SOL Magazine Issue # 2 January 2009.
Open Letter to Members of the Political, Economic and Scientific
Communities
My vision for a responsible, natural life. by Sepp Holzer - Owner: Permaculture Krameterhof, Austria
 The
presenting problems and my proposal for their solution.
We come into the world, usually in a
sterile hospital where immediately, our natural roots are cut. We are
then inoculated and nursed with a chemical cocktail and begin our
journey into and through an unnatural world, increasingly severed from
Nature and from natural processes. Instead, would not a natural birth in
the circle of one's family and a natural childhood be the correct start
for the future life of a young person? And should not every planetary
citizen have the birthright to their own piece of earth upon which they
could develop and maintain their essential need to be nurtured and
sustained by their natural environment? I maintain that a land reform
which confirms these realities is long overdue.
By growing up in insulation and
isolation from Nature and our Mitlebewesen, the creatures
co-existing with us, we lose the natural relationship to our
environment. Growing up in symbiosis with plants, animals and humans,
however, enables an experience of meaningful belonging and sharpens the
task and ability to act as a thoughtful individual, the task of
mastering the challenge of Directing rather than Fighting. By observing
the life all around us, our Mitlebewesen, do we discover that
Nature is perfect already and that Creation has considered everyone;
that everything is in relationship one with the other and that there is
nothing to improve. Our task is to conserve and protect this
perfection.
There are no "dumb-ones “or
"clever-ones “ in Nature. Everyone can find their way if they are not
managed and patronized. It is us humans who create the Dumb and the
Clever, so that we can then exploit the "weaker-ones". With my projects
with human beings all over the world (adults, children, orphans, alley
and homeless children etc.), I made only the very best experiences. But
do I patronize them? No! Rather, I offer them a space to unfold and
experience their own abilities. Experiences of success, joy and honest
acknowledgment are the highest wages, the best therapy and also make
great economic sense. A practical example for this would be my life
assistance project BERTA in Bad Aussee/ Steiermark. It is the first
wheel-chair Holzer Permakultur installation in Europe.
Generational Problems -
a large gap in our society.
Our parents and grandparents
languish away in utter boredom in old people's homes. Their children and
grandchildren are "dumbing down," as it is called, by way of computer
and video games and sitting in front of their television sets. It is an
evolutionary given that our Elders should pass on their experiences and
wisdom to their children and grandchildren. The children are entitled to
this and, with such guidance, can prepare themselves so much better for
their lives. We must become aware of the fact that we have been
committing a tragic mistake here. However, a Generationenhaus
(Ed: residential complexes which revive the tradition of
multi-generational living to normalize the challenges of elder and
child-care) and community projects would go a long way to help close
this gap in our society.
Education -
Specialization - Progress - "Dumbing Down".
Education should be
devoted, half and half, to practical experience and theory: to every
Kindergarten belongs its own food-garden; to each school its own
agricultural establishment and to each University a working farm. Those
should be the natural places for exploration and practical experience
and the training centers for the future of our children and thus, for
the future of society.
By way of today's modern, so called progressive education, young people
are educated away from Nature and lose their deep roots. If we have been
unable to observe the connections, reciprocal effects and symbioses in
the cycles of Nature, we will also be unable to recognize and understand
them. We will also be unable to link ourselves into Creation's cycle of
perfection. What is the consequence? Instead of understanding how the
cycles of Nature function, we believe we can improve them and begin
fighting instead of grasping them. Your task should always be a mere
directing of Nature, never intervening with Nature. Common
sense and creative thinking are most necessary.
Our children and grandchildren
are "dumbed down" in their schools and universities, and some are lost
to us completely, but rarely because the teachers and professors are
becoming more ignorant as well. But no, this occurs because teachers
must teach a curriculum which they frequently do not even support. They
agree to be the pawns of politicians and lobbyists. But where there is a
will, dear Professor, there is always a way! But if our teaching
professionals depend upon political support, or that of lobbyists, then
they can and will not be able to affect change. The theoretical sciences
have so removed themselves from practical and experiential
considerations that they have become neither comprehensible nor useful
to the majority of the population [which they are to serve]. Several
integral parts of this essential cycle have already been lost. To this
day, neither the scientific nor the political communities have responded
appropriately to the tremendous ongoing environmental degradation (with
results such as Global Warming). Financial interests and corruption seem
to be at the root of this lack of responsibility and appropriate action.
The disasters which will necessarily ensue will take on proportions
which can only cause the ultimate collapse of such a sick and ailing
system.
The contamination of
the air, the water and the soil.
The contamination of the air,
the water and the soil as a consequence of the use of chemical and
artificial fertilizers as part of monoculture farming robs us of a
healthy foundation for life. Food is our medicine. The farmer is
supposed to produce food for life, and not merely to fill bellies with
chemically contaminated, inferior, burdened and burdening mono-cultured
food. The farmer, as teacher, shall model to his fellow men respectful
relationships with their Mitlebewesen, the plants and animals
of Mother Earth. Unfortunately, reality looks very different. European
Union Guidelines and policies have made the farmer dependent, even
addicted to that process. The farmer has been degraded to that of a
subsidy recipient - a serf. Premium-payments are there to make up for
the restrictions and limitations. These promotions or so-called
compensations represent nothing but a partial damage-payment for a
failed agriculture policy of national and European Union laws and
regulations. "Expand or fold" is the motto of the European Union.
Specialization,
modernization and mass-meat production.
Animals are treated as mere
commodities. The relationship with our Mitlebewesen, the
creatures which co-exist with us, is lost. The result is mass and
massive animal-torture. Further consequences are the crippling effects
upon these, our Mitlebewesen, by way of de-horning, clipping of
bills, wings or tails, electrical shock by way of cattle-trainers,
mutilation by way of careless ear marking and more. A creature who has
been abused in such a way cannot provide healthy food. If the animal
does not feel well, its meat will be burdened as well. The
farmer represents the living soul of the people! If the farmer dies, the
country dies!
Old land, invaluable to local
culture, is irretrievably lost through regulated land management.
Refinement and processing methods with excellent track-records hundreds
of years in the making have been prevented and/or forbidden by way of
European Union regulations, making it often difficult for modern Permaculture farms to exist. Centralized, enormous processing centers
such as slaughter-houses, large bakeries, distilleries, dairies and
cheese factories, etc. are assigned as processing-facilities and
strongly promoted as such. So that these centers can continue to work at
full capacity, however, the individual farmer's opportunities for
special processing and refinement of their own products are hampered if
not stopped all together.
The small remainders of
bio-farmers were chastised by way of the European Union's reductions of
rebates and increases of nuisance-fees. The rest, as we all know, will
happen automatically from there. The farmer as a slave on his own farm
is usually highly indebted as a consequence of over-mechanization and
specialization, exhausted, patronized and overwhelmed by the bloated
bureaucratic tasks and chicaneries of an administrative leviathan, and
vegetates his life away in total dependency. Who is surprised that his
children do not want to continue their parent's path of suffering?
The Solution for all Problems
Social courage rather than "lemming-behavior" is necessary to defend
oneself against this bloated, estranging administrative leviathan. Put
yourself into the position of your "Other" - into the experience of the
plants, the animals and Yes, the human beings as well and ask yourself
whether you would feel good in their stead. If the earthworm feels good,
the soil is healthy. Plants as well as animals feel good when they are
able to live in the correct biological environment if they can, and to
live in freedom. You will have greatest success and advantage, if you
properly direct all these natural events. Do use, not abuse, the soil.
Variety rather than specialization maintains a healthy system. It is
your mandate from Creation to direct and not to fight natural events.
Nature is perfect. There is nothing to improve. If you do attempt it
nevertheless, you’re are fooling and defrauding yourself. Nature is also
complete in itself; errors are made by us humans. You have been fed fear
- free yourself of it, because fear is the worst companion in life.
Relating respectfully with Creation and all living things around you,
your Mitlebewesen, you profit more than anyone and Farmer becomes the
most beautiful calling.
Translation © Regina
B. Jensen, PhD.
Copyright © Sepp
Holtzer and
SOL Magazine, 2009 All rights reserved
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