The Aware Society Page 10

THE ECOLOGICAL COMMUNITY

      The aware community is mirrored in ecology as if it is virtually modelled on the natural ecology. We have in natural ecology social, economic, educational and political activities. And we can actually find that we can go a great deal further than lay out our processes in the aware community structure. Because in ecology we can find a model for successful living. Plants and animals form into communities and we can use those characteristics to design successful human communities. Natural ecology is a living system, and it is a living system that has been successful over millions of years. And we can design human living systems modelled on natural living systems, which will give us a successful community. And we can get a human community environment that is an extension of, and subsystem of, this broader ecology, functioning in harmony with it.

THE PLANT AND ANIMAL COMMUNITY CHARACTERISTIC PRINCIPLES

      A natural plant and animal community functions according to ecological principles and characteristics.

      First of all, the components are united in a definite structure. The system has a definite structure. All the components are linked in their activities. There is a definite vertical structure. A forest has a number of layers to it. There may be tall trees, small trees, shrubs, ground covering plants, and things going on under the ground as well. There is also a horizontal structure with the plants and animals space out on the horizontal plane. This definite structure allows/shows how all the components are placed in relation to each other, so that they all get adequate space, light, moisture, nutrients, etc. It allows the system to function in a particular way. It allows and causes the system to have various functional characteristics.

      It allows the energy to flow in a particular way. So that there are local energy transfers and the energy transfer time is as short as possible, depending on the limiting factors and the plant and animal community.

      It allows the material cycles to be largely site bound, so that a tree will recycle itself as much as possible. So that nutrients can cycle through the community rather than escape quickly.

      These are two main functional characteristics.

      But there is more to the functional characteristics in that the plant and animal communities form into species specific associations. There are also characteristics of diversity and stability, and characteristics of community development of how a plant and animal community will evolve from bare ground up until its climax in a form such as a forest. There are also politics, to do with cybernetic regulation. I would just like to explain quickly how a couple of these are related to human communities.

A MODEL FOR SUCCESSFUL LAW

      First of all, the easiest one to understand is the idea that plants and animals form into species specific associations. Here we have the idea that plants and animals form into associations that are beneficial for that particular area of the plant and animal community, as a whole. So that compatible species live together, and that antagonistic species don't really live together. They will be found elsewhere, where they don't inhibit the growth of the plant and animal community.

      In modern life, humans too often live with unlikeminded, incompatible people. Our next door neighbours may like loud rock music and late night parties whereas we might like early nights and opera music. So there is a bit of antagonism. And there is too often significant antagonism in many areas of society, whereby we don't necessarily plan enough of the politics of who we get to live with. So that anyone may come and live next door to you.

      But humans in community can form into associations and areas of like minded compatible people. So whether you would like to live in a community with no cigarette smoking or no alcohol, or only occasional alcohol, or what types of sports and entertainment you want to develop in your community, what types of music, what types of landscape development. And more. The more we head towards getting like-minded compatible people living together, the less antagonism and the less law we need thrust on us. And this like-minded compatibility can be developed at all levels, from family, to cluster, neighbourhood, village, and broader.

      The ecological principles of a niche in space - a space to perform a role or function - and a niche in time - a time to be in that space - are the principles which allow a diversity of local community types and spaces, and also allow the organisms to move through the community in such a way to minimise antagonism. So that in ecology we can find a model for successful law and live in harmony.


THE ECOLOGICAL COMMUNITY
The aware community is mirrored in ecology as if it is virtually modelled on the natural ecology. We have in natural ecology social, economic, educational and political activities. And we can actually find that we can go a great deal further than lay out our processes in the aware community structure. Because *in ecology we can find a model for successful living. Plants and animals form into communities and we can use those characteristics to design successful human communities.* Natural ecology is a living system, and it is a living system that has been successful over millions of years. And we can *design human living systems modelled on natural living systems,* which will give us a successful community. And we can get a human community environment that is an extension of, and subsystem of, this broader ecology, functioning in harmony with it. THE PLANT AND ANIMAL COMMUNITY CHARACTERISTIC PRINCIPLES *A natural plant and animal community functions according to ecological principles and characteristics.* First of all, the components are *united in a definite structure.* The system has a definite structure. All the components are linked in their activities. There is a *definite vertical structure. A forest has a number of layers to it. There may be tall trees, small trees, shrubs, ground covering plants, and things going on under the ground as well. There is also a horizontal structure* with the plants and animals space out on the horizontal plane. This definite structure allows/shows how all the components are placed in relation to each other, so that they all get adequate space, light, moisture, nutrients, etc. It allows the system to function in a particular way. It allows and causes the system to have various functional characteristics. *It allows the energy to flow in a particular way.* So that there are local energy transfers and the energy transfer time is as short as possible, depending on the limiting factors and the plant and animal community. It allows the *material cycles to be largely site bound,* so that a tree will recycle itself as much as possible. So that nutrients can cycle through the community rather than escape quickly. These are two main functional characteristics. But there is more to the functional characteristics in that the plant and animal communities form into *species specific associations.* There are also characteristics of *diversity and stability, and characteristics of community development* of how a plant and animal community will evolve from bare ground up until its climax in a form such as a forest. *There are also politics, to do with cybernetic regulation.* I would just like to explain quickly how a couple of these are related to human communities. A MODEL FOR SUCCESSFUL LAW First of all, the easiest one to understand is the idea that plants and animals form into *species specific associations.* Here we have the idea that plants and animals form into associations that are beneficial for that particular area of the plant and animal community, as a whole. So that *compatible species live together,* and that *antagonistic species don't really live together.* They will be found elsewhere, where they don't inhibit the growth of the plant and animal community. *In modern life, humans too often live with unlikeminded, incompatible people.* Our next door neighbours may like loud rock music and late night parties whereas we might like early nights and opera music. So there is a bit of antagonism. And there is too often significant antagonism in many areas of society, whereby we don't necessarily plan enough of the politics of who we get to live with. So that anyone may come and live next door to you. But *humans in community can form into associations and areas of like minded compatible people.* So whether you would like to live in a community with no cigarette smoking or no alcohol, or only occasional alcohol, or what types of sports and entertainment you want to develop in your community, what types of music, what types of landscape development. And more. *The more we head towards getting like-minded compatible people living together, the less antagonism and the less law we need thrust on us.* And this like-minded compatibility can be developed at all levels, from family, to cluster, neighbourhood, village, and broader. The ecological principles of a niche in space - a space to perform a role or function - and a niche in time - a time to be in that space - are the principles which allow a diversity of local community types and spaces, and also allow the organisms to move through the community in such a way to minimise antagonism. So that in ecology we can find a model for successful law and live in harmony.