Radical Simplicity and the Middle-Class

[Paul Mobbs]

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Not bad, but how can they write such a long article about "what next" 
without talking about the critical role of land in this process of 
transformation? -- and how access to land will be the critical part of who 
can sustain their lifestyle versus those who will enter various levels of 
shanty dependency around urban centres (which we see already in the 
developing world today) when the "great dislocation" kicks off?

P.




http://permaculturenews.org/2012/09/28/radical%2Dsimplicity%2Dand%2Dthe%2Dmiddle%2Dclass%2Dexploring%2Dthe%2Dlifestyle%2Dimplications%2Dof%2Da%2Dgreat%2Ddisruption

Radical Simplicity and the Middle-Class – Exploring the Lifestyle 
Implications of a ‘Great Disruption’

Permaculture Research Institute (Aus), September 28th 2012


How would the ordinary middle-class consumer – I should say middle-class 
citizen – deal with a lifestyle of radical simplicity? By radical 
simplicity I essentially mean a very low but biophysically sufficient 
material standard of living, a form of life that will be described in more 
detail below. In this essay I want to suggest that radical simplicity would 
not be as bad as it might first seem, provided we were ready for it and 
wisely negotiated its arrival, both as individuals and as communities. 
Indeed, I am tempted to suggest that radical simplicity is exactly what 
consumer cultures need to shake themselves awake from their comfortable 
slumber; that radical simplicity would be in our own, immediate, self-
interests. In this essay, however, I will only defend the more modest 
thesis that radical simplicity simply would not be that bad. Establishing 
that thesis should be challenging enough.

{SNIP}

- -- 

.

"We are not for names, nor men, nor titles of Government,
nor are we for this party nor against the other but we are
for justice and mercy and truth and peace and true freedom,
that these may be exalted in our nation, and that goodness,
righteousness, meekness, temperance, peace and unity with
God, and with one another, that these things may abound."
(Edward Burrough, 1659 - from 'Quaker Faith and Practice')

Paul's book, "Energy Beyond Oil", is out now!
For details see http://www.fraw.org.uk/mei/ebo/

Read my 'essay' weblog, "Ecolonomics", at:
http://www.fraw.org.uk/mei/ecolonomics/

Paul Mobbs, Mobbs' Environmental Investigations
3 Grosvenor Road, Banbury OX16 5HN, England
tel./fax (+44/0)1295 261864
email - mobbsey at gn.apc.org
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