Psychochaordic Gaiamind

[DavidOaks]

Greetings from the psychiatric survivors liberation movement.

If any art installations are interested in exchanging ideas with me, let me know.

I'm with MindFreedom, we mainly work on human rights of people in the mental health system.

We also have several people, myself included who are building bridges between various communities, such as Burning Man. Some are already burners. Others bridge the Oregon Country Fair and Burning Man communities. One MindFreedom activist -- Ron Unger (a mental health counselor) -- goes way back to early Cacaphony Society days.

And me? I've spent the last 28 years in the independent social change movement, working for human rights. For instance, I've helped organize about ten theatrical nonviolent protests in front of the American Psychiatric Association, which is always fun.

So what, you might ask, would some folks labeled "psychotic" have to add to an art theme related to the mind?

Well, those who have 'recovered' despite being labeled mad may have something to offer a planet that is slowly discovering it is indeed mad, and is not quite sure what to do about that....

Something I'd personally love to discuss are a few ideas that might playfully dovetail with someone else's art installation ideas that are brewing out there.

I'll just post a bit on my personal ideas... and see if that's intriguging to anyone.

Psychochaordic Gaiamind.

Yeah, that's a mouthful.

Briefly, complexity theory, ancient wisdom and experience reveal that to live, to exist, to think, to be is inherently on the edge between chaos and order, 24/7 womb to tomb.

What is called "psychotic" is one of the most widely feared states in so-called "modern" society. But it may in fact be one of the most basic and universal of human experiences, perhaps explaining why the so-called rationalistic modern society may want to claim a monopoly.

And gaiamind? You, me, planet... what mind are we creating together?

Personally, I've been informed on this by a burner who has an alternative collegeon complexity theory, Alder Fuller. See his web site on complexity theory, etc. at http://www.prototista.org.

Also, for twenty years I've been involved in Oregon Country Fair, and as I said know some of the folks in the OCF Burning Man camp (I'm in Community Village at OCF in Doors of Expression).

I'm also in the Chaordic Alliance.

And MindFreedom itself? We are rooted in the 34 year old psychiatric survivors' movement, though open to the public.

You can read about us at http://www.MindFreedom.org.

What could I add by exchanging ideas about Burning Man 2005?

I'm not sure, but perhaps something could emerge.

In the past:

We have had a Heal Normality campaign for example. If normality is so great, why is it wrecking the environment?

We now have a Mad Pride campaign, which began in London a few days ago, and is mainly celebrated in Toronto, New York State, Oregon Country Fair, and a few other places at the moment.

If you do go to MindFreedom, a good media article that sums up my work, and our group, and our movement, is the LA TIMES SUNDAY MAGAZINE article about me. You can get to that link on our home page at http://www.MindFreedom.org, or go to ABOUT US, and then click on ABOUT THE DIRECTOR, and you can find the article and some biographical info about me.

Well, that was supposed by brief.

I'll just sum it up by saying our mission statement includes a nonviolent revolution of freedom of the mind....

In support,

David

David Oaks, Director, MindFreedom
Eugene, Oregon

[DavidOaks]

In my post on Psychochaordic Gaiamind I ought to have said that the Mad Pride campaign began about five years ago, not a few days ago, oops.

For more info on Mad Pride see http://www.MindFreedom.org, click on CAMPAIGNS and then MAD PRIDE.

It's about as grassroots as you can be. Anchor events are now London, Toronto, New York State (where they do a one week encampment at the State Capitol), and in Oregon Country Fair.

The advantage Gay Pride has had is, well, using rationality more. They're so big they now have internal protests against corporate selling out (so-called Gay Shame protesters).

But poor Mad Pride... for four years just percolating along here, and there... once in Africa... once in Sri Lanka... once in Korea... but mainly those anchor events I've mentioned.

One example of how the pull of irrationality can sometimes be counter productive to organizing in this field: A key founder of Mad Pride in UK eventually killed himself (in front of a subway).

I've been having a lot of phone calls with one of the founders of Mad Pride in London, Simon, who is actually alive (Simon's various suicide attempts have been unsuccessful, thankfully).

I have to say that talking to Simon on the phone or by e-mail is one wild ride.

But Simon is agreeing to get more on that edge of order and chaos, and is actually -- reluctantly -- agreeing to have an international planning committee this time for Mad Pride 2005. We shall see if that's enough rationality for this time for poor little Mad Pride to finally take off.

[And for those not quite tracking why I'm talking about this... I was just listing Mad Pride as one of several activities we do that might somehow dovetail with another art installation on the mind theme this year at 2005 burning man. For more info see the original Psychochaordic Gaiamind post.]

David

[Wendy]

Hey David, here are some art ideas I can't use cause I can't be there this year and also a couple of websites you folks might be interesting in linking with! My Ecopsych friends at www.attractionretreat.com and www.ecopsych.com



Theme: Psche. So do a Smart Bomb and set it off every night in
unannounced portions of the playa? OK so not a real bomb but one that is
staged that looks and acts like one and spreads body parts and toys and
shit all over the area as a lasting sculpture to the explosion to show
just how smart smart, bombs really are. I do have a couple of friends I
can chat with locally about explosives stuff? And maybe Burning Man home
can help out with the staging as well?

And or a Smart Bomb art car to cruise around spitting out fire and gross
things, with Bush riding on the back masterbating while smiling benignly
and giving the peace sign with the other hand???

Or how about a Parade of Brains: everybody costumes or NOT, within a
mask of their favorite brain, maybe even staging some witicisms?

How bout a brain fart machine with flaming gas emmisions, infamous words by infamous assholes coming out of the same exit point...

Or a Brain Maze of graffiti wisdom...

YOUR LOOKING GOOD BM!