Michael Sliwa: The Violence & Hidden Relationships That Underlie Modern Life
Channel: Last Born in the Wilderness Podcast
Date: 2018-12-06

In this segment of my conversation with author, former educator, and “one of the foremost speakers on simple living.” Michael Sliwa, we discuss the traps of modernity and the path Michael has taken to move further away from the center of Empire in an attempt to liberate himself from false needs and excessive wants, in turn learning to live much more simply, nomadically, and communally. 

In particular, what we discuss is that in spite of this worthy effort, privilege plays an enormous role in an individual’s ability to move away from the destructive nature and impact of this industrial culture, and as Michael addresses in this episode, the recognition of this fundamental aspect of living within a society forged in settler-colonial values and maintained through the socio-economic imposition to “make a living” informs this effort in more ways than can be initially understood. The false sense of security careers and material accumulation brings in a culture bereft of community and land-based consciousness is something worth addressing and overcoming in spite of this, especially in the face of widespread ecological disintegration and abrupt climate disruption — a result of this imposition to “make a living” regardless of the long-term consequences. Michael and I get at the worthiness of the effort to liberate oneself of false needs and wants, and what interesting paths await those that make the leap toward personal responsibility and deep recognition of the role privilege plays in the maintaining of the illusion of stability and prosperity in this society, in light of the devastating impact this logic has had on the living systems of this planet — in which we are inextricably tied to.

Michael Sliwa is the author of 'Chasing A Different Carrot: A Manifesto For The Predicament Of Privilege’ and is one of the foremost speakers on simple living. He and his wife Karen are former educators who left behind their careers and most of their worldly possessions in order to pursue a life of genuine connectivity. Learn more about Michael’s work at his website: https://michaelsliwa.wordpress.com

Watch Michael’s new video project ‘Another Way’: http://bit.ly/MSanotherway

This is a segment of episode #159 of Last Born In The Wilderness “The Privilege To Leave: Stepping Away From The Center Of Empire w/ Michael Sliwa.” Listen to the full episode: http://bit.ly/LBWsliwa

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