In our last blog, we discussed the urgent need for building a conscious economy, and the true meaning of the phrase “think global, act local”. To go from the idea-phase to a place of making change, you want to start by implementing things that make a meaningful contribution to your life and community.
When we take back our power and strive to work as a sovereign collective, the number of tasks on our to-do list may grow exponentially, and their complexity will also increase.
When you’re not relying on consumer culture as much, you begin to realize that your thinking must also shift. Being truly sovereign demands that we think ahead both in terms of time, and in terms of leverage.
Instead of simply buying a solution to each problem we are faced with as they arrive – we find that we can save time, effort, and money by thinking creatively and applying “solution-based thinking” to the problems we face.
For several generations now, consumer culture has strategically trained us to think about solving our problems in a fairly linear fashion:
problem + purchase = solution
However, when we approach problems with a solution in mind, we often find that what we perceive as a problem is in fact a solution in disguise.
If we de-condition our minds and start looking at the myriad ways in which we are interconnected, we start to see patterns and possibilities we may never have considered previously.
We have been taught to value independence to the point that we no longer reach out to our community, lest we be perceived as ‘needy’ or burdensome. In fact, this level of hyper-independence is toxic, because it keeps us isolated from our communities and encourages us to maintain a facade of aloofness.
How frequently do you reach out to your local community, and how often do you ask for and offer help? There have been many dire consequences of the past 20 months, and one of the most unfortunate is the extreme social isolation that so many of us are facing.
When we are led to believe that connecting with and relying on our fellow human beings is somehow dangerous or selfish, we are cutting off a major source of mutual support that doesn’t demand our compliance with arbitrary rules and mandates.
The less voluntary, local community support we have, the more utterly dependent we are on formal structures that come with their own mad agendas, and actively undermine our sovereignty.
If we allow ourselves to believe that asking our neighbours for help makes us look incompetent or needy, then we are depriving our community of the richness and stability that interpersonal connection brings.
Worse, we are quite likely to needlessly waste our hard-won resources and precious time as we struggle in solitude – when our community could be a thriving source of solace, strength, and ingenuity.
Building grassroots community support begins with trust, reaching out, and assuming the best of others.
Strike up conversations with the people in your immediate world – your neighbours, your mail-person, the people you meet at your local park, hardware store, or coffee shop. If you attend a place of worship, get involved there. Befriend your local tradespeople. Ask for recommendations, and get to know the needs and interests in your local community groups.
One way to facilitate community building is by sharing your skills: Offer to teach others what you know. Maybe you’ve got a knack for gardening (or a newfound interest in it)? Host a seed swap event. If you love to cook, invite some neighbours to a “get-to-know-you” potluck. You will likely discover that your local area is filled with people who have their own unique skillsets and resources, ripe for sharing – all you need is to build a foundation of mutual respect and trust.
In the era of extreme independence and “buy it now!”, one of the best ways to encourage interdependence is by bringing back the concepts of barter and trade.
Consider your grocery budget, for example. Not everyone has the space, time, or inclination to garden – but most of us buy produce at the store. Fresh backyard eggs are lovely, but paying for them at the store isn’t the only way to enjoy them!
Maybe someone in your local area raises chickens. Your neighbour might be pleased to gift you a weekly dozen in exchange for a loaf of your delicious banana bread, a jar of fermented sauerkraut, or even helping them to weed their garden! If you’re skilled in a trade, you can barter your services as well.
Finally, leverage the internet and technology to form local groups. While connecting in person is critical, we can often begin by reaching out on social media, forums, or even via text messaging and email. A monthly meet-up can be formed, with discussion topics that interest and benefit those who are interested in building a supportive community together.
It’s become clear that continued isolation and blind obedience will only serve to weaken us further. True support is found in sovereign community groups, and in the willingness to preserve the freedoms and strength of our fellow human beings on a local, grassroots level.
We cannot wait for someone else to save us – it’s time we rise up and become our own saviours.
In the wake of widespread confusion and breakdown, I believe that we are being presented with an opportunity to redefine what ‘community’ ought to be. It’s up to us to envision and create functional, thriving communities that work for us and make sense for us to participate in, with a backbone of autonomy and self-responsibility. As we move forward in re-creating an autonomous future, we must recognize our need for each other.
When we release linear, consumer-based thinking and embrace a spiderweb network of interdependence and co-creation with other people, we exponentially increase both our personal empowerment and our level of sovereignty. That is a thing of beauty, and something to celebrate.
