08 August 2011

Mutual Aid

Winners right history.
Warriors write history.

Day to day life
never makes it
into the annals.
Only numbers do:
births,
deaths,
taxes.

But how many people in a town
and how rich they were (or weren't)
doesn't tell anything about their
life,
love,
support.
Even our stories of helping hands
are framed during conflict.
Most of life is not fighting.

Life is love.
Daily love of neighbors
working together
to keep each other
healthy,
fed,
happy.

We need sociality.
We just forget to write it down.




I have just finished reading Mutual Aid, a factor in evolution by Petr Kropotkin. Sadly, Kropotkin's scientific contributions are largely ignored because Darwinism caught on so well, in part because it helped justify the power held by the government and the rich. I don't think life doesn't include struggle, but cooperation within and between species should be recognized for its part in evolution.
If you're curious, the book is available for free as part of Project Gutenberg, a wonderful program providing free ebooks due to copyright expiration.


Included in Jingle Poetry Potluck Week 47

11 comments:

  1. Excellent write.

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  2. That's one of the gifts of poetry...we do write it down!

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  3. I agree--it is the "behind the scenes" of life that are the important ones.

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  4. Marbles - thank you

    mortal - thanks for stopping by

    Victoria - good point :)

    bodhirose - Movie (theatre) magic doesn't happen without a great behind the scenes crew! We just forget about stuff like that when looking back at the movie of life in our memories.
    I've got another poem about the importance of Everyday Life: http://bit.ly/oNR3Ns

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  5. Really enjoyed reading. So sad but true. The fate of the common man is to be forgotten.

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  6. love it,

    well put. there are always things behind the scenes.

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  7. Ordinary, everyday life is classed as boring, I suppose but, it is what counts in life.
    We need a huge dose of 'love our neighbours' these days.
    Lovely read, thank you.

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  8. The Fool - Common is often considered boring, because it's so regular.

    Cello - Thank you.

    Daydreamertoo - I'm glad you identified with it.

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  9. Sometimes we forget to live it.

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