Ross Scholes: Who and what are Peasants?

Interviewed by Tim LynchSeptember 4, 2013
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This being in so many ways an antidote to the methodical ways of todays corporate machine - the so called 'NeoLiberal Agenda.'

'NeoLiberalism' isolates the poor and it invisiblizes them and so they drop of the bottom and they then turn into a problem for society to deal with, and instead of being an integral part of a cohesive and supportive community they become the rejects of society.

And they are growing in number …

This intriguing and provoking interview covers a very broad subject range:

People = peasants, producing food, on the land for the betterment of their community. Healthy food, from healthy land, produces healthy 'aware' peasants. Ross sees the relationship of food, land and society and how we relate to each other as community, as the 3 main 'interdependent' components that can tie us with a common thread.

Based on finding solutions of how individuals understand what it is to be an 'aware' peasant wanting to work in alignment with nature, while cohabiting in a world of todays fast moving mechanical, chemical, technical, corporatized monolith.

Covering the premise that the world is in great trouble and that we the people are the cause both unconsciously and consciously. This is resulting in the greatest threat to wellbeing and freedom everywhere that can now be laid at the door of 'corporate ambition' and its addiction to unbridled growth and expansion, within the context of our straining biosphere.

However, the greatest threat to this 'corporate ambition' is a well informed public! The challenge yet again is for the 4th estate, our media, to give us the information, truth and wherewithal to make informed decisions so as to act. Fortunately alternative media via the web is growing to fill this void.

Ranging over how we in NZ were 'Programmed' by Treasury Rogernomics the Hijacked 4th Labour Govt.

We were told that there was going to be a:

  • Level playing field never was!
  • Pain before gain continues even until today!
  • Trickle down became the syphon-up, to the bankers upstairs!

And middle working NZ have never recovered from this, especially that NZer's who think they own their own house, are in reality just tenants for the Bank.

Positives
The plusses of living as an 'aware' peasant translate to:

  • Sustainability: Leaving things better than we get them
  • Conscionability: Having a conscience in everything we do
  • Empathetic sociability: - Love for the land and having a sensibility to others suffering etc

Overseas
Urban Farming in the USA, do a web search for growing your own food.

http://www.ripenear.me An excellent Australian site to plug you into community.
http://www.ooooby.org Very good initiative here in Auckland.

There's a term in Europe called peasantisation, where farmers are going back to simple localised growing and selling and farming as an artist or artisanal farmer.

The Lost Gardens of Heligan www.heligan.com
The world-renowned restored productive gardens and pleasure grounds. The pioneering Wildlife Project offers visitors the chance to immerse themselves in how the estates of old were organized.

http://www.joelsalatin.com.au World best farmer … incredible production per acre.

http://www.viacampesina.org La Via Campesina : International Peasant Movement

Translates to: The road of the Peasant, is in over 20 countries, with a membership of over 200 million families.

Challenges for Peasants.
The land grab of Africa, where the Europeans and corporations are buying up much of Africa including Goldman Sachs, the UN is in there too 'and on the wrong side of the average African' plus, China taking-over this vast continent!

Search Shock Doctrine by Naomi Cline on South America and the gripping story of how America's “free market” policies have come to dominate the world.

See Bryan Bruces latest brilliant and insightful TV3 documentary:
http://www.stuff.co.nz/entertainment/tv/9074283/Mind-the-Gap-Why-most-of-us-are-poor

Locally
Ross's YouTube evenings in West Auckland cover subject matter such as Fracking, Smart metros, cancer, water, and corporate water etc with a discussion afterwards.
** Email [email protected]

Rosss question?
What is it that we can do, that will make the world become better?

Organic gardening and mediation and what else?

Getting organised and doing it is the key.
Being a micro high tech peasant is another component too.

http://peasants.org.nz/overview

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Tim Lynch

Tim Lynch, is a New Zealander, who is fortunate in that he has whakapapa, or a bloodline that connects him to the Aotearoan Maori. He has been involved as an activist for over 40 years - within the ecological, educational, holistic, metaphysical, spiritual & nuclear free movements. He sees the urgency of the full spectrum challenges that are coming to meet us, and is putting his whole life into being an advocate for todays and tomorrows children. 'To Mobilise Consciousness.'

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