I'm not sure what you mean by this. Do you mean the terms "fair trade" and "organic" have a different semantic meaning to us then others who haven't read Daniel Quinn? 

For more information on Fair Trade Economics here's a link.

I guess my survivability is as good as anyone's. Probably more so since the business opened since I've found other like minds and we can work together to survive. I've learned some traditional skills and pretty sure if money was gone tomorrow I'd have less of a problem with it than most people.

I think I could survive without money's help. I've kind of been preparing for that. Why bother working? Well, I really like being apart of a tribe and apart of the community in this way. I have a lot of personal relationships with people and find my lifestyle fascinating.

I'm more planning for the worst and hoping for the best. I don't totally rely on making drinks for my survival. I also participate with the community gardens and other sustainable systems in the community. I hang out in my local stretch of wilderness and learn about native plants.

I don't think it's about always acting "tribal" but more about being more sustainable and evolutionarily strategic. And I'd like to bring as may people I can along for the journey.

This is a good point. I often wonder if the tools we're creating will be used help us "jump over the cliff" I know that without these tools the collapse will be harsher. That's why a changing minds is so important. Without changed minds this is all just a kinder gentler way to kill ourselves.

My belief is that through Meadowlark minds will be changed. I use it as a soapbox. Since the article in the paper about how Ishmael inspired me to start the store, many people have picked up the book and read it. A changed mind community is developing here in Lincoln. I think the best I can do for the community of life is to stop and reverse the conversion of biomass into human mass. I can only do this by deceasing the footprint of my lifestyle and the business. Then inspire other to do the same by showing them how much more rich my life is because of it.

Before Meadowlark occupied it's current space. The building was rented by a pizza chain. A "Subway" was in competition with us when we were negotiating our lease. What do you think is better for the community of life? A business that may be able to have zero footprint and possibly be able to add to the community of life. Or another expansionist fast food restaurant?

Could you clarify this question? I would say it's the terms of the community. But I don't know if that answers your question.

Thank you so much for you critique! These dialogues are what refines a movement and strengthens strategies.

Looking forward to you reply!

P.S. Could you post a blog or somthing so I can know you more as a person and see where you're coming from. I think it would help alot.

I'm talkin about everyone who these terms act apon.  I meant that... when a word - that has semantic meaning to people, is made into a legal term - with set definition, it doesn't matter what we think it means.  The definition is all that matters in law.  That's the advertising/political/legal trick...  and the game that needs to end.

Legal terms/entities hold no water in reality, but in order to play the game we have to use them/become them. And we have no/very little say as to how these terms are defined.  And yet we play along, and (try) act them out...  

We buy these products with these labels on them that we interperate as being good.  We listen to words from politicians and think that we know what they are saying, and they convince themselves too most of the time.     

I'm wondering why people here want to continue playing this game.  When the only way to get rid of it, is to render it useless?

I had no say in the creation of "Fair Trade Economics".  So if I go there, I am simply being told 'how things are'.  How can I be anything else but observer/consumer?  I am only interested in trading fairly.
Fair trade. I don't even know what this means to everyone... The only fair trade I am going be able to react to/trust is trade I participate in personally. 

And not on company/legal/organizational terms.  But on the terms of direct individual need.  Only then is it fair...
It's not fair because a commitee said so, or statistics equated so. 
It's all just a sound and light show, to keep people distracted from trading fairly.  More idealism/utopianism
 

What is a like mind?  That sounds scary. 
So your survivability is as good as anyones, yet you say that you'd have less of a probelm than most people.  So how are you helping 'most people'?
How is 'bringing people together' under the money economy going to help them survive without it?
People are coming together to help eachother out, so that they don't need to rely on  9 to 5 jobs to make money to buy things that they don't need in the first place?  Sounds like a wheely-bout

To me money can never be fair to the community of life.

Are you not already a part of the community all the time?   Is your life more fascinating because you like your style of it?  Isn't ALL life fascinating? 

I think that knowing about past leaver tribes is usefull because they point to the wisdom of nature, and show how we ARE nature itself.

But extracting principles from wholes, and trying to act them out is as futile as creating terms/entities/laws/religions, and trying to act them out.

I'm not really sure what YOU mean by 'worst' and 'best'.  I'm also not too sure what you mean by 'sustainable' and 'community'. 
Isn't hope distracting? 
Are there any non-native plants in your local stretch of wilderness?

Strategy is a one woman/man show.  If you don't think it is, then your strategy will be: to try to convince others that your strategy is best.  Nature isn't strategic.  Human minds make it SEEM so.  There is a colossal (infinite) difference between what happens, and our explanation about what happens.
Taking people along on a journey of ideas that seem to lead to a vision of perfection is futile in my opinion, and controlling.  It's like trying to tame nature.
To me this supresses the nature behind our selves. 
To me Daniel was using words to try to explain what happens of it's own accord.  And I think that we need to watch that we aren't idealizing life, and then putting those ideas on ourselves as goals to acheive.  This doesn't feel right to me.  But I could be wrong with respect to his intentions.

I think the creation of the tools itself is driving us towards insanity.  Because when we feel like a product, we need a product to entertain us/do it for us.
So people that see this, need to stop being a product/fake and start saying what they feel.  Insted of saying what they THINK they should feel.
Deep down everyone can do this... but we mix them up in order to 'go along to get along'. 

We need to go along to get along with nature.  And that can happen in every moment of the day.  The more often people do and say what they feel, the more their mind will change.  

You talk about Meadowlark like it actually exists other than on paper. 
And you talk about a 'changed mind community' as if it is a goal to acheive.
Why create a business/entity that has a footprint at all? 
Doesn't that defeat the purpose?
How long does it take to walk away? 

I don't have faith in either.  You forgot the quotes around Meadowlark too.  Too many possibles and maybes.

It was more meant for something to ponder over.

We all come from the same place.  And it's a sound and light show to think otherwise.
I blogged once.  It was more written to myself, than for advertising myself.  But it might apply here.   http://thouart.wordpress.com/

When I see efforts by people who TRY to make things happen, I feel good about it.  'hey look, they're doing something!'... And then that pessimist comes out, who knows that, that isn't working, and hasn't before. 
Idealism is a "taker" specialty.  We take principles/ideas from nature/reality and try to re-apply them to our 'selves' and 'humanity' in all kinds of weird ways. 
It's our drug.  It's our distraction.

We can lop off the supply (which is why I'm babbling here), or we can 'take' it to it's limit and see what happens (which is why I'm babbling here).

Where's Raven,

You're absolutely right. Organic, Fair Trade, Shade Grown are terms that live in the system. To use them renforces the perception of validity for the system. I'm also looking for trade that is simplified and more personal without the B.S.

I think my survivability is better because I've learned things that help me live outside of the money economy. If you'd like to see some of the things I've done here's the first part of a series of blogs. I'm a big Tom Brown Jr. fan. Other primitive skills folk and Daniel Quinn fans are who I would call like minds for me.

I'm fully aware that I am apart of the community of life. I'm also aware that I'm apart of a community within the community of life, Lincoln. Everyday I become closer and closer to understanding my community through communication facilitated by Meadowlark.

By worst I mean quick rapid collapse of civilization with death and famine everywhere. By best I mean cultural shift and sustainability. Sustainability is used in its common sense.

Strategy for me is doing the best you can with what you can. And to me the best is with nature.

Meadowlark exists more than on a piece of paper. It's at 1624 South St. in Lincoln, NE Google map it.

Walking away is different for different people. I'm walking away right now. I assume you are also.

All and all I think a lot of the misunderstandings come from the fact that I answered questions in the interview with typical people in mind using their terms. My goal was to mention Daniel Quinn and egalitarian organization. For all of it's wrinkles and freckles I'm making Meadowlark into a place that will be as harmless as a bear cave or longhouse.

Thanks for the link it shed a little more light on who you are.

And I think idealism is poisonous too. I think pragmatic solutions are the only way we're going to get out of this.

You and I are brothers in this community. When i stop and open my heart I know Meadowlark is part of my quest to either educate and/or heal my community. Meadowlark is the campfire my community sits around and speaks of important things. I would use a real campfire, but right now more people enjoy being indoors watching TV. Part of my quest is to get people out of their house and then see the world around them.

That's what Raven tells me.

I don't care if Tom Brown Jr. drives a Hummer because his benefit out weighs his detraction's. I'd like to think what I'm doing is similar.

Take Care,

Adam Hintz

I'm glad you liked it.

Take Care.