[Sust-mar] sponsors/organisers needed - author Mike Nickerson workshops - A Question of Direction - "Life Money and Illusion"

[Paul Falvo]

	Mike Nickerson is coming to Atlantic Canada to
launch the Question of Direction program and
introduce his new book "Life, Money & Illusion."
(Some of you will be familiar with Mike's work from
the Sustainability Cards distributed by Sustainable
Maritimes and others.)

	In the book's title, "Life" refers to the biological
processes by which living things maintain themselves
over time, "Money" to the present economic ideology
that says that as long as the volume of money
changing hands increases, all will be well. "Illusion"
refers to the fact that these two perspectives are
directly opposed in terms of how they would solve
current problems.

	Mike and his partner Donna Dillman, a native
of Nova Scotia, will be facilitating a number of
discussions (see discussion outline below) on PEI,
Sept. 30 - Oct. 4; in Nova Scotia, Oct. 6 - 14  and; in
New Brunswick, Oct. 15 - 18.  (Dates subject to change as
plans crystallize.)

	If you or your organization would be interested
in sponsoring a discussion on the issues of our
changing times, and can arrange a place to meet and
public notice, please contact Mike & Donna at
<sustain5(at)web.ca> to see if a time can be arranged.
Their itinerary will be posted on the Sustainable
Maritimes email list when the details are settled.

More about
the Question of Direction at:
http://www.SustainWellBeing.net/challengeandgoal.html
and the book "Life, Money & Illusion" : 
http://www.SustainWellBeing.net/LMI/lmisummary.html

=======================

"Life, Money & Illusion"
Sustainability may not be found in the conventional mold.

An open discussion about our changing times.

Workshop Description:

	The discussion follows three steps.

The first step is to find out what aspects of the topic
are of interest to participants. This will be done by a
go-around giving each participant who wants to speak
a chance to say what brought them to the meeting.

The second step is a presentation expanding on the
announced topic. In this case, the interface between
basic ecology, conventional economic practices and the
goal of sustainability, including alternative approaches
to mutual provision.

The third step is to return to the group for questions
and discussion about how the step two perspective
relates in their personal lives and collective future.
================

More detail:
	The topic is relevant because every adult has
experience with the economic system; it is the hub
through which most of our material necessities are
acquired. At the same time, to be alive is to be a full
participant in the life process. Increasingly, people are
learning about the ecological basics of resource
limitations and waste, and how the unfolding impacts
of these issues are affecting our well-being. By sharing
bits of experience and understanding related to these
topics, a personal context can be established for
hearing the step two presentation.

	In 30 minutes, or so, my presentation will
highlight the basic inconsistencies between the life
paradigm and economic convention. Having done that,
I will introduce a variety of ways in which our mutual
provision (the economic system) can be adapted so as
to respect the limitations of ecological reality. Finally I
will introduce the Question of Direction, a tactic by
which we may be able to change the structure of the
system and set our world on course toward long-term
well-being.

	After the presentation, the meeting focus will
return to the group. In light of the "Life, Money &
Illusion" overview, what local issues might be
influenced directly by the suggested change of
perspective? What steps can be taken individually, in
community, and as part of the encompassing challenge
of changing the goals of our society?

	The new book "Life, Money & Illusion; Living on
Earth as if we want to stay," will be available at the
workshop. The book is summarized at: 
http://www.SustainWellBeing.net/LMI/lmisummary.html

==============================
	In the event that more time is available than the
above discussion can fill, I have a list of
supplementary topics that may be of interest. They
include:
- Well-being measurement (how we might establish a
"Genuine Progress Index" by adding indicators of social
and environmental well-being to the economic
indicators already brought regularly to public
attention.)
- How the Popular Education process, upon which this
workshop is based, works
- Money creation: Conventional debt based money
compared to no-interest, community currency and/or
demurrage currency;
- Morphogenetic Fields (the information field of species
that is thought to resonates with DNA)
- Faith of the Bottom Line (neo-classical economics as
a fundamentalist State Religion)




-- 
www.mackenziewild.ca