TJ,
You made an excellent suggestion to reread your piece.
YES. “Different people are good at different things, and by working together, we can meet our needs. Fulfillment comes from simple things: connection to our fellow humans. Putting in a good day’s work. Labor heals the troubled mind.”
Sisyphus laboring on pushing his stone up a hill did little for his troubled mind, especially when it rolled back down on him. Poor grumpy forlorn man, as if he had a choice.
Labor in fellowship with others heals a troubled mind because no matter the outcome you had each other’s back and did the best you could.
Instead of being a slave to the grind, be the grindstone milling the shaft.
“But we’ve traded all of this for a global system that has us feeling isolated, cut off, and completely detached from the natural world and its rhythms.”
Most hear the sparrow’s chatter, the blackbird’s cry, choose clothes based on the weather, note buds bursting, step around puddles, pause to savor sunsets and Cheshire moons. They feel part of the natural world and its rhythms.
Isolation, cut off, and completely detached is a choice made by individuals, perhaps burdened by something that thwarts connecting.
Be present. “Wave at your neighbors.”
YES. Good start, follow up with a cheery word that demonstrates mutual understanding – often this is the weather we are all dealing with.
“Find out what other people around you are thinking and feeling about climate change. Find a good place to live, if the people around you just suck.”
Hold on before pressing your agenda with neighbors, find out how they are doing. Listen and respond in ways that indicate understanding. They may have pressing and immediate concerns that you must address. For very real reasons, they may be unable to share your concerns about climate change. Don’t pass judgement; you are not superior.
We all must play the hand that was dealt to the best of our abilities. Blaming the dealer does not help. Shit happens. You will get knocked down. It’s not the blows, it is how quickly you get up again and how you don’t let it slow you down much, perhaps learn from, that counts.
The point is NOT that we are completely dependent on the system. We are completely dependent on each other. To move forward, to address climate injustices, we must get it together. Together we can – and the rabbit may keep his skin. (You may eat all the meat you want; this choice of words, the image, puts off kind-hearted people and separates you unnecessarily from others intent on a better world.)
