by Ray Jason
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| AVENTURA'S Earth Flag |
My sweet, strong sailboat and I have been together for over a
quarter of a century. While aimlessly
meandering amidst some fond memories of our decades together, I am suddenly
jolted by an unpleasant realization. It is all so profoundly different now. When
we first sailed together, she was just a sea-going magic carpet, transporting me
to far-away lands, plush with exotic creatures and cultures. But now she has also become a survival pod,
protecting me from the possibility of societal collapse.
Admittedly, when I first disconnected from life on the land,
the world was already extremely dysfunctional.
That was part of the enchantment of the sea gypsy life - that I could
voluntarily exile myself from much of the violence, injustice, ugliness and
shallowness of modern techno-industrial society.
But in only 25 years, global conditions have gone from deeply
disturbing to cataclysmic. We certainly
knew back then that our human activities were damaging Mother Earth, but we
didn’t realize that our conduct could actually unravel the critical
bio-geo-physical systems that sustain all life on our luxuriant, garden
planet. Who would have believed that we
could actually annihilate our support system?
I might not have believed it back then, but I certainly do
now. That’s because sailing the wide
waters imposes a heightened sense of reality on a person - far more so than
shore-side life. Out on the vast ocean,
where one has to fend for oneself without any nearby assistance, delusions can
kill you. So, my many years at sea have
trained me to see things as they are
rather than as I wish them to be. And what this sea gypsy beholds just beyond
the horizon is grave and frightening.
Fortunately, others far wiser than me also see the troubles
ahead, and they are attempting to raise the alarm about the impending
catastrophes. But tragically, they are
almost completely ignored. This neglect
is so significant that I have created a term to describe these well-intentioned
messengers who carry such unwelcome news.
I call them the Cassandra Choir, because they suffer the same ignoble
fate that befell the mythological character Cassandra. She could accurately foretell the future and
she used this gift to warn her people about the woes that awaited them. But they either ignored or scorned her.
The truth-tellers of our modern Cassandra Choir are
relentlessly marginalized and ridiculed by what I call the TMA - The Malignant
Authorities. These political, corporate,
religious and media gatekeepers are so obscenely engorged with wealth and power
under the existing system, that they will fight ruthlessly to defend the status
quo. They desire a population of The
Asleep. They fear a population of The
Awake.
So they label those in the Choir “screwball doomers” and
claim that the risks that they are exposing are greatly exaggerated. The TMA do their utmost to insure that the
message of the Cassandra Choir is suppressed, because when looked at
objectively, it is supremely convincing.
(At the end of this essay I will provide a footnote listing many of
these insightful and courageous thinkers.
A few weeks spent reading them, will probably convince you that our
current path will most likely lead to a devastating societal collapse.)
*******
The phrase that I use to describe the possible catastrophes
confronting us is the Big Bad “E”s, which stand for Energy, Economy and
Ecology. One of these alone could
destabilize the world so profoundly that the life that we currently take for
granted would be shattered. But because
they are so intertwined, an emergency in one will probably impact the others,
thus compounding and accelerating the problem.
Let’s look at Energy
first. Any clear thinker can discern
that Petroleum has virtually enslaved us.
Its black hand is smeared across every aspect of our daily
routines. Without abundant, affordable
liquid fuels the food trucks stop delivering to the grocery stores, the
tractors aren’t plowing the fields, the airplanes don’t fly, and the container ships
can’t transport low-priced consumer goods from East to West. And even more disastrously a large portion of
the power grid goes down. Without
electricity, the air conditioners don’t cool and all of the electronic gadgetry
that mesmerizes the citizenry into a docile stupor suddenly disappears. The swiftness with which the fabric of civil
society can be shredded will be astonishing.
As for Economics, because of the interconnected nature of our
globalized world, a crisis in one area will impact billions on the other side
of the planet. Should China decide to
renounce the U.S. dollar as the world reserve currency and install its own gold-backed
yuan, this will have profound repercussions in every nation and in every
market, whether it is stocks, bonds or commodities.
The Ecological future looks even more terrifying each passing
month. Melting ice caps, further destruction
of the Amazonian rainforest, bubbling tundra, and a relatively new environmental
horror – climate change denial - add up to a grim path forward…and most likely
downward.
These are just a few “scribbled on a napkin” examples of
possible disasters headed our way that easily came to mind because of my years
of researching the likelihood of Collapse.
Anyone, who thoroughly investigates the existing data, is likely to
reach a similar conclusion - that we are probably doomed. Almost the entire Cassandra Choir agrees in
this regard. A huge die-off of billions
of people and a reset to an almost unrecognizable, low-tech style of living
seems to be the consensus.
And the most radical sector of the Choir is so pessimistic
that they have coined the term NTHE, which stands for Near Term Human
Extinction. They believe that Homo Sapiens
will either go completely extinct or only a few pockets of a remnant population
will survive. I ardently hope that this
is not the case, and my research up to this point has not totally convinced me
that this is the case. But there is a
wise old sailors’ adage that goes like this: “Hope for the best, but prepare
for the worst!”
It is in this profoundly empowering spirit that I have
written the rest of this essay. Up to
this point it has just been an introduction or a setting of the scene. The rest of this meditation is my core
message and my heartfelt truth. I hope
it proves to be a helpful addition to the growing conversation on how we can
most wisely confront the agony that lies ahead.
*******
Many members of the Cassandra Choir paint a sobering and
convincing portrait of the horrors that are headed our way. The unsettling images in their books and
blogs are so disturbing that they often feel obligated to conclude their message
on a more cheerful and optimistic note.
So they usually extol the value of “resilient communities” that can
protect their members from the ravages that most people will experience.
I greatly admire the basic concepts behind this Transition
Town - perma-culture - low-tech model.
But sadly, I believe that this response to an imploding world is as
doomed as the “stay in the city and see what happens” approach. The reason for my concern can be stated in
one word - MARAUDERS! As a friend of
mine tragically describes it, “The Amish are toast.” When people are cornered into choosing between
starving and marauding, it is fairly easy to predict their decision. This is a recurring blind spot in the
otherwise brilliant and well-grounded thinking of the Cassandra Choir. How can they not foresee that their vegetable
gardens and root cellars and chicken coops will be stormed and ravaged by
heavily-armed, hungry people?
But the solution that I am proposing to any worst-case Collapse
scenario deals with the problem of marauders effortlessly – you simply sail away from the violence and mayhem
that is overwhelming both the cities and the countryside. I call my alternative approach THE SEA GYPSY TRIBE.
Name any apocalyptic scenario, and I will argue that being at
sea in a sailing vessel is the best way to deal with it. Pandemic? The contagion danger comes from large groups
of humans jammed closely together. Grid
Down? Sailboats are self-contained
survival pods with wind and solar power systems, water-makers and long-distance
radios. Thermo-nuclear? There is not
a single ICBM on the planet aimed towards the middle of the ocean. And the fallout danger is more easily handled
in a boat with ¾ of its surface area underwater. Famine? It is easy to have a year’s worth of
provisions stashed onboard, and the sea provides, fish, shellfish and seaweed. Submerged
Coastal Cities? Not an issue in a
floating survival module.
But more than just being a survival concept, I also envision
the Sea Gypsy Tribe as a “seeding” option.
Here is my basic premise:
I believe that if there is a near extinction catastrophe, a Sea Gypsy Tribe has the best chance of both surviving and replenishing the human population in the wisest manner.
Those last four words are exceedingly important - “in the wisest manner.” There is already a fairly large group of people who have been paying attention to the global unraveling, and who have responded by preparing for the worst. These folks are usually referred to as “preppers.” I applaud their foresight and dedication. But I have grave doubts about their ability to reboot the post-Collapse emergent world “in the wisest manner.”
That’s because most of the preppers are very religious and
patriotic. And there is overwhelming
evidence that more blood has been shed in human history in the name of god and
country than for any other cause. And
besides that, the hierarchal nature of religions and nations invariably
attracts the most ambitious, ruthless sociopaths who ascend to the highest
positions of power. They would soon be
repeating the same mistakes that plague us today.
*******
What I propose is a far bolder vision of a post-Collapse
future. I call it Humanity 3.0. Our hunter/gatherer
ancestors were Humanity 1.0 and our civilized forebears comprised Humanity 2.0. For about 2 million years the Paleolithic
tribes lived peaceably with each other and in balance with Nature. They perceived the world as a web and
themselves as but one strand amongst millions of others. They lived a life of harmony rather than
hegemony.
But then about 10,000 years ago at the onset of what I term
“conquest agriculture,” humanity drastically changed its philosophy. These Neolithic villagers started viewing all
of Life as a pyramid with Homo Sapiens at the pinnacle. And they perceived this position as a
justification for ruling over all of the other life forms on the planet. This marked the beginning of what we term
Civilization. It also marked the arrival
of States and Churches and Rulers and Priests.
As this worldview expanded and accelerated, it has unleashed dire
consequences for all life-forms. And now
it even jeopardizes our future existence as a species. I discuss the disastrous, unintended
consequences of Civilization in much greater detail in my essay entitled “The
Vast Picture” which is my first essay at this site.
I believe that the Sea Gypsy Tribe can function like the
monks of the Dark Ages who preserved the best of the Greek and Roman cultures, which
then led to the Enlightenment and to the Renaissance. Our mission would be to conserve the best of
Humanity 2.0, and also to sound the alarm about its worst elements. I have a catch-phrase to describe this –
“Mozart without the mushroom cloud.”
*******
Perhaps the best aspect of my Sea Gypsy Tribal concept is
that it is achievable. It does not require a global paradigm
shift. It just needs about 1,000 kindred
spirits. I use that arbitrary number
because many anthropologists believe that after the last great human extinction
event, which was the Toba volcanic eruption approximately 77,000 years ago,
there were only about 1,000 survivors, and yet they successfully managed to repopulate
the planet.
Right now there are already tens of thousands of people scattered
around our wet, lush planet living a full-time sailing life. The vast majority of them do not possess what
I would consider essential Sea Gypsy Tribal values, but there is probably a
tiny minority that is ripe and anxious for my message. We just need to find each other, discover our
common philosophical beliefs and exchange contact info. Then, if things start deteriorating, the
various seagoing tribes can come together in their particular neighborhood of
Mother Ocean.
A simple means of identification is the Earth Flag. I have been flying mine for decades. It symbolizes my desire for a world without
borders. Anyone displaying the Earth
Flag is probably an excellent candidate for the Sea Gypsy Tribe.
*******
So, what sort of paradigm shift in values would I wish to see
in this new, water-borne community? I’ll
gladly provide some examples, but I emphasize that I am vehemently against
“imposing” a philosophy on anyone. My
goal is to inspire. I believe in
“suggestions” and I despise “commandments!”
If I was a Sea Gypsy Tribal Elder here are some of the things that I
would recommend to my clan. They could
then choose whether or not to embrace them.
· HUMANITY’S PLACE IN THE SCHEME OF THINGS. We have tried to elevate ourselves above the other creatures on our planet by claiming that we are human “beings.” But we are actually just human animals. We have further deceived ourselves, by claiming that the geometry of life is a pyramid, and we humans are at the apex. So this entitles us to dominate and control everything else - including the creatures, the land, the water and the air. We must return to the geometry that our Humanity 1.0 hunter/gatherer ancestors so clearly understood – that life is a web and damaging one strand damages the whole.
· THE LIMITS OF GROWTH. Only a buffoon believes that
there can be infinite growth, which requires infinite resource extraction, on a
finite planet. But beyond the absurdity
of the equation, there is also the atrocity of its perspective. The few dozen indigenous tribes still surviving
on our blighted, techno-industrial planet view the rivers, forests and
mountains as their living neighbors.
They don’t see them as commodities – as hydro-electric power, as board
feet or as open-pit mines. Gaia should
be enjoyed, cherished and protected – not strip-mined!
· A WORLD OF TOO MUCH TECHNOLOGY CANNOT BE REPAIRED WITH MORE TECHNOLOGY. The Luddites in England and the last Samurai in Japan were
correct – the seductive benefits of techno-industrial Civilization would be
short-lived. But the horrors that they
spawned would be forever. The 443 nuclear
reactors in the USA are a testament to this.
It takes about 10 years to decommission each one. What will happen if the power grid goes down
swiftly and all those cooling ponds dry up?
We should abandon our addiction to “the latest gadget” and embrace low
or appropriate technology. A basic, any-ocean sailboat is a great example of this. It is a bridge across to the Old Ways. Or as I like to say, “The path to the Future
leads to the Past!”
· IMMERSION IN NATURE IS A NECESSITY AND NOT A LUXURY. None of the 80-90 indigenous tribes still living in their
native habitats, suffer from mental illness, or require psychiatrists or need
psycho-tropic drugs. Our Paleolithic
operating system is designed for living in “the Wild” and not in “human-built
environments.” I get to spend long
periods alone with the creatures of the sea and the sky. To me this is not a vacation, it is a vital
psychic centering. We must come home to
the wild.
· HIERARCHAL SOCIETIES BECOME HORRIBLE SOCIETIES.
Tribal societies are small bands where everyone knows each other and
they work together for the good of the clan.
There are no rulers and ruled, no rich and poor, no inequality between
the sexes and no chiefs living in splendor, while the rest live in
squalor. But hierarchal societies suffer
from all of those injustices. And
despite the false propaganda, those who rise to power in hierarchies are not usually
the “best and the brightest.” Instead
they are the most ambitious, ruthless and despicable, thus leading to
“dominator” cultures that spew death and destruction across the planet. Hierarchies should be as unwelcome as the bubonic
plague.
· CAPITALISM MUST CAPSIZE. It should be obvious that any system
that places profit ahead of both people and the planet will end up being a
disaster for both. Any economic model
that worships greed, cannot possibly serve the common interest or the greater
good. The tribal model has provided fulfilling
lives without jeopardizing the environment for 2 million years. Shouldn’t we dismantle the Capitalist system
which only enriches a tiny elite, and in just a few centuries is destroying the
ecosystem which we depend on for our very survival?
· CHURCHES AND STATES MUST STAY BURIED IN THE ASHES.
The most obscene atrocities in human history have usually been committed
in the name of the love of god or the love of country. There is nothing wrong with striving for
spiritual joy, but organized religions that demonize other groups and command
their annihilation, should never re-emerge from the Collapse. As for States, humanity existed contentedly
for 2 million years without them. And in
only 10,000 years since their arrival, we have massacred hundreds of millions
of people and now are on the verge of decimating our planetary support
system. Churches and States should be buried
for eternity in the world’s most polluted toxic waste sites.
If I was a Tribal Elder at a Council of Deciding, these are the far-reaching changes that I would recommend to my people. They may seem radical, but I perceive them as “radically sensible.” Also, it should be remembered, that these proposals are designed for a future scenario where there has been a cataclysmic societal collapse and the survivors are attempting to rebuild a civilization far more enlightened than our current version.
*******
But let’s hope that we are never in that position. A huge majority of my personal friends regard
my views on the possibility of impending collapse as semi-lunatic. They agree that the world is enormously
screwed up, but they believe that humanity will continue to muddle along with
things steadily deteriorating, and then some miracle will come along and save
us. I would be delighted if they are
right and I am wrong. But if they ARE
correct, I still encourage people to consider adopting the Sea Gypsy Tribal
Path as perhaps the healthiest way of living on a very diseased planet. These are some of its many rewards that I
know so well from my decades of Sea Gypsy living:
· You are a World Citizen and thus in no way supporting the imperialistic perversions of any government.
· You live in the Yellow Light rather
Than the Blue Light. Your illumination
comes from Mother Sun and not from electronic addiction devices.
· You can escape the steady defilement
of daily life as world governments keep morphing into police-surveillance
states.
· You can reconnect with and embrace
anew your wild, animal self.
· You can live slowly and simply – immersed
in Nature - and exiled from the meaningless frenzy of the so-called real world.
· You can discover anew a sense of
connectedness as you mesh with your new tribe of kindred spirits.
*******
I hope that my words and my vision
will inspire some of you out there to consider the Sea Gypsy Tribe as a viable
alternative to a possible disastrous future.
My desire with this article was to introduce an entirely new and
potentially successful approach to worst case scenario survival strategy. But to state it more poetically, my heart of
hearts hope is…that this little essay will launch a fleet of a Thousand
Thoreaus.
AUTHOR’S NOTE: As promised here are some members of the Cassandra Choir. The topics that they emphasize in their thinking and writing include: Collapse, Peak Everything, Downside of Civilization, Economic Lunacy, Eco-Disaster and How the World Really Works. This is by no means an all-inclusive list, but it will give anyone with a sincere interest in re-evaluating the Future, a lot of wise resource material.
Dmitry Orlov, James Howard Kunstler, Richard Heinberg, Chellis Glendinning, Guy McPherson, Carolyn Baker, Derrick Jensen, Daniel Quinn, Morris Berman, John Zerzan, Jerry Mander, Jared Diamond, Howard Zinn, Albert Bates, Naomi Klein, Jan Lundberg, Paul Craig Roberts, Chris Hedges, Michael Ruppert, George Mobus, Dave Pollard, David Korten, Bill McKibben, William Catton, Thomas Berry, Tyler Durden, Matt Simmons, Stacy Herbert, Max Keiser, Gail Tvalberg, Gerald Celente, Joseph Tainter, Ronald Wright, William Banzai and many more fine and courageous thinkers…