The Social Architecture of Pirate Democracy

This may be the most important of posts to this blog. Blogs (and the reading of them) have a built in limitation---they're both soltary pursuits. This is an important point---especially when we're talking about group dynamics, both within the group and its implications with regard to the larger society.

I've come to realize over the past couple of years how much I long for and extended-family-sized circle of people who are committed to each other's welfare, both internal and external; in other words, for community.

I've experienced both; in university, we came together in a group to fight for issues of social justice. We called ourselves "The Coalition For Change". We were nominally non-sectarian, but all of us came from the left. For many years after, I would remember nostalgicly the energy that seemed to fly about the room. We were issue oriented, so the issue changed from time to time. We protested against the Canadian Goverment's decision to send a Chilean refugee (who had brought to light the Chilean Army's black market activities after Pinochet's coup)back to Chile, where he would no doubt be tortured and killed. We even went so far as to go to the Minister of Immigration's constituency office, where we were interviewed by CBC. It was quite the spectacle---a dozen large guys (us) against Bud Cullen's assistant, who was a member of the matching white belt and shoes brigade. What a dickhead.

I've recently had the wonderful opportunity to be part of a couple of inwardly focused groups, studying the works of E. J. Gold, Sufism, etc. It's almost like I get a kind of 'spiritual food' when I attend the meetings. There is no cost in monetary terms for attendance, you are expected (I guess) to pay with your attention. It's like a concentrated form of special grace, unlike the atmosphere at most churches or network meetings where people attend for their own benefit, or merely to be 'seen'.

Having said all of that, it seems to me both in personal terms and my feeling about larger societal issues, the time is ripe for the two great movements of our time, the search for social justice and for self-realization, to come together as the two halves of the whole; We need to form truly revolutionary organizations.

The nuclear family is a cruel institution, only recently foisted upon us. It has replaced the extended family for most of us. My wife comes from the Philippines, where extended family is the norm. She looks at most North Americans, who couldn't tell you how many cousins you have, or what their names are, as IDIOTS. She's probably right. Sure, there's lots of reasons for that. Labor mobility, lost contact, etc. It still isn't right.

Our first job is to envision a full-circle, extended-family-sized group, and know that we HAVE A RIGHT TO IT!!

Otherwise, we will go right on turning to big organizations, narrow interest groups, and nuclear family units that can't take the pressure of all of our hopes and needs.

So what would the social architecture of pirate democracy look like?

How about a vast armada of diverse, small, personal/political groups that are committed to each member's welfare through both inner and outer change, self-realization and social justice!!

There are other reasons for individuals to come together in groups such as I am proposing.(As if personal advancement and ecomomic gain aren't enough)

Ivan Illych said it best when he characterized many of our dearest institutions as being guilty of "SPECIFIC COUNTERPRODUCTIVITY" In other words, hospitals make people sick, prisons create criminals, and schools make people stupid. The best thing they could do for 'the cause' would be to fold up their tents, and go home.

There are systemic reasons for this. In fact it would make for a great MA thesis. Once attempts at social ameliorization become institutions themselves, they become mechanical and exist for their own sake. One great essay I read on this topic is entitled "John Deere and the Bereavement Councillor" by a professor at Northwestern named John McKnight.

Personally, I've been the victim of my own niavete on more occasions than I would care to admit. One such occasion was when I investigated the claims made by our former Regional Councillor on her campaign material. I already knew that this woman was a nutjob...she ran a 'Women of Distinction" dinner which purported to be for charity, but I found out through a friend that she pocketed all of the money, while giving out 40-50 'awards' to (mostly) her female buddies and regional employees...at $750.00 per table...you do the math. So, long story short, she claimed to be the recipient of a 'Courage to Come Back' Award. A couple of phone calls and a few e-mails later, it turns out she was never even nominated for the award, let alone a recipient. Do you think that the local newspaper (dependent as it is on the advertising that comes from the Town) was even slightly interested? You guessed it--they didn't give a shit. So I told the whole story to the Town Gossip---she took care of the rest.

So, in conclusion, the great thing about the type of group I am suggesting is that it doesn't require those in positions of power to change their minds (like that's going to happen), give us permission, vote for us, provide funding, or even say hello!! Fuck Them! We can do it by ourselves!! AAAAAAAARRG Matey!!!!