Just finished reading Ecotopia

topic posted Thu, May 17, 2007 - 3:40 PM by  Unsubscribed
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I can't believe this book has been out for so long and I hadn't heard about until a friend mentioned the idea of Cascadia to me and I saw a reference to it on this tribe.

I am so grateful that there is this level of consciousness about this part of the world that I cherish and feel so connected to.

**inspirational**
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  • Ecotopia Emerging (now limited sections free online)

    I was doing a google search for a specific book today online (a pdf copy of "From Dictatorship To Democracy" by Gene Sharp) when I realized that googles "book search" is now up and running so I did a search for Ernest Callenbach's "Ecotopia Emerging" and surprisingly found a limeted free copy

    books.google.com/books

    I have not gone through the whole limited version yet (reight now I hate reading on a computer screen), but so far page 58 and a little beyond I find interesting and then some more continues on page 285. Callenbach writes of the emergence of the "Survivalist Party" which is not "survivalists" as in people fearing a take over by a world government entrenched in their bunkers with a century supply of food and ammo as is often ascribed to the word, but seem more like a merger of Peak Oilers, Earth First!ers and movements like the permaculturalists, local economy supporters, antiglobalists, green anarchists, green party-ers and others. If Cascadians are to make a political branch of the the Cascadian movement then maybe the "Survivalist Party" just might be that perfect name. If I could I would copy and paste so much in this post. As far as I know the prequel to Ecotopia (Ecotopia Emerging) was better and I heard tries to undo some of the undertones of racial issues and even the objectification of women as just sexually active Pagan idols (as some claim), but I will have to read more to find out.


    A limited (or limited preview) of the original "Ecotopia" is also online at
    books.google.com/books

    or the full version at www.indybay.org/uploads/aipotoce.pdf
    • Unsu...
       
      "undertones of racial issues and even the objectification of women as just sexually active Pagan idols "

      i think he did all of that to help illustrate the point that it was a book written from the perspective of some one who had these views, ie the journalist character/author... the book was written with an outsiders point fo view to create a sort of balance... but i think it went too far and he wasnt able to really do it masterfully enough in his writeing and it came across too harsh... but some of it was a bit much... especaily the racial aspect...
      i think some of his ideas and inspiration came while he was stoned with his buddies...
      i think i would rather read the prequal then ecotopia... just so i didnt have to read the book from the main characters narative... who was a rather yucky man...
      • little lightening bolt,

        I was wondering that and I hope so even though both books are products of their time. I would love to see a modern take on it. Maybe we should encourage Callenbach to do a mini series in a SciFi magizine or even have a collection of short stories revolving around Ecotopia (or Cascadia) by various writer... we could even have a "competition" to create an anthology of Ecotopia.
        • Unsu...
           
          hmmmm...
          you know i think his attempt to write fromthe point of view of those characters created a sort of alienation with many of the readers... you really dont hear about the books any more... but i think it sparked an idea with alot of people in cascadia...

          i would think that it might even be better, for new authors to take a stab at it... we could call it bioregional fiction... dreaming tommorow.... lol mak eit its own genera of writeing... people from around the world coudl write from the point of view of thier larger bioregions succeding... like a chain reaction based off of the ecotopian/bioregionalist vision... it would be a fun project... maybe a little blog or journal could be made online and people could send in thier short stories... some really ingenious problem solving and ideas could jsut be brewing in peoples imaginations and they just dont have an out let...


          you know another book that i thought was better then ecotopia was star hawks the fith sacred thing... its about the same thing really but shes a much better writer and it was MUCH more interesting... though i could see peopel turned off by the magical componant... but hey if you dont beleive in magic i dont think you can expect bioregionalism to ever take off...lol.... hehehhehehehh...

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