August 2002

Vol.2 No.8 · August 2002

Feature Article

August 2002

Eclectic Artists Publishing.

Reflections

Reflection is one of the most amazing intellectual abilities of humankind. A combination of introspection, attempted objectivity, correlations between past circumstances and events, and creative pattern recognition, reflections are an internal form of feedback which can take an array of forms: From non-verbal intuitions to structured statistical analyses. Reflection is central to higher learning and advanced mental processes. Proper periodic reflection, combined with conscious modification of our behavior, is our gyroscope, helping us to achieve the results we seek, and ultimately to live the lives we desire.

People and organizations which make reflection an integral part of their existence are deemed to be healthy, self-regulating, growing, and aware. Those which fail to reflect adequately are known variously as undisciplined, self-centered, chaotic, out of touch, hypocritical, or even insane. Indeed, one popular definition of insanity is “repeating the same behaviors while expecting different results.” Clearly, at some level we all recognize that reflection is a necessary part of being a competent human.

Verbalizing the need for reflection is not, however, the same as doing it, muchless doing it properly or consistently. To be valuable, reflection must be performed in an intellectually honest and, preferably, systematic manner. Although you might not know it from the shenanigans within the corporate world, accountants provide periodic economic feedback which helps management and stakeholders decide their future courses of action. When applied honestly and systematically such reflections enable companies to make competent, risk-lowering decisions. When there is no reflection, or when the process is dishonest or non-systematic, companies (like people) are effectively rudderless, tossed about on the seas with little hope of safely reaching their intended destination. Therefore, if we agree that reflection is necessary and desirable, then we must take care to ensure that our reflections are adequate and proper.

By “adequate”, we mean “recurring at regular intervals which are appropriate to the subject”: For moral reflection most religions advise weekly or even daily reflection; Financial experts recommend monthly, quarterly and annual reflections; For intellectual issues, reflection is usually required at the time new information is being encountered; In all situations, a keen sense of balance is required to provide adequate reflection without becoming paralyzed within a sort of mental gridlock. By “proper”, we mean “honest” and “systematic”. “Honest” means take care not to lie to ourselves, to fool ourselves, or to allow cognitive dissonance, blindspots, or other psychological tricks to render our reflections meaningless; It means attempting to be objective, and willing challenging our own views and assumptions to get as close as possible to ‘the truth’. “Systematic” means using a consistent method of thought which strives to eliminate biases, correct for known distortions, and yield comprehensible results which can be reasonably compared against past and future results.

If all of these details make reflection sound impossibly complex and beyond the reach of most people, do not be overly concerned: It’s more like playing catch or reading body language; After a little practice, most of us do it routinely with little conscious effort. The human mind is amazingly powerful. Still, like any other skill, doing it well requires practice and attention to technique. In this respect, we must reflect on the art of reflection in order to be sure that we have the right tools and techniques for achieving our goals, for realizing our dreams.

The animations you will find interspersed through the text of this ViewPoint article are FastFacts drawn from Alter-Nation’s online archives. These quick Q&A’s are designed to inspire reflection: “In light of these facts, is there a problem with the current system? How can we evolve toward a better system?”

Thus, we take this opportunity to reflect on Alter-Nation: The goals, the web site, the art, and the archives of information we maintain for the benefit of reflection by our members. What evidence in our world supports and/or contradicts Alter-Nation’s theses? What other questions should we be asking? What better ways to reach and motivate our actual and potential members? What more effective methods for promoting a Peaceful Revolution intended to “Change The System!”, and for “Changing our world… one mind at a time”?

Our debut issue (April 2001) intertwined the hopefulness of Spring re-birth with the reality of present day systems, notably the abject failure of “free markets” in the arena of utility deregulation. Alter-Nation’s call for re-regulation and reasonable constraints to limit the corruptions of laissez faire capitalism were met by howls of protest by dyed-in-the-wool conservatives, the unfolding fprice-fixing scandal in the energy industry (Enron, et al) has since proven our skeptical views to be dead on. These days, those same apologists for deregulation are in hiding… or are masquerading as mild reformists.

Our May 2001 issue celebrated the release of Alter-Nation’s “Change The System!” multimedia CD by proposing a landmark change of the U.S. tax system: Replacing the irrational income tax with a national sales tax on consumption. While discussed and debated for nearly a decade, proposals such as the Fair Tax initiative have been lost in post-September 11 pre-occupations… and in a society with an economic addiction to rampant over-consumption, we can expect stiff resistance to such sweeping change. Still, such a massive restructuring would be an important first step toward creating a more rational and equitable society.

June 2001, our “Change The System!” issue, took a look at just how “Koyannisqatsi” (out-of-balance) our current social, political and economic systems have become. In “Just Say ‘NO’ to Corporate Welfare: Part 1 – The Minimum Wage”, we explored a few of the many public subsidies which are bestowed upon so-called ‘free market’ corporations, as well as the corrupt political practices behind such protectionist and preferential legislation. Sadly, with trough-slurping folks scattered through all branches of government, and Supreme Court sanctions for monetary control of democratic politics, eliminating this overt hypocrisy will test the limits of peaceful democratic revolution… our nation, as a whole, refuses to take an honest look at the inherent dishonesty of its system. Let’s face it: Money has a corrupting influence, and true democracy is NOT possible as long as we allow the folks with the money to make the rules.

We celebrated the concept of independence in our July 2001 issue by describing Alter-Nation’s unique philosophy of “Liberty & Responsibility”. Intriguingly, in the 15 years since we first proposed this self-regulating structure, more and more politicians, business leaders, and common citizens have begun to use these terms in the same sentence, although not yet explicitly recognizing the nexus. Until we make individual liberty conditional upon demonstrated personal responsibility across our entire society, we will fail to have the proper feedback mechanism to promote true democratic freedom.

With Healthy Skepticism as our August 2001 theme, we exosed the inherent flaws and overt hypocrisies of the so-called ‘free market’ health care system in “Your Money or Your Life?” Indeed, how can anyone get three competing quotes before rushing into an emergency room, especially when the AMA artifically limits competition for doctors and hospital beds, and a handful of drug and supply companies dominate those markets. Nevermind that tax money pays for or subsidizes nearly all medical research. While candidate Clinton touted Universal Health Care as his prime political objective, President Clinton went limp in the face of corporate resistance. Alter-Nation’s continuing prediction: Aging baby boomers will force a massive reform of this scandalously uncivilized industry… but not until their personal pain level becomes absurdly high and much of their life savings as swirled down the drain.

September 2001 became an unforgettable landmark for Americans. On the 11th day of that fateful month, Alter-Nation lowered its prescient web theme (“Freedom Fighters”) to half mast, replacing our entire ‘Zine with a one page plea for an end to all acts of war, terror and aggression. We then watched in horror as our President and many members of Congress demonstrated their intellectual and emotional immaturity, calling for an array of violent reprisals aimed indiscrimanently at an entire population (although 99.99% of these people were completely innocent), including “Nuke ’em!” and “Bomb ’em back to the stone age!” So, after a week of silent mourning, we restored our original ‘Zine, including our incalculably timely ViewPoint article, “Corporate Welfare II: The Business of War.” Our continuing hope is that the September 11 tragedy will force Americans to face the horrors of war, horrors which we routinely allow our government to perpetrate against largely innocent populations around the world, almost always in the service of the elite’s economic interests. If we ever hope to have a safe and sane world, we must take the profit out of war.

“The Autumn of Empire” was Alter-Nation’s October 2001 theme, and our pages were thus used to challenge the intellectual hegemony of the West’s New World Order: From absurd hypocrisy (a so-called freedom-loving nation criminalizing personal choices, “Ain’t Nobodies Business If I Do”), to an intriguing compare and contrast with various philosophies and spiritualities form the East (“Stir Fry”); From a radical look at debt-centered economies “Existing As Slaves”, to introspections regarding whether we should even want to be considered “Normal” within a corrupt and decadent society. As “The Lamb Lies Down On Broadway”, many more are coming to recognize that the sun is setting on an inherently imbalanced empire.

In November 2001, Alter-Nation’s “Giving Thanks” issue featured a feast of ideas for dealing with disillusionment and restoring hope, including an inspection of our Dreams vs. Realities, and alternative strategies for tackling lifes most important financial decisions. Our practical suggestions for building and preserving wealth might have appeared too ‘radical’. Yet, in the wake of numerous corporate scandals, and massive declines of stock portfolios, in the months thereafter, we entertain the hope that our views will be seriously considered by the most important agents of change: Small groups of concerned citizens.

Apropo of the season, our December 2001 issue was entitled “Human Spirit”, with a ViewPoint article which advocated the advantages of “Breaking With Tradition”, a holiday menu which served up the historical links between “Church & State”, and a number of other sections which explored that most delicate topic: our personal conceptions of God. Once again the theme proved prescient: Alter-Nation called for the U.S. to restore the respectful distance between government and religion; several months later a political firestorm ignited when the 9th Circuit Court found “under God” to be an inappropriate addition to the U.S. “Pledge of Allegiance”, resulting in public outrage by nearly every politician (and most polled Americans) who failed to see the irony in their own demonstration of contempt for the U.S. Constitution (particular its intended separation of Church & State).

Fittingly, January 2002’s theme was “Resolutions” and our ViewPoint essay, “Changing The System Means Changing Ourselves”, underscored our personal responsibility for creating and supporting the world we live in, or alternatively the world we would prefer to inhabit. On a related notes, we spotlighted Alter-Nation’s rocker, “Elect, Not Re-Elect”, which advocates ballot box anarchy to dislodge the obviously corrupted two-party incumbents, and “Everything Is Relative”, a Menu4Minds which juxtaposed familial relationships with the intellectual and moral relativism which has allowed us to rationalize just about any act or thought, regardless of its inherent absurdity. In the end, was anything resolved?

February 2002 brought out our “Message of Love”, with the ViewPoint essay, “What’s So Funny ’bout Peace, Love and Understanding?”, which explores the psychological forces working to make each person believe that they want peace, but that most other people must be beaten into a desire for peaceful co-existence. An analytical system is discussed for conducting our own introspective inventory, so that we may recognize truth versus the willful deceipts of profiteering salesmen who divide in order to conquer. Within the context of America’s open-ended “War on Terrorism” (much like its ongoing yet ineffective “War on Drugs”), we seeem to have hit the nail on the head: If peace and freedom are not profitable to the elite, will a world dominated by a focus on profits ever have peace and freedom?

The topic of “Justice… and Men and Nations) was tackled within Alter-Nation’s March 2002 ‘Zine theme, “Inner & Outer Space”, which also included “The Hubris of Science” in Poet’sPark, and an AlterMedia recommendation for “The Search for Signs of Intelligent Life in the Universe.” In retrospect, we were space-cadets to think that very many folks would dare to “Find Hidden Hercules”. Regardless, the potential impact of our “Flights of Fancy” compells us to encourage everyone to try.

The April 2002 theme was Symbiosis, so we attempted to illuminate the relationships between “The Food Chain” ViewPoint, the “Out of Eden” Menus4Minds, a CoolLink to the Sierra Club, and a pair of books, “The Grapes of Wrath” and “Diet for a New America”, among other forms of artistic and intellectual communication. The question, “Will We See and Will We Listen?” still “Echoes”. All and all, a reasonable attempt at symbiotic enlightenment.

“The Cosmic Dance” was our unifying theme for May 2002. Our ViewPoint exploration of “Music In Mind” traced the mysterious interplay between langauge, art, culture, social movements and political machinations, while other sections of the ‘Zine twirled around other relationships: mythology and this history of domination; money and personal integrity; social pressures and psychological development of the individual; willful fantasy versus unavoidable reality. In hindsight, we realize that many people are too shy to dance when the lights are turned up.

June 2002’s theme “Nightmares or Dreams?” was an in-your-face challenge to the simplistic, jingoistic worldview held dearly by so many people. In “The Triumph of Big Brother” we argue that folks should take an objective look around our present society and compare it to the terrifying world imagined in the novel “1984”: Like a frog in slowly heated water, it seems that we are oblivious to the dangers now surrounding us. While the other sections continue this “appearance versus reality” inspection, the Steal-A-Song offering provides our most honest reflection on the effectiveness of our attempt to reach middle America: “All of My Friends Are Asleep.”

The multi-section ‘Zines were designed to correlate with the musical framework of Alter-Nation’s “Change The System!” CD, allowing interested readers to contemplate a broad array of topics related to that album’s evolving storyline. By July 2002 we reached the final track on the CD, “6:05 a.m.?”, an apparent loop in time where the protagonist’s alarm sounds again. Consequently, this ‘Zines theme is “The Awakening”, a point where we have choices to make: Wake up and face down reality, or remain asleep dreaming of a life we will never actually live. Not coincidentally, July 2002’s Viewpoint article was entitled “Achieving Independence” and specific strategies where proposed for gaining Physical, Economic, Mental and Spiritual freedom. An array of links encouraged Digital Freedom of Thought, while Menus4Minds served up “Philadelphia Freedom”. The AlterMedia picks were “Waking Life” and “Misplaced Childhood”, while Poet’sPark encouraged “Pausing to Consider the Path to Heaven.” Quietly, the digital impressionism of our ‘IzItArt?’ section combined a surrealistic image of Stonehenge with its questioning title, “Can We See What It All Means?” We are still thinking about that. How about you?

Upon reflection we reach several conclusions regarding Alter-Nation.

1. Our ideas appear to be largely out of step with the opinions of the American masses, and are downright threatening to entrenched elites. Our response to simply recognize that meaningful change takes time (often more than one lifetime), and to continue to plant and nuture seeds of alternative thought within our available resources and technologies.

2. Our ‘Zine can be overwhelming in its monthly scope and volume. Busy Americans indicate a preference for a “one sitting” exploration of an important topic each month. In response, beginning with this August 2002 ‘Zine we will publish a single piece of new content each month. Of course, our Archives will remain available for members with the time and interest to explore Alter-Nation’s collection of alternative views, ideas, art, links, and media.

3. Our “Change The System!” CD (especially the multimedia portion) requires more time, attention, and reflection than most audiences are willing to invest in this medium. Our response is that of any committed artist: We will continue to create art forms which are meaningful to us, and which eminate from our honest passions. We will leave it others to decide if any of our art is relevent to their lives.

4. Our messages and arguments are often too complex and esoteric to hold the attention of a mass audience, especially when competing against the simple soundbytes,tantalizing distractions, and non-challenging themes of commercial media. In essense, we have done a relatively poor job of finding clever and compelling ways to deliver our messages. In fairness, there may be no way to accomplish this objective given that modern society is a complex creation: Unless people are willing to give these topics serious thought and effort they may never find them to be comprehensible; they might always be reduced to repeating slogans and soundbytes. Nevertheless, we shall remain committed to creating intriguing and provocative vehicles for communicating our ideas.

5. We have succeeded in demonstrating a more benevolent use for the dotcom infrastructure originally created by America’s military. With membership and interest slowly growing across the U.S. (indeed,around the globe), Alter-Nation provides a low-cost, environmentally-friendly, and potentially powerful model for promoting communication, education, and positive social change. Here is a mechanism for sharing art, ideas, and strategies with people we may never meet. Not SELLING these ideas, but simply putting them out into the ether, then allowing people to choose to provide financial support if they feel they receive value. We imagine a future where artists and intellectuals can earn a living by reaching directly to interested audiences, without non-productive middlemen who pervert and control the true connection. Our response is to continue working toward that future.

Reflecting on nearly 4 years of content creation efforts (in addition to more than a decade of related work on Liberty & Responsbility), plus the publication of 16 monthly ‘Zines, The Alter-Nation Project gets mixed reviews. On the one hand, Alter-Nation is a rarity among dotcom start-ups: It has survived! On the other hand, few capitalists would be excited about making an investment in a organization which has just a few thousand people on their mailing list, which promises to give its net income to charitable groups committed to political, economic and social change, and which directly challenges the main assumptions of a greed-based financial system. Then again, attracting capital was never our goal: Attracting attention and stimulating discussion was. On that level, we have much work ahead. With the willing help of our members, and the unavoidable (albeit unwitting) assistance of an obviously decaying system, we hope to bring the philosophy of Liberty & Responsibility into the public debate over the next decade. When we hear these words from the mouths of pundits and politicians, and read them in mainstream media, we will know we are on our way to our goal. Once such a debate begins in earnest, profound change will be inevitable. Truth is like freedom: Once we taste it, we will always want more.

Thank you for your attention, interest and concern.