Regaining Independence Through Paragovernance
A fair many of you out there have reached an uncomfortable crossroad.
You realize that something is very wrong with our World however you are far less certain of what to do about it.
A few strategies I've seen by fellow steemit users may offer clues.
Individuals like @wolvoman80, @jimbobbill, @sensistar and even @dana-edwards will, in their own different ways and for their own reasons, opt to spread information that strikes them as off. They render a service to us all in doing so - especially when they go out of their ways to vet the information that comes to their attention - and (I'm looking at you wolvo!) release their own rather unique video materials on the basis of such.
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Other individuals (far fewer) go the way of @prepper - and not only make preparing for the eventuality (or imminence) of a livelihood-compromising disaster a way of life - but also get entrepreneurial about it and help others to also prepare.
There are various other ways that people contribute.
Some try to make things better from within the system.
Others try to make themselves heard upon the streets.
Others may even be preparing for the fight of their lives.
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And no - I wouldn't say that all these methods are equal in my eyes - but then again, my perspective is but one. And that leads me to ask the questions-serving-furtherance-of-this-topic. Where do 'I' fit in? What am I doing?
Well...
...I have been thinking.
I've been doing so, on-and-off for two decades.
I have allowed myself to get distracted by the ills of the World - and I have done some of the things mentioned above (taking my issues to the streets, and even stood for the 2008 general election as an independent here (with a budget of about 200 Euros, no history, and a grand total of 5 minutes obligatory air-time allotment. It went as one might expect... ^_~).
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These distractions do more to hinder than to assist me in pursuing a purpose. The more emotional I allow myself to become, the less able I am to deliver.
And, even though it may not seem so to the casual observer, what I deliver is solutions - actual or potential. This shall grow more evident with time as I open up incrementally.
Well, today's solution may be summed up in a word.
Paragovernance
How does one take back one's freedom without resorting to base violence?
This is the question that I asked before drawing paragovernance as an answer.
This because I believe it is every person's responsibility to retain the higher ground...
...and refrain from the violence and bloodshed characteristic though-out history...
...to live consistently to one's ideals even in adversity - to make no exceptions...
...not even for those whom one might otherwise regard with contempt...
...for as long as one is afforded the choice of an alternative.
I believe that we can do and be better than that.
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No, I'm not comparing myself to Gandhi* - but he is pretty well-known for nonviolence.
(*Except maybe that we both have/had less hair than brains.)
What is Paragovernance?
Think of Non-Government Organizations (NGOs).
Now think of NGOs that exist parallel to rather than under the thumb and in the service of government.
This is precisely what paragovernance is about.
It is about setting up an operation traditionally covered by government - and taking over that function.
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Paragovernance can also exist upon the individual or localized level.
Residents of a street can band together to organize maintenance and uplift for their shabby street...
...repaving the sidewalk, filling cracks in the tarmac, giving a new layer of paint to peeling lamp-posts, etc.
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On the one hand this makes the government's job easier...
On the other hand it also takes a job away from the government - along with a reason to extort taxes.
That is but a small example.
Now imagine the same occurring upon a grander scale.
- Paragovernment Clinics
- Paragovernment Education
- Paragovernment Social Services
- Paragovernment Utilities
- Paragovernment Security
and...
- Paragovernment Administration
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In truth the original term that I attributed to this last category was 'Parallel Parliament'...
...but I have since needed to step back from that notion.
I wish not to see one vertical structure compatible with power-consolidation replaced by another.
I would like to see the strings that lead from government to individual to be slackened or severed.
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How will Paragovernment Functions be Funded?
This depends on how the respective organizations shall operate.
The first priority is to determine how they shall operate differently...
...and how such an organization can be smart about it.
There is plenty of ground to be covered...
...and starting afresh has its challenges...
...and the old government structure will resist...
...but if these are major issues then...
...the real question becomes...
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A Delicate Process.
This would need to be an 'all hands on deck' exercise.
No stone should be left unturned, nor anything be left to chance.
It shall require the kinds of state-building skills not seen in a long time.
A new kind of state that is never too far elevated from the common person...
...such that s/he should feel the need to be represented indirectly via intermediary.
Untried...
Untested...
Does one take a leap of faith or does one stick with the left and right hands of the bad shepherd?
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...
A good first step to breaking free is to join me in thought.
A new path is revealed.
If you found this post interesting and would like to share this with your friends then a resteem couldn't hurt.
If you 'didn't' like this then feel free to share your views in comments. A civil conversation can go a long way.
Sincerely,
Previous Post: Lets Get Meta About Your Chosen Path and Journey
I am struck by the realization that the modus operandi you suggest is what government does, in the reverse. Over time government has assumed more and more functions, such as building codes, education, etc., that were previously undertaken by individuals, communities, and other NGO's.
Therefore, what you propose herein is really just reversing a trend, and restoring to people what they have allowed to be undertaken by the force of government. I do not use the word force lightly, either, and this monopoly on force is exactly the problem we face in restoring our sovereign authority.
Many folks are serially bewildered and flummoxed by propaganda and censorship into a plethora of positions on force, government, and society that preclude their recognition of the essence of their personal responsibility to govern.
Let's face it, it's an attractive proposition to delegate the authority to handle many aspects of governance to others. Just as we delegate washing dishes, roofing our homes, or maintaining our vehicles to others, we delegate such responsibilities to others as government assumes, and go back to watching TV, because that's what we wanna do with our time.
Governing is a pain in the @$$.
Further, many folks are simply biologically suited to such a course, and evolution is increasing the proportion of such folks in the population.
These are essential factors to consider in reversing the trend towards tyranny. Only some people find tyranny undesirable.
Thanks for your thoughtful exposition of these matters.
Greetings @valued-customer and thank you kindly for the excellent mega comment. :c)
Yes - governments of the World appear to have derived the wrong message from HG Wells' 'The Time Machine' - a book where a protagonist visits a future where people have allowed themselves to grow far too dependent upon the system.
While a complete reversal does seem to be what I propose - I do believe that there remains a place and a role for some form of governance - just not the vertically-inclined structures that we have grown accustomed to.
As such - a reversal to the fork in the road where things went wrong is what I propose. And the selection of a very different kind of path where governance is a peer-to-peer rather than servant-master relationship.
You are right - it 'is' tempting to let a centralized entity to deal with things on one's behalf. It doesn't'have' to be the case for any such entity to coil around the self like a python around its prey. The more vertical the entity (public or private alike), the more likely such a shift from benefactor to tyrant or predator.
As for folks being more predisposed and accepting of such a situation - this is in no small part to the reliance of those folks upon the obligatory "education" as provided by the government - leaving out a few small yet essential founding blocks to their/our collective ability to stand upon one's own two feet - and face adversity.
I see that we understand each other quite well - and this is heartening. I'll be back to you with more pieces of the puzzle. In the meantime, I recently resteemed an interesting little thing about Waves. The poster is a smart fellow also. :c)
Thank you again. ^_^
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STOPGreat post. You should check out my blog we discuss similar topics you might like it @manofmiracles
Thank you for stopping by @manofmiracles.
I took a quick look through your interesting blog. Might you recommend a couple of related topics from it?