I shouldn't have been surprised by the evolution of language to help make sense of the collapse of the world I grew up in. Each new concept required work to begin to understand it. Work, meaning participation in the implementation of the concepts, because increasingly, academics fail to teach us what we need. Experience must. … Continue reading Absurdity
Month: November 2023
As the Light of the World Seems to Flicker
As the Light of the world seems to flicker, the Light of art shines more brightly. Following are some seemingly disparate examples of Light. But they are all interconnected, as we are all interconnected. Poetry I have resigned as poetry editor of The New York Times Magazine. The Israeli state's U.S-backed war against the people of … Continue reading As the Light of the World Seems to Flicker
HyperNormalization documentary
The concept of hypernormalization defines why change doesn't happen, describing a state where everyone in a society realizes that the system is failing, but no one can imagine an alternative. That has been predominantly the case in this country for a long time. We are constantly bombarded with news about one disaster after another. Environmental, economic, … Continue reading HyperNormalization documentary
Hypernormalization and polycrisis
I've been writing about polycrisis for some time because I think it is a useful way to look at the risks, local and global, that we are facing. (See: https://polycrisis.center/). Hypernormalization is another new term. As soon as you hear its definition you recognize how helpful it is in trying to make sense of what … Continue reading Hypernormalization and polycrisis
Hypernormalization
New terminology is needed to describe unprecedented global collapse. I've struggled for years to try to motivate people to resist the conditions that are are fueling this collapse. I grew up in a Quaker community that worked against injustice. Where men and their families refused to participate in the militarism in this country, knowing they … Continue reading Hypernormalization
Local resilience checklist
I find I don't know where to begin this morning. I'm listening hard for spiritual guidance but have not found it thus far. We're all so weary of the constantly evolving crises. But things seem to have reached a new low when babies are dying in Palestinian hospitals because of no electricity. This hits me … Continue reading Local resilience checklist
The creative process and creativity as spiritual practice
This morning, my Quaker meeting will discuss the creative process and creativity as spiritual practice. This has become the focus of what I'm led to write this morning. Emergence Magazine NOTE FROM THE EDITORS It has always been a radical act to share stories during dark times. They are regenerative spaces of creation and renewal. … Continue reading The creative process and creativity as spiritual practice
“Ain’t Gonna Study War No More”
There is a sense of hopelessness, helplessness, and despair in the face of the horrors of the Israeli-Hamas war. Coming of age in the 1960s, during the Vietnam War, I witnessed and was part of the massive antiwar movement in this country. But for the past several decades I’ve wondered what happened to the antiwar … Continue reading “Ain’t Gonna Study War No More”
Prerequisites to Building a Hub for Local Resilience
[Note: This is a continuation of a series I’ve been writing about resilience based on THE RESILIENCE WE WANT, A Guide to Making Your Community Space into a Hub for Local Resilience and Mutual Aid.] Before getting more into the details of the guide to make your community a hub for resilience, I'd like to express more fully … Continue reading Prerequisites to Building a Hub for Local Resilience
Where Does Resilience Come From?
This is a continuation of a series I've been writing about resilience that is based on THE RESILIENCE WE WANT, A Guide to Making Your Community Space into a Hub for Local Resilience and Mutual Aid. I'm writing about that guide because it explains why Mutual Aid is the way to respond to disasters and … Continue reading Where Does Resilience Come From?
Polycrisis Center 