Re: Sustainability and contentment

["Robert Jensen" <robertscroft@hotmail.com>]

Marsha,
Your post inspired me.   Contentment is indeed a rare comodity in this time 
and age for most people.

It almost seems as though the great human advances of the 19th century were 
wasted by humanity in the 20th century.

I wonder if the time has come to somehow harness the knowledge that we share 
here with the best of available resources and build a better outcome as 
individuals and as part of a larger community?

Life could certainly become far more stimulating and rewarding if we can.

What do others think.
Robert Jensen


>From: "Marsha Hanzi" <hanzibra@svn.com.br>
>Reply-To: "permaculture" <permaculture@franklin.oit.unc.edu>
>To: "permaculture" <permaculture@franklin.oit.unc.edu>
>Subject: Re: Sustainability and contentment
>Date: Fri, 9 Jun 2000 11:24:28 -0300
>
>
> > Fascinating insights flying around -- thanks for starting this one up 
>Myk,
> > and to everyone else, particularly Toby for several well-thought through
> > posts. My twopennyworth:
> >
> > 1) Sustainability is indeed a word being battled over, particularly
>between
> > environmentalists and economists -- important to keep asserting the
> > environmental bottom line of 'not damaging the natural systems that
>sustain
> > life' -- while also insisting that the 'meeting human needs fairly' 
>aspect
> > has to be taken on-board by greenies.
> >
>
>There is a word which we rarely hear any more, but which may be in fact
>central to the issue at hand: "contentment" , means being happy with what
>you have, that gentle state of well-being, of soft glowing happiness ( not
>shouting from the mountaintops). The image to me is sitting quietly on the
>veranda, watching  the sun go down.  To me, contentment has to do with
>slower rhythm , free time,  having the basics ( no fear)..  Maybe
>contentment is in fact one of our goals in Permaculture-- having those
>basics, and recognizing  them as being sufficient for 
>life-quality...Knowing
>to stop in time... Get what I mean?  (Couterbalance to "more is better"...)
>
>Marsha
>
>
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