Thursday, January 8, 2009

Welcome to Reinvent 2009

Background

After a year of voluntary houselessness and having graduated from university, I went on a solo trip into the woods, intending a month-long stay, hoping the fish or the trees would teach me something I couldn't find on the Internet or in a book. I was only there for four days, but I didn't leave because I was hungry. I didn't leave because I was cold. I didn't leave because of the bugs. I left because I was losing my mind with loneliness. That spot was incredibly beautiful and generous, offering up snake, frog, rabbit, fish, raspberries and more. Without anyone to share it with, though, my time there was reduced to an experiment in self-abuse. The fish and trees had held their tongues.

I returned to the city feeling defeated and confused. I started writing a novel about the experience while latently also trying to figure out what to do next. The answer came from an unlikely place, derived from a conversation with my friend's father. He asked me, as I've been asked countless times, where I saw myself in five years. I demurred, using my usual metaphor of the leaf floating on the river. "That's all well and good," he said, "but think about it for a sec. Five years from now, what world do you want to live in?"
"Well, I realize I'm not smart enough to know quite what that would look like," I said, "but I think I can pretty concretely say it's a world where people participate in the community of life rather than killing it and selling it for money, a place where a Blackberry is something you eat and high fructose corn syrup isn't. Where it would be unthinkable to horde while your neighbour suffers."
"Well?" he asked.
"Well what?"
"So build it."
I almost said "We can't" but caught myself. Of course we can.

Summary

For some period within May through August 2009, a group of people will travel to undeveloped land and live there. Four months - no TV, no internet, no high fructose corn syrup. Just each other and the land.

Through our actions we can communicate an often-neglected alternative story about homo sapiens - one in which we're not the villain, a story that is very difficult to tell in words.

This is an amazing time to be alive. We're bumping up against the very real limits of the planet to endure the civilization we've built and our generation has the opportunity to reimagine and reinvent for the first time in ten thousand years what it means to be human.

Mission Statement

  • Learn and Share - to let go of preconceived notions and discover truly sustainable living and culture, and to share our findings with the world
  • Provide an Example - to demonstrate a credible alternative way of life that does not require destructive practices

16 comments:

  1. You know this doesn't sound like a bad idea I love the wilderness And know how to use it for survival. Where are you thinking to do this cause I would love to be a part of it

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  2. There are a few options. Check out the posts about location on this page: http://reinvent09.blogspot.com/search/label/location

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  3. I like your spirit. In the same vein as Thoreau, although more of a group adventure. My thoughts are that the woods are there for us for reconnecting with nature and should be enjoyed and safeguarded, but time is going to restore all built-up places to a wild state eventually. Learn to help the process along by tending to the earth's needs via assisting wildlife, tree-planting, landscaping, forest gardening, whatever.

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  4. This sounds amazing. Have you read the book Ishmael? Im in if I can't find a job once Im done school.

    I don't think we have to give up technology, just produce it in a sustainable way.

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  5. Cool McJeebs, I have indeed read Ishmael and I'm a fan.

    I largely agree with the idea we don't "have to give up technology," though whether and at what level technology is or can be sustainable is debatable. Regardless of your thoughts on that, learning the lower-impact technologies our ancestors used to live here in a sustainable way is a step in the right direction.

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  6. Hey McJeebs! Welcome : ) When are you done with school? And where do you hail from?

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  7. Cool site. . . . Have you read 'Into the Wild', by Jon Krakauer

    Best of luck from www.1vigor.com

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  8. Ralph, I have indeed read the book. A great read for sure.

    Thanks for your good wishes (and, what are you up to this summer?)

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  9. This is an amazing endeavor. I would call this ground breaking. -p

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  10. Thanks, captainamer76. How about you? What are you up to this summer?

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  11. At first i laughed and called it a cult. But now im really into this idea.

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  12. tomato jones, great news; welcome.

    Where do you hail from? What do you plan on doing this summer?

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  13. I have been sleeping outdoors 6-8 months a year for the past 5 years.It was an interesting experience but futile and COLD!

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  14. Anonymous, sounds interesting! Care to share more? What are you up to this summer?

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  15. Sounds like a great idea, I spent two weeks camping solo after graduating highschool. I felt a little crazy by the end, but it was a great experience and I learned a lot. If only I didn't have to work this summer to pay for my damn tuition. Wish you guys the best of luck,
    M-E

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  16. Sounds like your trying to establish an Egalitarian Community ????



    http://www.thefec.org/

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