in the Democratic Party. Doesn't look like we'll get our transformational candidate this cycle, just as Bernie polled way better versus Trump than Hillary, I feel like a Warren/AOC ticket would be as close as we could get to transformation.
I've unplugged for my own sanity, but if a transformation candidate shows up, maybe I would too. ¯\_(ツ)_/¯
I'm always amazed by your scholarship, Brian. I am curious why you did not mention Marianne Williamson? She's not only a progressive, but a person who knows the wisdom and power of love. I heard her speak in person when she ran in 2020. My favorite line was this, "Every generation has faced challenges and made progress; let us NOT be the generation that wimps out!" Indigenous peoples understand that they have to both nurture and protect their people. We all want to 'nurture' the new story but we would be remiss if we did not also protect ourselves from folks who want to continue their power over others. It's a challenging mix. But one that Bernie Sanders exemplifies in my view. All these elements are pieces of the puzzle as we strive to co-create a future that works for all beings. THANKS for challenging us to think deeply about our current circumstances.
thanks for the question, Stephanie, and for the kind words.
I'm a fan of Marianne, and consider her one of many important voices pointing the way forward. I don't consider her a viable candidate, however, because I haven't seen her articulate a theory of power or politics (love without power...). I think she's doing a great job staking out a set of positions that are actually quite popular with the progressive base (the fact that she is pollong at 12% with essentially no media coverage and facing a coronation in the primary is a testament to the fact that people like what she's saying).
and: it concerns me that she is the running for a serious leadership role without a lot of deep collaboration. it's a big shift from being an author and spiritual leader to being a politician: the latter requires a strong base and a deep bench of co-conspirators (e.g. who would be in her Cabinet? who else is she bringing along as she herself enters her 70s?)
I think what she is doing is courageous and necessary, and can hopefully help create space for what I think we really need: someone who has that vision, shares those policy views, and has a strong movement backing a strategy for how to take political power.
(that's my two cents, anyway. I didn't want to take up the real estate in the post to speak to other candidates, but I really appreciate this inquiry and the chance to reflect... I would welcome reactions and other thoughts!)
Brian, I have been following your posts on building community and networks. To date me, I have been following politics since 1980! I started doing grassroots organizing work around the same time, in anti-nuclear, civil rights, police relations, environmental, and mostly community development work for the last forty years in a variety of movements.
I believe a more fundamental approach to change is needed. Even the method you suggest, to unify the "progressive" movement is still within what I call the Culture of Separation - in that it is based on a particular view of political power where different players are pitted against each other in a "battlefield."
Can we find a way to make fundamental systems change, while creating a new playing field instead? I know the answer is yes, and it starts in local communities (at the municipal and county level) around issues that people can rally around -- community re-localization around strengthening the local economy; local food production and consumption; and many more common issues.
But, this approach requires a redefinition of power from working to capture or wield power over others (on the right or the left) -- to a new definition of power which has to do with Love and Service. Politics is downstream from culture. We have to change our culture at the grassroots and then local politicians will get elected that reflect this new reality. I have direct experience with this and have seen it happen all the way to the state level.
thanks Richard! I think we are probably in agreement: to me the work of transformation is about changing the playing field... and I do agree that fundamental cultural change is necessary. I think politics is both upstream and downstream of culture: our political environment influences culture and vice versa.
to me a strong electoral campaign would in essence carry your message, while simultaneously contending for power in the existing system.
unfortunately I don't think we have the luxury of waiting for grassroots change to bubble up to new leadership... as Tim Hollo memorably wrote: "there's no time left not to do everything."
You're right about upstream and downstream. But, I have been watching this crazy electoral political show for so long that many see that underneath the surface of the Republican and Democrat two-party system, we have evolved a corporatist Oligarchy, not just in US but globally.
Proportionately, activists haven't spent the same level of intensity as they have given to the electoral route. Luckily, there are examples of cultural change strategies that can actually build a "parallel" society approach, what Vaclav Benda, during the Czech resistance to Soviet Communism called a "parallel polis."
Also, I have been inspired by the sixty-five year old Sarvodaya Shramadana movement in Sri Lanka who have built a national network of 5,000 bioregional ecosystem networks (parallel societies) serving millions of people. Their networks are both multi-scalar and also "fractal."
I am not trying to do self-promotion here but I reached out to you through your website to connect, but haven't heard back. I just released my book here on Substack that describes a grassroots parallel culture strategy.
Here is an overview. Would love to compare notes and potentially collaborate.
https://richardflyer.substack.com/p/introducing-symbiotic-culture
Fantastic post, Brian. I wish this post got in front of more heads in the Democratic Party. Doesn't look like we'll get our transformational candidate this cycle, just as Bernie polled way better versus Trump than Hillary, I feel like a Warren/AOC ticket would be as close as we could get to transformation.
I've unplugged for my own sanity, but if a transformation candidate shows up, maybe I would too. ¯\_(ツ)_/¯
I'm always amazed by your scholarship, Brian. I am curious why you did not mention Marianne Williamson? She's not only a progressive, but a person who knows the wisdom and power of love. I heard her speak in person when she ran in 2020. My favorite line was this, "Every generation has faced challenges and made progress; let us NOT be the generation that wimps out!" Indigenous peoples understand that they have to both nurture and protect their people. We all want to 'nurture' the new story but we would be remiss if we did not also protect ourselves from folks who want to continue their power over others. It's a challenging mix. But one that Bernie Sanders exemplifies in my view. All these elements are pieces of the puzzle as we strive to co-create a future that works for all beings. THANKS for challenging us to think deeply about our current circumstances.
thanks for the question, Stephanie, and for the kind words.
I'm a fan of Marianne, and consider her one of many important voices pointing the way forward. I don't consider her a viable candidate, however, because I haven't seen her articulate a theory of power or politics (love without power...). I think she's doing a great job staking out a set of positions that are actually quite popular with the progressive base (the fact that she is pollong at 12% with essentially no media coverage and facing a coronation in the primary is a testament to the fact that people like what she's saying).
and: it concerns me that she is the running for a serious leadership role without a lot of deep collaboration. it's a big shift from being an author and spiritual leader to being a politician: the latter requires a strong base and a deep bench of co-conspirators (e.g. who would be in her Cabinet? who else is she bringing along as she herself enters her 70s?)
I think what she is doing is courageous and necessary, and can hopefully help create space for what I think we really need: someone who has that vision, shares those policy views, and has a strong movement backing a strategy for how to take political power.
(that's my two cents, anyway. I didn't want to take up the real estate in the post to speak to other candidates, but I really appreciate this inquiry and the chance to reflect... I would welcome reactions and other thoughts!)