Podcast 222 - Polyculture Food, Land Search Update, and Cancer

@Paul - First of all, I'd like to express that I really enjoyed this podcast. So thank you! And keep up the good work. I have not in the past even been a huge fan of the "solo bits and bobs" podcasts, as compared to your other podcast styles, but this one I found particularly entertaining and informative. I don't know why. I was also struck by something that you mentioned during this podcast: you related that someone had recently expressed to you their serious opinion that it is wrong for experts in permaculture, green building, etc., to charge money for running workshops. I was amazed that you even felt the need to acknowledge this, let alone that you presented it in a thoughtful manner indicative of serious and reasonable attention to this person's opinion. For which, I suppose, you should be commended.

Perhaps I am being obnoxious and presumptuous to assume for myself the mantle of "spokesperson for the majority" and, thereby, to marginalize this person and their opinion... but that is exactly what I am going to do. I know that you must deal with a lot of idealists and hippies on a day-to-day basis, because such people gravitate towards permaculture and green building and all things that smack of "alternative" or "eco" lifestyles. Well, I gravitate towards permaculture and green building, and I might be accused at most of being only marginally "hippified," LOL! There are a lot of us who do. I guess that my point is that the more extreme idealists and hippies, even while they may be more vocal, do NOT get to claim for themselves these movements and lifestyles! Therefore I declare that of course it is acceptable to charge money for a workshop, I don't care how "eco" is the subject matter. And I justify the "of course" label for my statement because, not only would 99% of people in our society agree with the statement, but I think it is fair to assume that at least 90% even within these "eco" movements would agree. These presenters have accumulated expertise through great expenditures of personal time and effort, and now they are assuming the roles of professional teachers. What exactly is supposed to be wrong with that?