"Activist Bill McKibben explores the connections between modern economies, unnatural human living patterns, and widespread unhappiness. His insights into "deep economy" yield a surprising prescription: relocalization. What will matter most in the years ahead, he says, is whether the economy in place will build or undermine community and cooperation: the state for which humans are genetically wired and in which they thrive best."
TOTALLY AGREE.
"Our world is composed, more and more, of individuals in isolation from each other, each following his or her own path. Plenty of data back this up. Every study of the phenomenon shows Americans spending less time with friends and family, either working longer hours, or hunkered down in their "Internet alcoves."
Since I have been back from Nepal, I have discovered some pretty stark differences between the way we live in America and how others live in other places around the world. The one difference that stands out to me the most is how we, in America, do not have as much of a sense of community as we think we have. Walking down a dirt road in rural Bharatpur, past vegetables, buffalo, and playing children, I noticed the local Nepali people sitting in their yards, drinking milk tea and having conversations with each other. They had no other pressing tasks to complete that day. They actually had time to sit with their neighbors for hours and welcome the passing day. Their sense of community was so strong. Here, I have lost that sense of community. I still talk with friends, family, co-workers, etc. regularly, but it's not the same. I literally have to schedule time for these things because everyone has such a crazy schedule.
The Link between Happiness and Local Community
"There is a hopeful future in store if we shift to economies that are more local in scale. Local economies would demand fewer resources and cause less ecological disruption. They would be better able to weather coming shocks. They would allow us to find a better balance between the individual and the community, and hence derive greater satisfaction from our lives."
"Humans seem to be genetically wired for community. Why do people so often look back on their college days as the best years of their life? Usually, it's not because their classes were so fascinating. More important is the fact that they lived more closely and intensely in a community than ever before or since. Having connections with others is much better than having money."
"It is not hard to figure out why happiness has declined here even as wealth has grown. In the two decades between 1974 and 1994, the percentage of Americans who said they frequently visited with their neighbors fell from almost a third to barely a fifth, a number that has continued to fall in the last decade. We simply commuted too far from our too-isolated homes, worked too many hours, and then chose at the end of the day to bask in the blue glow of the tube shining through the curtains."
Even implementing a local farmer's market is a step in the right direction. More people can connect with the individuals who provide their food and that is only part of the solution.
Here is an example of an intentional community or eco-village. This one below is in Ithaca, NY.
Thanks to Linda Buzzell and Craig Chalquist for collaborating and creating this inspirational work of art that I have in my hands! And thanks to Bill McKibben for all of his awesome advice when it comes to environmental change. Everyone should take a look at this book; it will really change the way you see our connection with the environment and the economy. This book leaves you feeling optimistic for the future and provides you with the drive to make some change! That's why I decided to focus this blog post on Ecotherapy.
Author Linda Buzzell sent me a link to an Ecoresilience Leadership Certificate course in San Francisco if you're interested and have completed undergraduate-level schooling.
http://www.chalquist.com/ecoresilience.html
Happy Wednesday!
MacKenzie
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