The Intentional Economy

Daniel, I am consistently amazed at your ability to clearly weave together separate, yet complimentary ideas into such readable context. After reading this article and the interview with Rushkoff, I am genuinely inspired to try to steer my community towards a goal such as this. This kind of movement isn't going to start itself, and the best way for society to shift gears is from the bottom up. We must really try to get others involved and get them informed of the alternatives, lest they continue to accept that there is no other available modus operandi.

...reinforcing my thoughts with synchronous articles and comments.   :)  

I've been mulling this whole thing over very extensively lately.   And, as I consider the situation, as I explore the possibilities inherent in this "shift", my thoughts and intentions are reflected back at me.  It's nice to notice the synchronicities that occur when operating on this wavelength.

As I question something, I'm greeted with thought-provoking mirrors in articles, books I'm reading, people I talk to, etc.  Certainly as one directs his/her inent toward some area of thought, the Universe responds in kind.  An exchange that continues to build. It's clear that a certain direction or momentum, an intent toward some specific direction, is building and pushing us further along the path. 

But how does it manifest? 

While I've been exploring and envisioning this coming change to our way of life, the question I continue to come back to is... What do I DO?

I mean, what exactly are the first baby steps needed to get something going?  Is focusing on myself (my own spirituality/consciousness, my own recycling and energy-use habits, growing my own food in my backyard, etc) enough?  Or is there some higher CALL that should be sounded for those of us who see this change coming but don't know exactly what to do to usher in a benevolent new culture of exchange and community as opposed to the alternative of collapse?

 

So, RS Community...   What does the individual do in his own community or his own way to help usher in a positive change over a negative fallout?   With intentions clear... Where does one start? 

Another inspiring and well-crafted article, Daniel. However, some readers (presumably from places other than RS) may take it as a rationalization for them to do nothing, but "intend for the best". A more drastic call to action is necessary to mobilize the conscious public. All inhabitants of this planet need to wake up to their higher purpose and unite as a single, codependent organism.

I believe the first step would involve uniting our own species with itself. Step one of this process would be making intentional attempts at informing and uplifting the public. The common tendency of people remain ignorant must be shattered. People can't afford to pretend like there isn't a problem. If we let things slide, there will be catastrophic environmental disasters, country-wide food riots, and daily trains headed for government-funded prison camps before people admit that there may be something wrong with the system. Most people I know insist that the economy will get better on its own, or that Barack OBEYma's stimulus plan and energy program will fix everything. They won't. In fact, if I've read his stated policies correctly, they will make things much, much worse.

The most important lesson to pass on I believe is that our monetary system is a complete lie and a scam. Tell people that their money is created solely out of debt, by a power-hungry world banking conglomerate. Try to inspire them with ideas of a resource-based economy, one like the short-lived "Bank of Texas" proposed by the currently imprisoned Johnathan May.

I would also suggest that we insist that the attacks of 9/11 were orchestrated by entities within our own ruling body. The list of things wrong in the narrative we've been fed since 2001 is reaching absurdity. The evidence is incontrovertible, and I think we should let people know as much as possible before the next false-flag terror strike abolishes more of our legal freedoms permanently.

The thing is, though, whenever I get in serious conversations with people about the depth of the conspiracies against the people of this country, they are either infuriated that I would suggest that their world is anything but perfect, or they just outright reject me. I think a conscious newsletter may be a better approach towards informing the public. Something pleasant to look at and freely distributed, because otherwise people will just go watch another TV show.

Of course, I'm open to any other suggestions...

Wonderful article, and so far a wonderful discussion.

The annoyingly persistent question of "HOW" we evoke this change in the economic/social/political paradigm is always right around the corner when talking about these issues.  I find myself constantly facing it, and often times retreating in frustration.

This spring I am starting a student-led film series at the University of Vermont, where I am a student.  The film series is aimed at promoting dialog between professors and students, and between students and other students, about the various issues facing our country, species, and civilization.  My intention is to awaken more young people to the state of our society, and in turn, realize their own divine nature.  The first film I plan to show is "Zeitgeist," seeing as how this film inspired me to do this.  I also plan to show "Baraka," "The Corporation," "King of Corn," and possibly "Koyanisqaatzi."  I don't want to scare people by showing them these films, I simply want to awaken them to our society's situation, and to their own power as a free-thinking human being.  Suggestions from the RS community would be greatly appreciated!

Sometimes bringing up a "touchy" issue like 9/11 being a false flag operation can turn a lot of people off, especially those who havent questioned that possibility yet.  My view is that instead of bombarding them with your own feelings and intentions (which I find myself doing all the time,) you should show them a well crafted piece of art or writing, such as a film or book, that adresses these questions in a manner that they may be able to process better.  "Zeitgeist," and Pinchbeck's "2012" are personal favorites. 

Organizing this has been an outlet for me in terms of manifesting my desire for change.  My advice to others is to find a medium which speaks to you (mine is film,) and through this, try and evoke change with positive and clear intent.  Tap into your community, cybernetic or physical, and spread these ideas!  Humans are social creatures, so it makes sense that external validation is needed when trying to promote new ideas and perceptions.

Reality Sandwich itself is a wonderful manifestation of this progress and positive intent, and I know will continue to be in the future.

Propaganda Anonymous

I agree with nearly everything stated in this article.And this is a stance I represent, more or less, when I am out in the world, engaged with other people.I deal with the friction of resistance and hence view this as the struggle.And I'm cool with it. But it's still a struggle.

This feels like an essential aspect to all this.To quote a cool clothing line, 'Trust Your Struggle'

I'm down with setting big intentions. The real work comes into by getting up everyday and trying to make that happen.

That's the Great Work, as far I'm concerned.

Thank you Daniel for reminding me that I am not alone in excitement of the collapsing of this rusty old empire. We do indeed have a once in a lifetime opportunity to evolve in real time and transcend our fractured worldviews by blasting light into the shadows of our universal psyche.

~illuuminuus~  myspace.com/illuuminus

We are together in this, visionaries one and all. Let us be together now as we focus all the power of our intention on the transformation we seek... An end to War and Hate and Greed and all such infantile foolishness. Envision in detail a world wherein Peace can be taken for granted, one in which Kindness is coin, and Love permeates, engenders and promulgates everything, universally acknowledged and celebrated as the Quantum Absolute. Let us resolve at last to cast off ignorant and outdated modalities. And hey, let's do it Now. Let's do it right Now! It's time to recreate our world! It's time to recreate ourselves!! It's time...

I more or less agree with all of the previous commentors.  In addition, here are some practical actions one can take right now.

There are several things, simple things, one can do to begin moving towards the New Age.  They are all pretty basic.

1. Of course, I wholly recommend a transformative practice of some sort.  Transcendental meditation, yoga, a martial art, psychedelic vision-questing, some combination...whatever floats your boat.  Realizing and recognizing the Shared Divine in us all goes a long way towards motivating one to change, and to help others do so as well.  Every individual to whom the understanding of non-dual unity is revealed acts as a major catalyst in the Akashic Field, it seems likely to me.

2. Go meet your neighbors.  If/when this goes down, the people closest to you will be the ones you are most dependent on.  Find out who they are now.  Make friends with them...or, at least, become more friendly.  Perhaps, after a bit -- and if there is interest -- even begin to organize the community with various projects.  It is possible...don't be scared: they are just people, too.  ^_~  Spend more time in the front lawn, outside of your house, that sort of thing, to get started with.  Which leads me to:

3. Plant a garden.  Simple, wonderfully satisfying, and a bulwark against a sudden loss of the national supply-chain...or even plain unemployment.  It also gives you something invaluable to barter with, should money become worthless. It will be a valuable skill to have if it all goes down.  I recommend trying to stay away from chemical fertilizers.  Your fruits/veggies won't be as big...but they sure taste better, and you'll be glad you know how to operate without them.

4. At least one day a month, volunteer at a local homeless shelter, soup kitchen, food bank, etc.  The feeling you get is amazing, and you get in touch with other persons in your area that are motivated to help usher in change, and help our fellow brethren.  People with whom you can make friends, and join forces!

5. If you have the means, donate towards organizations which are looking into new ways of doing things...alternative energy, co-ops, spiritual centers...whatever your personal favorite is.

6. And, of course, continue to study and research new ways of organizing communities, alternative economies, possible solutions to our current/upcoming problems, etc.

 

I am a big believer in Morpho-Genetic Field resonance theory, the collective unconscious, and the Akashic Field (all of which I believe to be, more or less, the same basic thing). 

The more people that are actively engaged in thinking about, meditating on, intentionalizing, and (most important) actuating the arrival of something better; the more powerful that intention becomes in our shared being, the more it in-forms our reality...and the more people will begin to do the same.  

Ideally (hopefully), there is a tipping point somewhere.  Just do what you can, don't worry about what you can't.

"Never worry about the numbers.  Help one person at at a time; and always start with the person nearest you."  Mother Theresa

 

 

"You must *be* the change you wish to see in the world." Mahatma Gandhi

In speaking about bringing about a more just society that solves problems by thinking differently than the thinking that created the problems, one clear and decisive way that we can begin to achieve this is through socialism.

 

 I know, I know. People are tired of governmental rhetoric. But the concept that socialism stands for could work so well with a society that stands behind the ideals of sharing resources and caring for one another in a more enlightened type of state. Think of a society in which everyone is free to become what they most desire. This is the base message behind socialism, for me. I know that many people worry that socialism is so akin to communism that it can turn to dictatorship, but this is a falsehood pushed by western capitalism.

 

I believe that the real meat of the issue is actually not what type of governmental system to choose, however, and that the real issue, at least in America, is the inate struggle between freedom and equality. Here, at home, we have to make a choice about these two naturally conflicting concepts that we were founded on. If we want to be more equal, than we must be less free. If we want to be more free, then we must be less equal. This applies most startlingly to the economic situations across the board. If we could crunch the pyramid of the earning power that is currently at work (say, we smush it into more of a rectangle) then the incomes of those at the top are very close to those at the bottom. We are more equal. And we are still free to go and do as we please. But the struggle for this country to decide what the push-pull relationship between these concepts will ultimately be is the one final step that needs to be taken in order for true growth to happen, in my opinion.

it's about community. there is a growing number of people worldwide who are starting to resemble the beautiful minds that visit this blog, but we are so scattered geographically. this is the main issue, because it is those that are geographically closest to you that will be important during the collapse, yet right now, the ratio of enlightened people to people around you is low.

i think the way we reconcile this issue start online, where we already have some gravity to work with. this blog appears to be evolving into a social network, and that will be huge. we need to harness the massive power of connectivity and freedom of information that the internet provides at a feverish pace, because due to the fact that the internet is such a disseminating vehicle of free speech, it wont be long before the internet 911 comes, and that will be a judgement period, because if we have worked hard enough to preserve our intentions, then perhaps we will be able to expose the fraud and reverse the draconian ontology that would follow it, unlike 7 yrs ago...

the next point is that we can use the internet to create real connectivity and synthesize a movement around good intentions in physical geographic places. i have been on the same trip as everyone else here for the last few months, and what has occured to me lately, is how important the festival season will be. i really like the concept of good intentions amidst a collapse that we did not intend. we need to form some type of coheisive movement, some brand or concept or mantra, perhaps organized thru this online community in time for the festival season this spring/summer that can spread throughout the festival culture as a consistent idea, then become synchronistically connected in the mean time thru the internet places that this idea would promote. it could become be the talk of the town, the talk of a new town that we are going to have to pursue and create amidst the collapse of the familiar one...

I think "a social network that facilitates connections between the members of our international community" would be a huge help in moving forward on all these ideas in a very focused way. Now if only we could find such a thing . . .

if someone would explain how festivals get food grown and build houses and fill such other tragically quotidian human needs, ummmm, that would be cool cause i don't get it. I thought it was that out-dated idea of work, but that is like sooooo last millennium and puritanical.

while i agree for the most part with the 'intentions' laid out here, there is that persistent gap between here and there, and the feeling that something has been left unsaid. that something is CONTROL - the people in control, the machine in control, the money and weaponry and industry in control. that control will stand in the way of our best intentions...

 

we can't pretend that alternatives to the system that don't first address the problem of dismantling the system can thrive. control will step in sooner rather than later. control is ruining the planet. the most pressing problem we face now is how to break control. everything else is secondary. it would be foolish to think that the implacable death-urge of capitalism and the state will not run its ruinous course if it is not successfully resisted. i just don't believe in the possibility of a smooth transition.

 

we need to start thinking about bringing down this system so that our beautiful 'intentions' can thrive.have you read the 'anti-civilization' philosophers john zerzan or derrick jensen? i think they offer powerful challenges that need to be considered by anyone really serious about our prospects for a healthy future on this planet.

 

--- also, re: 'In fact, the breakdown of our financial system has not altered the amount of tangible resources available on our planet...'while it is true that the economic crisis has not altered the amount of 'resources' on the planet, it has also not slowed the catastrophic devastation of the oceans, or changed the fact that topsoil erosion due to agriculture and deforestation continues at a staggering rate, or halted the exponential increase in species extinctions and global warming, or provided an antidote to the poisons that are being pumped out daily by the megaton . perhaps the problem is that we think of the earth as an aggregation of 'resources'... again - the big question may not be, 'what does your favorite utopian future look like' (although this is important too), but how do we stop industrial capitalism before its too late?

"we can't pretend that alternatives to the system that don't first address the problem of dismantling the system can thrive. control will step in sooner rather than later."

You know I am with you on this one.  Participation in the system is mandatory, not optional...at least, as far as 'control' is concerned.  They are willing to let a few cooks go in to the woods, to maintain the illusion of freedom and choice...but any movement that begins to significantly reduce participation in the system (and, hence, the amount of money in their pockets) will not be tolerated.  

They will step in -- probably claiming something about a cult, or damaging drug use, or something -- and that is when our mettle will really be tested.  Make no mistake: these people have intentions all their own, and they have controled the surplus for generations.  There will come a time when we will have to really stand up for what we believe in; and be willing to suffer and sacrifice to make it happen.  

I'm not saying kill.  I am not for violence.  I believe in organized non-compliance.  However, they are going to try their hardest to make people comply.  Look at the movement led by Gandhi in India.  Don't believe it will be significantly different here...one need only look at the police response to protest rallies across the country to see this.  

A simple agent provacateur in the mix, and they can blame the whole thing on the protestors for 'starting the violence'.  

Even in the advent of collapse, I believe there will still be at least pockets of military control, exercised by persons who stockpiled before the fall.  

But one thing you can count on:  they aren't going to just relinquish their control, and come join hands with us to sing 'Kumbaya'.

Don't mean to sound doom-and-gloom...we certainly don't want to focus on this exclusively...but we just as certainly don't want to ignore it.

 

 

"You must *be* the change you wish to see in the world." Mahatma Gandhi

not for a second do i suggest giving up the pursuit of a better way of living. i am just saying that something has to be done about the way of life that, as chibione noted - is MANDATORY. we talk about planting gardens, switching off the tv, 'voting with our dollars', going green... but what good is any of it if industrial capitalism is still clear-cutting, genetically engineering, WTO & IMFing, blanketing poor countries with depleted uranium so that whole generations are being born with monstrous deformities, oceans are being vacuumed, mountain tops removed and valleys filled with mining waste, vast forced-labor prisons being filled with black and brown people, lives stolen by work & school, air, water & our food supply poisoned, cancer made ubiquitous by chemical poisoning... this is part of the MANDATORY system that, no, I had no part in creating, and is not an illusion. this is not power that we gave to them, it is power that they took, by force. my question is, when are we going to take it back, call for an end to ALL corporations and all centralized governments, and do what it takes to get there? i'm sorry, but the best of intentions still don't do much to change the actions of those with the worst of intentions. if we are serious about a better world, we must fight against this one. again, that in no way means giving up on our cherished ideas of what a new world could be like, and working towards them. it just means being realistic about the situation we are in.

"this is part of the MANDATORY system that, no, I had no part in creating, and is not an illusion. this is not power that we gave to them, it is power that they took, by force."

 

 The essential question is: do your thoughts (consciousness) affect anything outside your skull? Quantum physics and eastern thought suggest they do.

 

 I'd say the consciousness of the parts creates the consciousness of the whole. You're own inner discord helped create the system that you see as negative.

 

The universe seeks wholeness and integration. On some level we create these "negative" aspects of reality in order to integrate with them.  

 

"When an inner situation is not made conscious, it appears outside as fate." Carl Jung