aspirations need to be approached with caution and an aware- ness of exactly was is being embraced. Young states that the ideal of community arises as a response to the individualism and the resulting alienation that is so prevalent in our society. She cautions that the concept of community is problematic because individuals will tend to suppress differences or exclude those people with whom they do not identify. The concept of the ideal community could be viewed as dualistic con- struction, between com- munity and the urban center, with communi- ty being privileged. Instead of crating new communities based on an ideal, Young = recom- mends the value of creat- ing a “politics of difference” within existing urban centers. She envisions this as a politics of relationship between groups and cultures, with exchanging and overlap- March 1997 / Planet of the Arts 45 ping interactions that do not result in community; an attitude that recognizes and celebrates difference. Strangers can experience each other as different and witness each other’s cultures and function, without adopting them. The result would be an enriched awareness of the diver- sity in our world. Young defines this attitude as an openness to unassimilated otherness. Another text that | found valuable in this discovery process is Regarding Nature, Industrialism and Deep Ecology (McLaughlin 1993). McLaughlin believes our quest for progress and industrial development is the major cause of the environmental and ecological crisis which con- fronts society today; and that the structure of modern industrial societies causes alienation from the earth and self. Traditional and older forms of satisfaction, such as those based on community and labour, dissolve as societies indus- trialise. Real human needs are met then desires become mistaken for needs; as this distinction between need and desire is eroded, people come to feel deprived, no matter how extensive their material possessions. Industrialism can be viewed as process of material production and as driving force in the development of consumer culture. The question of why we continue to pursue economic growth, even though we do not experience satisfaction and recognise industrialism is poisoning us, begs to be asked. McLaughlin proposes that social and geographic mobility makes it difficult to maintain on- going relationships with family, co-workers and community. Rapid changes in traditions and values are unsettling and may create feelings of insecurity. The result of these factors is a loss of meaningful personal identity. Consumerism is a quest to relieve this insecurity and vulnera- bility - we try to derive a feeling of strength from our possessions. The system of production that makes the increase in consumption possible also accelerates the loss of sense of purpose and meaning and sets up a self-reinforcing cycle. The way to stop this cycle involves changing the process of identity formation. any of McLaughlin's recommendations parallel those advocated by Plumwood. We must begin by seeing ourselves as within nature, with nature recognised as having independent integrity and agency. We must understand the relationship between values and choices and recognise that social change must be guided by a vision of a place truly worth creating, with the awareness that changes come about gradually, and require consistent and steady effort. Our goal must be a good quality of human life which is not equiv- alent to material consumption. McLaughlin, like Young, believes a new vision of what cities might become is needed as the starting point for the reconstruction of urban life. Cities and communities must make the choice for transportation that is ecologically sound, they must implement extensive recycling programs and establish systems that make use of renewable energy sources. He advocates political and economic decentralisation; if individuals and groups experience the consequences of their actions they are more likely to make choices that are ecologically sound, choices that do not adversely affect themselves, other forms of life, and future generations. McLaughlin also explores the concept of bioregionalism as an alternative to urban centers. A bioregion is a geographic area that may be defined by nature landmarks of by the imple- mentation of arbitrarily selected boundaries. It is populated by a relatively self sufficient group of people that live and work within its boundaries. The concept underlying bioregionalism suggests that when individuals live and work with friends and neighbours in a specific geographic locale and have the power to govern them- selves, attachments to place will result and it is more likely the choices that are made will pos- itively affect the members of the bioregion and local ecology. It is important to be aware that the concept of bioregionalism is not without attendant problems. Some bioregions may have more abundant resources than others or may act in ways that negatively effect neighbouring areas. Tension and attitudes that are isolationist may occur and it will be necessary to create structures that can mediate and resolve these differ- ences. The concepts presented by Young and McLaughlin offer concrete actions that can be undertaken now. The shift in attitudes will happen more slowly as we become aware of our automatic reactions. With this self awareness, we must be willing to challenge our reactions and choose responses that are based on respect and compassion. Individually and collectively we must find the way to value ourselves, to reclaim our spiritual and emotional health and recognise our connectedness to all things. We must recognise the power of self responsibility. Over a period of time, cultural changes will result from these “small” individual steps. During the act of researching and writing this paper | gained a fuller under- standing of the impact of culture and the role it plays in forming beliefs and values. In the past, | have questioned my assumptions about myself and the world and have been surprised to discover how often these assumptions are not based on personal experience but have been swallowed whole, without conscious thought. This questioning has led to a deeper understanding of myself and a desire to release my attachment to well known beliefs that no longer fit. | now have a sense of being suspended between two value systems, no longer able to live my life in the old way and yet unsure of how to proceed, how to implement new beliefs that are still vague, not fully formed. Perhaps this is the first step in the process of awareness and action and from this | will discover how my creativity can contribute to social transformation. @& This article was originally prepared for Susan Stewart's Introduction to Cultural Criticism: Feminist, Gender and Cultural Studies. March 1997 / Planet of the Arts 45 Attitudes And Actions For Positive Change aspirations need to be approached with caution and an aware- ping interactions that do not result in community: an atitude that recognizes and celebrates ess of exactly was s being embraced. Young states that the _tference. Strangers can experience each other as different and witness each other's cultures ideal of community arses as a response to the individualism and function, without adopting them. The result would be an enriched awareness ofthe diver ‘and the resulting alienation that is so prevalent in our sity in our world. Young defines this attitude as an openness to unassimilated otherness. ‘ocety, She cautions that the concept of community is Another text that'l found valuable in this discovery process is Regarding Nature, problematic because individuals will tend to suppress differences \. “or exclude those people with ‘whom they do not identity. The concept of the ideal community could be Viewed 3 dualistic con struction, between com ‘munity and the urban ‘center, with commun. ty being privileged Instead of crating new communities ‘based on an idea, Young recor mends the value of creat Industralism and Deep Ecology (MeLaughlin, 1993). McLaughl believes ‘our quest for progress ‘and industrial development is the ‘major cause of the environmental ‘and ecological crisis which