To anyone on Facebook

I started using Facebook a few weeks ago. Since Tribe goes down frequently, it's good to be on more than one network. Some of you are already Facebook friends, but if you aren't, you can look me up there: Larry Christopher, Poughkeepsie, NY network (I've noticed links to profile don't usually work).

Liminal Worlds Tribe

I'd like to invite my Tribe friends who have not yet joined my new tribe, Liminal Worlds, to check it out or join. In general, it's part of a wider project to network innovative ideas and solutions pertaining to the arts, healing, society, metaphysics or the like.

tribes.tribe.net/liminalworlds

The Decline of Adulthood

This is an article I posted on Associated Content, exploring how the idea of adulthood has become marginalized in contemporary culture.

tinyurl.com/2qzo35

The Fountain

This movie, by the same director as Pi and Requiem For A Dream, was just released on DVD last week. It's a fascinating exploration of topics such as multiple realities, death and rebirth and Mayan cosmology. It's not very linear, and it would be difficult for me to say exactly what it all means, but watching it is a kind of trip (it has a kind of psychedelic visual style) that opens your mind and senses to archetypes such as the Tree of Life. I still have to watch some of the commentary that is included on the DVD. In a way, it deals with similar concepts as the more popular What The Bleep, but in a way that is more artistic and open-ended, and therefore less accessible to a wide audience. Anyway, it's worth checking out if you like mystical films.

Pronoia

From Pronoia, by Rob Brezsny - "Definition: Pronoia is the antidote for paranoia. It's the understanding that the universe is fundamentally friendly. It's a mode of training your senses and intellect so you're able to perceive the fact that life always gives you exactly what you need when you need it."

I started this book a couple of days ago, and it's a good reminder that most of the "information" out there, even coming from alternative sources, is geared towards fear and negativity. Learning to be pronoiac is a good habit to acquire.

Autumn Equinox/Mabon

Lots of astronomical/astrological events over these few days! The Autumn Equinox is just after midnight (EDT, early a.m. 9/23). Today (9/22) was the new moon and solar eclipse. 9/23 is Rosh Hashannah, the Jewish New Year. 9/24 is the start of Ramadan. Should be some interesting energy out there.

On thwarted terrorist attacks

I wonder how many people are skeptical when they hear about a thwarted terrorist attack. It's a perfect excuse to (further) militarize airports and other public places. It could be true, of course, but we really have to take the word of the governments and mass media of the world, hardly reliable sources of information. From a propaganda standpoint, it is a more clever strategy to make up a thwarted attack than to create a real one. Many people are now skeptical about the official version of 9-11, with it's many logical holes. Real attacks also portray the authorities as ineffective at protecting the people. With a prevented attack, on the other hand, the government is made to look competent, if not heroic, and at the same time, increased security, militarization and violations of privacy are justified. Who knows?

V For Vendetta

This film, which did not play in theaters for very long, was recently released on DVD. It's quite a radical, thought-provoking look at a dystopian society in the near future in which the government rules with an iron fist in the name of fighting terrorism. The totalitarian government in this movie even turns out to be behind an atrocity atrributed to terrorists. I'm not familiar with the comic book it's based on, but the movie is quite compelling and the society it depicts is only a few degrees more repressive than our own. One of the few mainstream movies that dares to question the validity of the established order.

Wanted -artists, visionaries, futurists..

...to help organize a weekend event focused on 2012 and other prophecies. The concept is to have both entertainment and educational content while exploring alternative futures in realms such as culture, economics and spirituality and to help direct prophetic energy in a positive direction. The date for this event is the weekend of Sept. 23 - 24 which happens to be the Autumn Equinox, a solar eclipse and several notable festivals. If anyone would like to participate, perform or help to organize this, let me know.

American impressions of Europe

 I recently spent four weeks traveling Europe by train. I didn't stay anywhere long, but used a train pass to cover a large part of the continent (as far South as Athens, as far North as the the Lapland region of Finland). Spending so much time traveling, and relatively little time actually *being* anywhere probably gave me a distorted view in some ways, but this is probably true of any sort of tourism. I did come away with some general impressions of how Europe differs from the U.S. Some of these are cliches no doubt. I am curious how Europeans or other travelers to Europe may agree or disagree.

Europe obviously encompasses many countries and cultures, but there do seem to be some general ideas that unite the continent (especially nowadays, with the EU and Euro). There are also major differences. One major divide I noticed is between the Mediterranean nations I visited (Greece, Italy, France) and the Anglo Saxon/Germanic/Scandanavian; the latter, true to reputation, are usually more reserved.

Europeans definitely believe more in the general concept of public spaces than do Americans. Most large train stations have showers. There are many lower priced hotels with shared bathrooms. This is rare in the U.S. It's nice to have your own private toilet and shower, but it keeps hotel prices higher. Internet cafes are common; again, these are harder to find in America. I suppose here (the U.S.) everyone is expected to own their own computer.

This is somewhat related to the above point: in general, the streets are much livelier in European cities, especially at night. Pubs, cafes, pedestrian traffic is everywhere. Increasingly in the U.S., people don't venture out much after dark, especially without their cars.

One stereotype that some Americans have of Europeans is that the latter are cultured, sophisticated and maybe a bit snobbish. If you traveled around the continent, as I did, during the World Cup, you might rethink this. Rowdy beer-drinking crowds shout football chants well into the night. England is famous for this, but it's true of every country I visited (Netherlands, Germany, Sweden, Italy, etc.) I'm not saying this in a judgmental way, but just pointing out that the average person in Europe is more down-to-earth than the effete, artistic type of Europeans often portrayed in American movies.

An unfortunate stereotype that I'd have to confirm is that Americans are fatter. You simply do not see so many overweight people in Europe. I am not judging people by the standards of Hollywood or the fashion industry; I'm talking about serious obesity. It's simply far less common in Europe. I'm not sure why; I think it probably has more to do with exercise (more walking, less driving?) than diet, as junk food seems as ubiquitous in Europe as the U.S.

In some ways, Europeans seem more inclined to obey at least minor rules and laws. I was surprised, when walking around cities, how most people would wait for the traffic light to give them permission to walk, even when no traffic was approaching. In the really busy cities, however, such as London and Paris, this was less the case. In my experience, people in the U.S., myself included, tend to cross when we can and not pay much attention to the light.

Note: apologies to anyone who read this already on Amazon.com, but I don't think there's too much overlap between the two boards so I'm posting it here on Tribe as well.