What is your philosophy of Permaculture?

I'm curious about you Permies. What brought you to this odd path? Is it a quest for truth and purpose? Is it practicality? I've been thinking about what it means to me:  

Permaculture is a framework of cultivation dependant on humans’ practical and spiritual interconnectedness with Earth. It requires overcoming the indoctrination and social engineering that has made us dependent on a man-made control grid; it is relinquishing the notions that humans are a scourge on the Earth, that we are either victims or privileged—that we are a critically flawed species and that survival is a competition. Permaculture is the shedding of these skins/identities that serve no purpose other than to inhibit our growth. It is taking ownership of the fact that we are all indigenous humans, uprooted at various points in history by unnatural forces. It means relying on our own observations, intuitions and pattern recognition to progress. It is the sacred recognition of the Earth’s resilience, of which we are a part—better without technologies, medicines and paradigms that subvert our innate power. Permaculture is not convoluted or myopic and does not reside on the left or right side of a political construct. Because things are not always as they seem, it requires us to look beyond virtue signals. There’s no conformity in Permaculture, so it requires neither politically correct speech nor total agreement in perspective. It values the flourishing of order within chaos, where all is resolved organically, with patience. As natural beings, we grow better and more connected with diversity of expression which feeds systemic collaboration and integrity. Permaculture reaches beyond the carbon-centric view of Earth degradation. It offers the potential remedies for the insidious destruction from environmental toxins, EMFs, GMOs, land clearing, resource extraction, migratory disruption and human exploitation. A Permaculture ethic calculates the true cost of Globalization and opts out in favor of decentralized food and power systems. Permaculture is a radical lifestyle challenge requiring us to reassess our convictions, indulgences and conveniences, to consider better alignment with Holmgren’s Principles. Permaculture means honoring ourselves and each other as integral members of an inextricably connected sphere of multiple intelligences.

What is it for you?
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Basing my answer on the original meaning of the term as ‘permanent agriculture,’ and then incorporating its evolution into meaning ‘permanent culture,’ my philosophy of ‘permaculture’ is a culture that has achieved a measure of stability and growth by rooting itself in agrarianism while still allowing for technology that is practical, and serves human needs, not greed and ambition. Technological development, be it computer/internet or engineering and so forth, will not be done primarily for the profit motive which often states that ‘just because we can do something, we will,’ and disregards any moral considerations.

Given human history and the human condition, I disbelieve that there can ever be a true ‘permanent culture,’ but a pervasive ‘permaculture ethic’ will enable the rank-and-file of humanity (the ‘little people,’ the ‘grunts,’ the ‘flyovers’) to survive when the human political and economic system suffers collapse or serious pain. The permaculture ethic of a systemic, holistic ‘design’ approach to managing systems from a simple house with a backyard, up to a farm; or towns and small cities with easy walkable/public transit access to the commercial center from residential areas, provides a more stable and resilient means for societies and individuals to survive the ebb and flow of history given that it rejects the unjust ‘domination’ of other people, of nature and the environment by humanity in favor of a more cooperative approach.

In short, we work with nature, and we develop a practical design ethic for human communities and we reject the idea of the unjust exercising of power and domination over others.

I hope this didn’t sound like I ingested a textbook, but sometimes I do get all jargony. Oh, yeah, and Paul Wheaton’s plans for World Domination is the logical exception to my criticism of ‘dominating’ philosophies up above.

Paul Sofranko wrote:allowing for technology that is practical, and serves human needs, not greed and ambition.

I love that answer. Practical, organic and sure to stand the test of time. It makes me think of Charles Eisenstein's "Sacred Economics" Our distorted modern sense about profit and interest will not stand the test of time. But preserving and sharing will always pay.

Chris Takacs wrote:

Paul Sofranko wrote:allowing for technology that is practical, and serves human needs, not greed and ambition.

I love that answer. Practical, organic and sure to stand the test of time. It makes me think of Charles Eisenstein's "Sacred Economics" Our distorted modern sense about profit and interest will not stand the test of time. But preserving and sharing will always pay.

There is also "Small is Beautiful," by E.F. Schumacher.

Chris said "Permaculture is a framework of cultivation dependant on humans’ practical and spiritual interconnectedness with Earth.

I feel permaculture is so much more than this. Yes, it is about nature and how things happen in nature.

It is also how we live our lives. Living within nature.

What I know about permaculture I have learned from this forum and the wonderful people who share their knowledge of all kinds of different things from permaculture, plants, cooking, health, etc.

The way nature uses patterns fascinates me so I try to incorporate patterns into my daily life.

This last year I have learned so much from nature.  The way seeds are washed away with the rains and how wildflowers are planted by these rains.

I have learned to live with the weeds. The ones I disliked the most have moved out of my space.  The ones that are trying to invade my space get pulled up little by little as I walk my dog.

I also enjoy seeing my wildlife on a daily basis living their life within nature.

Again, permaculture is living with nature.