[Campaignforrealdemocracy] [project2012] Trust, Ritual & the Encouragement of Voice

[frank_bowman at yahoo.co.uk]

Hi. Yes, my thoughts are: look to the anthropologists very valuable work done on communities. 

Also research how the usa indians dealt with differences at their gatherings of the tribes. 

They had ways to create harmony.

For instance how did they cope when the tribe that ate dog, met the tribe who held dogs sacred?

Why reinvent the wheel.

Why not learn.

The norwegians seem to be knowlegeable in these areas too. 

Xfrank

Mark Barrett wrote:
> Dear All
> One member of Project 2012 mentioned to me at Sat's picnic his concern
> that some on this list may feel they want to speak, but get put off.
> Reasons (we thought) could be shyness, busyness, or any number of
> other reasons; including the fear that they will get shot down for
> asking a silly question or making a bold, coontroversial assertion,
> which is the last thing we want.
> With this in mind, I thought it might be an idea to start a thread on
> what makes for a trustful, supportive community spirit, something in
> which everyone,  even the shyest can feel safe enough to speak. What
> do people think on this?
> For me, linked to this is the question of ritual. On Saturday, at the
> picnic, there were - spontaneously - at least three main strands to
> the ritual: (1) the social part (2) the performance part and (3) the
> political meeting part.
> I thought it worked quite well as an unplanned process, but some
> (especially those unaccustomed to such meetings) may have felt that
> the latter part, ie the demcratic meeting bit, was a bit strained.
> Even WITH the talking broad bean pod / singing / poetic & relatively
> light hearted, humorous approach.. :-)
> As a basic starting point on this, I would say that politics is like
> that, at least until one has a sense of collective shared aim; it is
> as some descibe it "agonic" being necessarily about passion, belief
> and sometimes (often / usually) a battle of ideas. Question is, how to
> make that process as welcoming and enjoyable for everyone as possible,
> especially newcomers, without losing sight of the purpose. This seems
> to me an important question, in that it links  to wider, mainstream
> society's cultural direction. Perhaps in these days of consumerism,
> health and safety regs, society of spectacle, corporate provision and
> worship of pleasure (sorry, long list) we are extra sensitive to this
> in our culture where we try to avoid discomfort, including especially
> the political variety, at all costs. And, thanks to science, we've
> became exceptionally successful at this!  Also, as a society we appear
> to all hang out with people who think alike, the very opposite of what
> is needed in our local communities if we are to move out of our
> cultural ghettoes and into a local, multicultural sovereignty.
> Perhaps we as a society are also subject to what might be called a
> 'political infantilisation' due to eg state centralisation and the
> telling of history through the lens of triumphant neo-liberalism. All
> of these, and much more, are barriers to participation which i would
> like to see our meetings online and in person, tackle.
> Presumably, in time, whenever a group forms, if it is to last and grow
> it eventually becomes easier. Good ways of working together - not to
> mention points of disagreement and the enormity of our common ground -
> becomes clearer and trust happens?
> So my question is, what ideas can we come up with to ensure that this
> happens, both on-line and at picnics and more formal meetings, as
> quickly and as painlessly - but without losing focus and momentum - as
> possible..?
> Any thoughts?
> Mark
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