One Small Town...

When people think about politics, it is easy to get lost in the media drama and seeming importance of what is televised and shared on social media. Politics, for many people, has become a sort of grim spectator sport to be enjoyed and reviled in order to give us a place to point our fingers for why the world has gone so wrong.

I want to highlight the work of Mayor Ron Higgins and his implementation of 'contributionism'—where volunteers participate in community projects in return for goods and services.

This model is inspired by the work of Michael Tellinger and is geared towards helping small towns become free and self-sustaining, bringing more influence and prosperity back to everyday people.

This kind of thing is the perfect antidote to many of the problems we see in the world today which can mostly be traced back to some form of government/corporate corruption and a systemic pillaging of the resources of hardworking individuals, families, and communities.

One of the main problems in our current system is the lack of community participation. We do our jobs, have our families, social lives, and so on. Many of us have, at times, taken an interest in certain local issues and perhaps taken some steps to address them.

I have always taken an interest in helping those in need, but often find our government welfare programs create dependency rather than truly helping to heal and empower those who are suffering.

Another passion of mine has always been gardening and food production. I realized that even the most afflicted person is able to contribute to something like community gardening.

I have written to my local political representatives suggesting that we need to be addressing the root causes of addiction, mental health, and poverty in our towns and cities. After receiving lip-service answers, I realized I would have to take the initiative rather than wait for my elected "representatives" to take action on my behalf.

One thing I know from working with people who are recovering from severe addiction and mental health issues is that gardening and the outdoors, in general, are very therapeutic. Small towns especially could benefit from programs where community gardens offer produce in exchange for work. There could also be part and full-time jobs available for those looking for a low-stress, healthy job to help them get back on their feet.

The bottom line is that we have to address the issues of our community in a tangible way that puts people ahead of politics. A social safety net that ensures that the basic needs of people are met is great up to a point.

However, the adage of, "give a man a fish vs. teach a man to fish" has never been more relevant than it is right now. People need real-world skills in order to truly rehabilitate and contribute to their society in a meaningful way. I believe the contributionism model is a great way for communities to truly operate as a community, rather than as a bunch of isolated people who happen to live in close proximity.

The community garden is becoming an important part of many towns and cities alike, precisely because it fosters connection and mutual benefit.

Building a small town around food production and security would be an interesting model that may take some getting used to, but would ultimately prevent or solve many of the social and economic problems that plague us in our daily lives today.

Food would be local and plentiful and thus food prices would go way down. An almost endless supply of meaningful jobs could be created around local food production and distribution as the abundance of the community could foster business relationships with the surrounding area.

In addition, people could truly work together on projects that benefit themselves and each other directly. An abundance of healthy food and healthy, sustainable jobs would also be a great step towards preventing and healing many psychological issues people wrestle with today.

Human connection and true meaning are in short supply, and it is up to each of us to find ways of creating and implementing changes that we wish to see in the world. It is really up to us; we are the ones we've been waiting for.

I am happy and honored to be serving people as a counselor and assisting many individuals in finding clarity and purpose in their own lives.

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