Thriving in a Developing Community

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The real problem is not whether machines think but whether men do. — B. F. Skinner

It's a great time to be a part of the transitioning of humanity.

At some point in my life, I was just a young child in a community where the best technology was the trusty radio playing songs and drama during the lazy afternoons.

There were no fences and walls, just open yards and overgrown vacant spaces. I still remember the old women and men who were once the strong and abled members of the society, but... they were long gone.

The vast rice fields and the open lands were our daily playground, trailblazing new routes in our adventure to hunt, explore, and play. We had hideouts in the most beautiful places within the village were meet during the afternoons and play folk games until our parents come shouting our names to go home already.

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Right now, almost everyone are trapped in their electronic devices, including me. Whenever I turn the Wi-Fi button on my smartphone, I notice that we are already bombarded by more than 10 Wi-Fi routers in all directions. Maybe it is generally safe, but imagine you are marinated in unsolicited electromagnetic waves day and night—and this is just the start.

Development is not bad.

It's good thing to see growth and development if in a rural community. Vacant spaces are now filled with new homes and new homes come with new faces. The once lonely and overgrown fields are now vibrant and busy with modern homes and vehicles.

These lots often come with fences or walls that cuts old roads, though that's legally fine. Old roads lead to cul-de-sacs, but new roads bring safety and more development.

Sometimes, I think about how the norm is pulling us away from the solarpunk future. These developing communities are just cooying the failures of the now modern cities, they become dull, gray, and noisy.

Or maybe I am just getting older.

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Whenever I look into the sea and I find the distant island becoming more vague as the years pass by. Maybe it's by vision becoming less clear or the smog has become usual.

Although the sky is still clear, the view is plagued by the network of electrical wires and internet cables.

If ever I could build my home (again), I'd invest in the 'dirty' solar power instead. I guess it's my cleanest option since we don't have nearby rivers or consistent winds.

I personally got dismayed by thw rising cost of electricity even if our region generates electricity from geothermal sources, it was later known that our electric cooperative is trapped in their contract with the 'cheaper' coal. It was cheap until the proxy war and crazy sanctions made everything worse.

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Embracing emerging technologies is okay, but the majority of our world leaders had been profiteering while compromising the environment and the people.

Many laws are passed to subtly promote the new world older. I won't divulge further, since if someone is interested, they can collect the data themselves.

Although I'm no longer active in gardening, my once per week visit in the orchard is a relief from the transitioning world.

In the orchard, there is less noise. The stillness of nature heals the worries inside me. It inspires me to plant and grow more trees as most rural areas are converted into concrete jungles. Aside from the future sustainability and self-sufficiency, this verdant place will remain a sanctuary from the busy and noisy world.

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They create a false fear while saying not to panic, this is to manipulate people to put their freedom down in exchange of false safety in the hands of the oppressors.

I cannot imagine a world where the next generations will be ripped from their freedom and rights, to benefit a few.

Vaccines. SIM-registration. What's next?

PINNED POSTS


	A Sustainability Review of the Year 2022 Starting from January, let's have a trip down the highlights of my journey in self-sufficiency and sustainability.
	Clearing the Damage After the Storm Instead of falling into anxiety, I took time to make use of what the storm had given.
	Building Abundance with More Fruit Trees Amid the Economic Turmoil This year, I planned to initially plant 100 trees wherever possible until the year ends.
	Using Saltwater and Fire to Heal a Permaculture Garden Plant debris becomes natural mulch and organic matter.
	Harvesting Cucumbers After a Year of Labor As crops mature, harvest season began as well.
	Fermenting Fish Amino Acid for the Garden Crops It would be a sin to throw away such things, even the food scraps I turn it to compost now.

About Me

@oniemaniego is a software developer, but outside work, he experiments in the kitchen, writes poetry and fiction, paints his heart out, or toils under the hot sun.


	Onie Maniego / Loy Bukid was born in rural Leyte. He often visits his family orchards during the summers and weekends, which greatly influenced his works.