I can hardly pull myself away from the events going on in Athens and throughout Greece right now. Calling it “Real Democracy” or “Direct Democracy”, the people of Athens are returning to their roots as the birth place of democracy and taking it to another level. They are living and learning how to self-organize at scale. It is estimated that between 500,000 and a million people were in Syntagma Square yesterday. Tonight some of my friends who are veteran World Café practitioners will be hosting a conversation around the question of “Imagine we wake up and live in real democracy – what is it like, what is happening in daily life, what do you see and feel?”
Thousands of people have been gathering every night for the past few weeks in Athens and participating in a self-organized but very deliberative process. I have been following this story through friends for a few weeks and continuing to wonder why it was not getting any attention in the US press. Yesterday the group grew to nearly a million and was successful in forcing the government to reconsider the austerity measures being demanded by the international banking system and suddenly the US press began to take notice. Here is an article suggesting that this could have implications for all of Europe and even the US. Could this be the event that triggers the predicted global financial collapse? This question suddenly makes these developments more meaningful here.
The news reports here also emphasized the violence that broke out yesterday. It is much easier to put this experience into our normal frame of reference if we think of it as another out of control bunch of protesters making trouble. However, a first hand report from a participant tells a different story. ” The spirit amongst us was incredible – we moved as one as we were tear gassed – helping each other – of all ages. When we could not see or breath for the chemicals, we sprayed each other with malox – when we needed to offer water we gave to each other. When the despair, anger or fear became too much and provocation of the riot police became to vocal and overwhelming, we calmed each other down. We sang and told jokes. We moved the riot police back – not by force – but with a strong fierce movement – a breath of saying no and yes at the same time.”
I notice very different and conflicting reactions in myself as I follow this story. Initially, I was excited to see such a large demonstration of the self-organizing energy that has been my model and hope for community building. First Tunisia and Egypt and now Greece. There is something big going on here! As I began to consider the implications for the global financial system (and for my own small sense of security), I noticed the fear moving in. Yes, intellectually I know that our economic system is not sustainable and that collapse is predicted by many people but this feels so real and so imminent. And then I read between the lines and recognize that perhaps this could be the end of capitalism as we know it and the opportunity to create a new, more socially and environmentally just form of economic system and my mood begins to move toward enthusiasm. I wonder, what if “they” declared a depression and nobody came? What if we collectively took care of each other like the crowd in Athens did yesterday?
I recently finished a book on the history of the US between 1778 and 1815 (The Empire of Liberty). It identifies the emergence of democracy as one of the biggest issues of that time in the early history of our country. Many of the founders of the United States feared democracy. They did not trust the power and the wisdom of “the people”. For them, this country was founded upon principles of liberty and the values of aristocracy. How little has really changed? I am aware of my own fears of democracy. How easily it would be for a demagogue to channel the anger and fear and other emotions of the crowd into a reactionary response. And on the other side, there are people and institutions with financial incentives to crush any challenge to the status quo. Uncertain times are dangerous. And one of the biggest dangers is that fear takes over. So, I find myself with a mix of emotions including gratitude and concern for friends in Athens today. But mostly, I am filled with hope and a reminder of the admonition to “resist psychological contraction.” The challenge as I see it is to keep the conversation going, to welcome the changes that want to happen and to trust power of self-organization.
The world is on the brink of huge changes and we are blessed with the opportunity to live in this time and to be part of shaping what will emerge. No less than the future of our planet and our species is at stake, from my perspective, and those are pretty exciting stakes to be playing with.
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