When Mira and I founded the island and community of Perfect Paradise, my thought Was That It Would be a kind of living laboratory, a working model of a better way to live. Unlike academic studies of utopias, this model Would be populated with real people, with all Their talents, passions, intentions - and failings. And It Would evolve, as our members Collectively Decided What They wanted it to be, and What They wanted to do here, and have some party lost interest and others Brought In Their friends and loved ones.
My reason for wanting to be hand Such a model of WAS two-fold. First, I am active in the real world in visiting and studying intentional Communities, and Will soon be living in one, and I wanted to Understand why intentional Communities struggle so much in the real world (90% fail, and Those That Have An survive average membership of just 11 people - smaller than the average family in Some nations), and How They Could be made to work better.
SECONDLY, I believe, based on years of study of history, economics, politics, science and anthropology, that 'our global civilization is unsustainable, terribly over-extended, and fated to collapse later in this century, and hence I would like to create a That might be community model Useful for the survivors of this collapse - the 500 million or so humans Who Will outlive the triple crises of Economic collapse, energy collapse, and ecological collapse, and-have to find a better, sustainable way to live.
So I dreamed of Perfect Paradise Being a model not only of Useful What Could Be (today) aussi goal of What Could Be Next (after the collapse of our civilization in this century later).
Of course, Second Life is not a "real" world, and of the Many Things That need to be in a model of a better way to live cannot really be replicated or tested in a virtual world - things like peace-keeping 'force 'renewable energy co-ops, and permaculture gardens.
Purpose; many of the Elements of a sustainable real-life community - and a sustainable world - are aussi the Elements of a sustainable virtual community - collaborative learning institutions, think-tanks, consensus and conflict resolution processes, land stewardships, holistic health cooperatives (based on detection and prevention and self-treatment of illness), community theater (and fun!), collaborative research, artistic and creative work, personal growth, group facilitation and personal coaching.
I'm Delighted That So Many of These Elements Have Been captured, Collectively and collaboratively by all of Those Who HAD-have input into it, in our new Statement of Purpose. This is an astonishing demonstration of the power of love, conversation and community cooperation. That shows it, all over the world, we are naturally community-makers with the well-being of each other 'and of all-life-on-Earth at heart.
Perfect Paradise is an astonishing creation, One That is inherently beautiful and Evolving to be an ever-more sustainable, responsible, and joyful instead. It is a real model of a better way to live, no one One That Could have 'created' from scratch - It Has Emerged to be what it is thanks to the energy, passion, thought, ideas and love each of you HAS Invested in it. It is truly a collective accomplishment. I am immensely proud of what you - we - have Achieved, together, here, and-have no doubt it Will grow to be an even better model, One That Will Be Studied by students of cultural and media, community builders by and by anthropologists in the years to come.
Thank you for making my dream come true, and for everything you do-have done and to make this Such a remarkable and "real" community. Indeed we-have created a Paradise.
Love,
Harps
HarpoonDodger Freenote
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