Introduction to Digital Permaculture - A World of Solutions
"Every act of consumption promotes a model of civilization and is therefore, by extension, a political act..." -???
"Although the world's problems are becoming more and more complex, the solutions remain embarrassingly simple." -Bill Mollison
"Creating the world we want is a far more subtle mode of action, but more powerful than destroying the one we no longer want." -Marianne Williamson
We are at a point where these choices are possible. To tell the truth, it has always been possible to choose, but today, a complete universe of alternatives is available to us!
Indeed, what I note, since the years 60-70’s, a growing number of social, political, economic, spiritual movements... Let's say a great societal movement of conscience is taking its place!
Everywhere around us, in every sphere of our society, the hour of revolution is ringing and two paradigms are confronting each other!
One is the one we know only too well: the one of competition, domination, centralization, illusion...
The other, still too largely ignored, although obvious, is the one of cooperation and decentralization. It's a holistic paradigm where every element is integrated into the whole!
I will present examples of alternatives that are consistent with this new (though universal) paradigm. Think, in each case, how blockchain technology (which I would also present) can come to support/drive/integrate into all of this!
Permaculture
Permaculture is a philosophy born in the early 1970s thanks to two Australian geniuses: Bill Mollison (biologist) and David Holmgren (essayist).
It can be clearly defined as follows:
"Permaculture is a systemic and holistic method of designing human habitats and agricultural systems inspired by natural ecology (biomimicry) and tradition."
-Wikipedia
"Permaculture is a system of design based on ethics and principles that can be used to design, implement, manage and improve all kinds of individual, family and collective initiatives for a sustainable future."
-Permacultureprinciples.com
Basically, this "method" (which is more an art in my opinion) is used in agroecology to create rich, healthy and sustainable agricultural places inspired by nature.
Indeed, let see how a forest naturally produces, without the need for external resources, a phenomenal quantity of food! The idea is therefore to reproduce the same ecological mechanisms so that nature works in the service of humanity and itself!
Beyond agroecology, this philosophy applies to all levels of society. From a simple balcony to a garden, a park, a town, a forest... Or a network of towns and forests! It's all in the art of thinking in ecosystems. The art of conceptualizing harmonious places!
From the universal principles of permaculture, we can extend to human permaculture: the art of developing harmonious environments that positively influence culture, including the economy, habitat and relationships between individuals.
Organic architecture
The first quality of architecture is to create a feeling of well-being in space.
Space does not exist outside of us. It is the universal link of organic life, between man, beings and the whole universe.
Our well-being in Space is directly linked to our ability to feel and balance the elements of Space through this second skin that is Architecture.
Architecture, which tends to re-establish the link between Man and Nature, between the building and the Land, on the basis of an essentially sensitive approach, was named "Organic Architecture" by its precursors.
To do this, there are certain holistic principles (again) that contribute greatly to the design of such places.
- Bioclimatic heating (using the natural climate of a place intelligently)
- Use of healthy and natural materials
- Water reuse (no need to drink shower water and plants like to drink toilet water...)
- Energy and food autonomy
The Living Building Challenge is particularly wonderful, because it encourages to build buildings that are so well integrated into nature... that they regenerate it! Of course, to regenerate nature is to regenerate the human being who lives there!
Once there, to make a link with human permaculture, we can think of what we call social architecture. The art of thinking a city in such a way that its urban planning encourages positive social behaviour.
"Social architecture: conscious development of concepts and functioning of society integrated with human, biophysical and social environments with the aim of inducing changes in behavioural strategies to establish a sustainable and sustainable model of civilization.”
Fab Lab, free and open-source technologies
Now, let's get into the tools and technology category.
First of all, what is a Fab Lab?
"The principle of fab labs is the same as that of hackerspace and makerspace, i.e. the free sharing of spaces, machines, skills and knowledge.” -Wikipedia
It is thus a 3rd place (halfway between personal and professional) where people can meet around free technology! In this type of open space, more experienced individuals can guide the more novice and material is available so that everyone can work on their personal projects! This is a very good example of a collaborative economy!
This brings to mind the concept of freedom and open-source in the world of technology. In computing, this translates into the GNU/Linux operating system ! Indeed, this one is based on a kernel whose source code is open (accessible to all). From there, the miracle of the community come into play: hundreds of distributions (versions of the operating system) are developed in a community way! The free license of this type of software allows a great reliability and a great security! Large communities are present to allow continuous development of technology and this allows users to have access to quality professional software and IT infrastructure for free (or at lower cost)!
This idea of free, community and open source development is fantastic and is starting to spread to other technological fields like agriculture or plasma. This completely challenges the concept of patents and intellectual property. The possibilities for plans and patterns of inventions highly useful to humanity to circulate freely is essential to the emergence of a new civilization!
Blockchain
And that's where my favorite technology comes in: blockchain!
You probably heard about it if you're reading me right here on the Steem Blockchain!
Basically, a blockchain (public) is a decentralized database (without a central control organ) whose data is distributed and protected by cryptography. This database is often associated with a digital token (a cryptocurrency) that gives a monetary (and often utilitarian) value to the data in these decentralized registers. This allows collaborative networks (which have their own integrated micro-economy) to be created around any type of project/community/business! People are now directly connected peer to peer, without the need for intermediaries to influence them! The same with companies, they can now interact freely with each other! P2P and B2B are moving into a new era: Web 3.0!
It totally revolutionizes the way we think about the economy and digital technology! Just like permaculture, it helps organize society into an ecosystem!
In Steem's case, the content of the database is the media content (texts, comments, music, videos, images, etc.) published by the network members and their financial exchanges. Digital tokens (STEEM) are distributed according to mutual appreciation of each other's content through a voting system (typical of traditional social networks) !
Smart Media Tokens will allow anyone to create their own local ecosystem/micro-economy, based on the same principle of redistribution (the proof of brain), and to embed it into the global ecosystem.
With the token economy (tokenomy as we say), we have to think of the economy as plural. Each currency (token) being an ecosystem in itself is interconnected to all ecosystems. The free market is what allows the interconnection of networks/economies.
We need to develop a new way of thinking about money. Each human being will no longer have in his "pockets" only one currency (the one imposed by the State), but a portfolio which is specific to him and which corresponds to his real needs and aspirations! As unique and diverse as he is himself! There will be no bank or state to tell him how to manage his assets, he will be 100% owner and responsible for his property. Some companies, in which he has voluntarily placed his trust, can of course assist him in all this.
![](https://steemitimages.com/640x0/https://s7.postimg.cc/7e955zlaj/d_centralisation.png)
The socio-economic revolution that Blockchain technology brings makes me think of the following image: The current economic system is a global macro-economy imposed on all, like a mono-cultural field that poisons the earth and humans and flouts diversity, while the token economy, like permaculture, is like a nourishing forest: rich, sustainable, diversified, inclusive, democratic, dynamic and self-regulating... It's an ecosystem of ecosystems! Full of micro-economys organically interconnected to each other!
I'm barely touching the subject! With EOS in particular, it will be possible to integrate smart contracts and constitutions into these ecosystems! Seriously, all is to be built friends !
Conclusion
I would not dwell any longer on blockchains, because the subject is very vast and relatively complex. You will understand, however, I hope, that the doors are now wide open to change paradigms and build a new civilization centred on people and nature and no longer on the illusory ego of a self-proclaimed elite.
I wish I could present you more alternatives. Talk about alternative pedagogies and e-learning, holistic health, meditation and many other keys to a healthier and more serene future. Don't worry, it will come in time.
So I wrote this article to introduce the concept of digital permaculture. The philosophy of permaculture, combined with new technologies, opens the way to a great future! Let's think ecosystems!
"Setting the stage for all to flourish, be happy and healthy is not easy.
But what is better and more important to do?" -Francis Gendron
P.S : It's all about architecture, geometry.
Vraiment un super articles.
Merci @soushi888
J'ai bien hâte de voir cela en action sur EOS.