"Life, Money & Illusion" is also available as a book.

Life, Money & Illusion

a Do-It-Your-Self Workshop.

Our society consumes itself as it withdraws from education, health care, environmental protection and other non-commercial activities.

As we slide down this tube of market led decision making, we might pause to ask: Is it necessary?

The following outlines an exploratory discussion. It can be initiated with almost any group of people. In the tradition of popular education, the content is derived from the experience of participants. It makes the point that there is more to well-being than the bottom line.

This short tale helps illustrate the process.

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Four people were blind folded and led into a room with an elephant. When they came out they were asked to report on what they found.

One said it was like the trunk of a tree, another said it was like an enormous leaf, a third said it was like a solid wall and the last said it was more like a big snake.
They were all relating accurately their experience of the same thing, from different perspectives.

The social/economic/environmental decline we are living through today effects everyone. As a result, when the issue is identified, almost everyone has observations to make. As in the elephant story, none of us has a full picture, but when many perspectives are shared, the situation gets clearer.

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This brief outline of Life, Money and Illusion identifies the metaphorical elephant at the center of this discussion.

Money sees existence as the product of jobs, income, spending, investment and profits. The purpose of living is to increase earnings and consumption. Anything increasing the amount of money changing hands is considered good for society. Any activities that don't make money are luxuries that are expendable in tough times. Money believes well-being is maintained through the perpetual expansion of commercial activities.

Life offers a different perspective. It suggests that nutrient cycles, sun shine, food chains and ecosystems make the world go around. Life overcomes time through seeds and the careful rearing of our young. Human relations are critical to our ability to work as societies and assure our mutual provision. Life suggests that relationships, the sharing of culture and appreciation of existence provide meaning.

Illusion refers to the contradiction between these two views. On the one hand, life says that as long as ecosystems are healthy and our communities cooperative in their decision making, we can maintain our presence on Earth for as long as the sun shines. On the other hand, money says there are few resources available for education, health care, community development or the maintenance and restoration of ecosystem health. All that counts is cutting our costs and increasing our productive efficiency so we can grow in the global market place. The income from this growth can be applied to solving problems when it exceeds the immediate demands of the market.

Our survival depends on separating realities from illusion.

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After the topic is identified a period of silence enables participants to collect their thoughts before more is said. The length of the calm is up to the facilitator. Ten minutes has been recommended, but sensitivity to the situation is in order in case silence is unsettling for some.

After the calm, a go-around where each participant is encouraged to express their thoughts, feelings and experiences on related matters inevitably reveals a challenge of common concern. With a second and even third go-around the discussion develops on its own.

The go around process, where each participant in turn gets a clear opportunity to speak, works more effectively than a free-for-all discussion. Too often in the free-for-all format, particularly boisterous personalities tend to crowd out less forceful people. If a person doesn't want to speak, that's OK, but it is not OK if they don't get an opportunity to add their views.

A talking stick (or other object) to be passed from speaker to speaker and held while they take their turn can assure that each participant has some calm in which to express themselves. The purpose of this exercise is to bring together as many different views as possible. Everyone sees the world from different angles. It is worth making the effort to bring out all perspectives.

For ways to evolve this discussion into a school, campus or community wide discussion about the goals of society, see: Recipes for Debate.

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A cooperative effort to raise the issue of what goal we want to pursue as a society, could break through the barriers that guard the public agenda. If the options introduced through this workshop become choices for a democratic vote, our times would be interesting indeed.