Opinion:-Permaculture: a new dominant narrative?
Permaculture, the definition of which Holmgren suggests has changed over time from permanent (sustainable) agriculture to permanent (sustainable) culture, offers the potential for a new narrative, one that is an adaptive approach to industrial societies converging crises and explicitly acknowledges natures limits.
Permaculture derived ethical principles (caring for the earth, caring for people and, setting limits to consumption and reproduction and redistribute surplus) provide a basis by which our culture can adapt itself to the changes that will eventually be forced upon us but in an empowering rather than authoritarian or dictatorial manner.
Of course permaculture is the antithesis of the current dominant narrative with its focus on small scale solutions, distributed local decision making and conservation rather than consumption of resources.
For this reason it will get scant attention from those who control the current dominant narrative. But that is okay, because for those who do question the dominant narrative it provides an avenue of hope as well as a practical alternative to the status quo in the twilight years of the perpetual economic growth narrative.
http://www.onlineopinion.com.au/view.asp?article=13463
You can add your views at the site by registering first A good site if you are interested in Oz politics and society or just comment here
Reply With Quote
