Broadening the Ecovillage Movement

Broadening the Ecovillage Movement

One of the disturbing points that was presented in the reading was that the “cult of Western consumer conformity is descending on the less industrialized parts of the world like an avalanche” (Beyond You and Me pg 260). The reading presents the issue in regards to less industrialized parts of the world; however the problem is much larger than that. This Westernization is not something new and the impacts are not solely reflected in less industrialized parts of the world, in fact minorities within the U.S. who have not assimilated must also deal with the westernization of values and ideals. The westernization extends in to almost all areas of life from what to buy, how to live, what to wear drive and even ideals of beauty. I am biracial my father is Caucasian and my mother is Asian. Some of my features are very much Asian, as a child growing up in the U.S. I became very aware that my ethnic features did not match the ideals of beauty presented in the media. I often wished for blonde hair and blue eyes and a more Caucasian nose. The tragedy of westernization does not simply lie in the demands for more superficial goods it lies much deeper where “People are even encouraged to reject their own ethnic and racial characteristics – to feel shame at being who they are” (pg 260). When new values and ideals outweigh traditional values and ideals self dissatisfaction develops this dissatisfaction further drives the effort to conform so more is done or bought in attempts to fit in with western ideals. Many females have plastic surgery to gain more ’western’ features. The reading discusses methods used with the Ladakhis to counteract the negative effects of westernization. What is often presented is a “glossy, exaggerated side of life in the West” (pg 261). This presentation of life in the West makes it easy to see why western ideals and values can enter and replace traditional ones. Yet the reality of ‘western’ life is far from idyllic. Exposing people to the realities of life instead of what is communicated through mass media enables the ability to preserve traditional cultural identities. In the reading this is done through “a program called Reality Tours, which enables Ladakhi leaders to travel to the West to see it for themselves. Exposing people to both the negative and the positive aspects of the West helps dispel many of the misconceptions about ‘modern’ life, and leaves participants with a better
sense of the benefits of their own culture. The tours also expose them to the growing concern for the environment around the world, thus providing support and inspiration for ecologically sustainable development within Ladakh itself” (p 262).
Another important point I learned from the reading is that communicating the need for sustainable living to mainstream society should not be from the standpoint of ‘superiority’. Dr. Gilman discusses the need to see a complementary relationship with mainstream society that facilitates ‘a more stable context’ that can allow for ecovillage communities, “see ourselves in a complementary, rather than a superior, relationship with those who are leading ‘mainstream’ lives. Many of the people who are doing wonderful things in various GEN communities are personally willing to be quite bold in their lifestyle experimentation. Yet if you look carefully at this, it often becomes clear that their experimentation is possible because the larger society provides a more stable context – thanks to all of those mainstream lives. The next step is to see our communities, not as complete unto themselves, but as centers of research, demonstration, and training that need their complementary relationship with mainstream communities to fulfill their mission. Beyond, I recommend finding willing partners in existing mainstream communities and build from there. Go first where you are welcome and welcome those who are already interested” (pg216). The lesson is that effective communication is facilitated from the standpoint of willingness to include, inform, and learn. I think the lack of effective communication can get in the way of informing many people about the necessity of living more sustainably. When people are approached from the standpoint that my way of life is better than yours it is only natural that the listener disconnects from what is being said. I recently encountered this problem with someone suggested that “technology is a disconnect from life” instead of listening I became defensive because much of what I do depends upon technology, technology even facilitates many connections that I have with other people. Effective communication would be to not make blanket statements of judgment to listen and inform when there is an open and not forced line of communication.
Dr. Vandana Shiva on page 279 discusses how our western concept of growth is based on an error in our way of thinking; “There are two levels to the present definition of growth in patriarchal systems. The first level has destroyed our societies by assuming that if you produce for yourself you are not producing. It has declared that very productive women are not productive. It has declared that subsistence peasants who meet all their needs and who do not depend on governments for welfare or on corporations for a job are unproductive. With the progress of globalization this definition has been expanded even further. We are made to believe that societies whose economies produce mainly for the needs of their own nations are not productive enough. Following this second level in the definition, growth takes place when we sell everything we produce on the international market and import everything we need from other nations. This rewards the rule of capital over the rule of life.” This is very insightful because it connects to issues of culture and communication and how they contribute in this respect to problems of globalization. What I understand from Dr. Shiva is that western culture perpetuates a no end in sight capitalistic set of values. Economic and individual values become outcome based “We are made to believe that societies whose economies produce mainly for the needs of their own nations are not productive enough...” societal communication perpetuates these values and does not communicate the rewards of living sustainably. Western growth is then perpetuated and reinforced through the communication of western capitalistic values. This shows the integrated relationship between communication and culture. For positive mainstream environmental changes to occur the culture must be one that communicates the need of sustainability and refocus it self away from being outcome based to being sustainably based.