I think AKGrannyWGrit is gone, likely moderated off the site. She had already made a decision to put her energies elsewhere. But it looks like she had a farewell post that was removed. Adam would need to clarify or confirm.
I wish her well, as I’m sure a few other PP members do also.
Another thoughtful video from Nate at CanadianPrepper, this time regarding the recent protests concerning George Floyd’s death, “America is Burning: BE READY!” (5/29/20).
https://youtu.be/A1siHg1DpHo
I missed reading this thread as it was happening and regret not being able to weigh in earlier. I have been reading this site for over 10 years. And as others have said, sometimes have to translate what I read here in order to apply it to my life, and still I find tremendous value in the perspectives and the lens of the three E’s that Chris offers. The framework allows me to be an early adapter in ways that are possible for me in my life. As I have said previously, it’s not that I attempt to copy Chris or follow him step-by-step, because I am a different person with different needs and circumstances, but it’s that I can apply what I learn to my own life, as best as I can, and build the resiliency that is possible for me. (And assist others to do the same.)
And what I notice is that Chris IS growing and shifting, as best he can, amidst the crises at hand, in the direction of including commentary as it relates to low-income people. I notice a marked difference in content that addresses these concerns, even from a year or two ago, and it is my sense that this trend needs to be encouraged. Opening oneself to understanding the unconscious biases we are handed by our society simply by virtue of where we happened to land (with a particular set of obstacles and opportunities) is not an easy task, even in the best of circumstances. And I do notice and appreciate his willingness to learn and grow even when it is uncomfortable. That’s part of the integrity he speaks of, neither right or left, but up and down, and that’s a key piece of why I trust his thinking, even if he isn’t coming from a place that includes all the lenses that I have had access to which he may not.
Having space for people to share what they see through their lens is essential for building a complete and comprehensive picture of the reality before us, because not one of us holds all the pieces. Every single one of us is missing many lenses, simply by virtue of where we landed. It’s not our fault (no blame) and at the same time it is our responsibility to expand our awareness so that we can both contribute to and benefit from the collective intelligence of a wide range of lens holders. There are viewpoints and lenses that have been absolutely decimated for centuries (i.e. indigenous wisdom, feminine wisdom, working people wisdom) which are now more than ever before essential for human survival. And sometimes part of our role (if we are in any kind of privileged position) is simply to create an opening for those needed perspectives to more fully show themselves.
I cannot imagine what this has been like for Chris or Adam or their families. So I don’t find it useful to criticize or attack them for what they might be missing when they are clearly cranking out high-quality, thoughtful, content, month after month (no blame). And at the same time I continue to hold out other lenses to look through and possible perspectives to hold because they now have a much wider and more diverse readership, which means an opportunity to reach farther than they might have imagined. It is up to them (responsibility) to continue to widen their lens so that those readers can also find a home here. For me, a world worth inheriting has many lenses.
And so I would have to disagree with those who are of the opinion that granny was avoiding doing the work. She was offering another lens. That takes effort. In my mind that is akin to picking up a broom. And if her efforts aren’t exactly the way we would do it, that may actually be the very point she is asking us to consider. Sometimes it can be a stretch to recognize, from the limits of our own lenses, that the dissonance may actually be a gift if it can be received instead of dismissed.
"The universe is full of magical things patiently waiting for our wits to grow sharper." -Eden Phillpotts, (1862 - 1960) was an English author, poet, and playwright. The quote is sometimes attributed to others.