To: <puptcrit-AT-puptcrit.org>
Date: Sat, 4 Oct 2008 00:22:58 -0400
Subject: Re: [Puptcrit] Panic inducing warnings


Here's my three cents.
Starts as a bit large, but then focuses on Puppetry.

While it  probably is important to have some sort of awareness to things 
that go wrong (or seem to), I believe
the more we panick, the more we give power to the mass hysteria.

Like a very strange yet very philophical book of fiction (called The 
hitchiker's Guide to the Galaxy) says:
Don't panic.

While fear is useful, panic is a loss of control. It only serves the 
hysteria.

Common Sense seems not-so-common in some periods and places.
Rules that were set for good reasons become corrupted or meaningless.
Some of them are maintained without reason even when a situation doesn't 
require them.

I think this is how  big organisations create zombies. I describe zombies as 
people who have lost they will and wits, even if it's only during business 
hours (let's face it, that's most of their life). They merely serve the 
machine, "because that's the way it works".

Every bit of common sense, every raised voice and any protest serves to slow 
down or halt the machine.
Puppeteers seem to have a special talent for raising awareness..

So when a big organisation, or a few of them, declare that we are in deep 
trouble, I take it with a huge heaping tablespoon of salt. Sure, they 
probably are right that we are in trouble, because their practices and/or 
machinations, along with our collaboration or "going along" have led us to 
this trouble in the first place. But reacting exactly how they want us to is 
just giving them fuel to create more trouble.
Panic in the money market only makes the situation simpler for those who 
already have safety: less rich people, more poor people, therefore more 
money controlled by fewer people.

Let's use our Creativity to find ways to live better without sacrificing 
integrity or soul.
Let's be people before we are force-fed consumers.

Let's look at what our Puppetry predecessors have done to survive, and look 
how we still do the work today.
There were times when people used Puppetry as a means to earn a living, when 
all else failed. Remember the Punch & Judy shows, and how some might have 
started as sidelines fro teeth pullers, then became they main income.

I read about a French man who had no arms, but performed a travelling 
puppetshow (and drove his own wagon) with his feet!
There were war and repression times when Puppetry was banned, and Puppeteers 
still performed, for raising hope, to denounce falseness, and for calling 
justice home. Today there are Puppeteers helping entire villages of people 
who were victims of civil wars using Puppetry as a tool for healing.

When it feels like we are being assailed from all sides, let us reach into 
our suitcases, we'll pull out a sock or a full cast of Opera Puppets, and 
together make the troubles sit down and enjoy the show. After the applause, 
no troubles to be found, just an audience, and behold, once in a while, a 
future puppeteer becomes aware!

No matter the situation, we will keep doing the work. It's in us all. If we 
have to perform with sticks and stones we will bring those giants to life, 
and make the rags breathe fire again. 

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