| The only thing constant is change.
Since humanity started keeping track of history, this maxim has been presumed correct.
Many of the changes, if extrapolated indefinitely, unfortunately lead to the demise of the
planet. Why is it that tribal societies, where there is no concept of fashion, maintain
harmonious cultures for many thousands of years? A deeper look into the psyche of
pre-literate peoples might illustrate to us all that indeed, if we are to survive, a
peaceful future will have to resemble our ancient tribal past. Before there were alphabets, people didn't read about the past, they talked about it. Prophesies and legends were told and retold from generation to generation, sung, chanted, or spoken from grandparent to grandchild in an unbroken, verbal chain. Changes in the tribe's tradition were unthinkable, very often taboo. The design of a clan's clothing or the lyrics of a chanted legend would remain the same for hundreds of generations. In tribal societies there is truly no such thing as fashion because the very fabric of life is dependent on keeping the oral tradition unchanged. History begins when people start keeping track of events by writing things down. Cultures without written alphabets are generally considered pre-historic. A written record fragments time into the past and the future with little emphasis on the now. The profession of fashion parallels the progress of history. As we turn the pages of history we become accustomed to a seemingly endless cycle of newness: we want new clothes every season, a new car every year. Soon we will need a new rainforest, but can technology provide us with one? In non-materialistic tribal societies a person was judged not by their accumulation of wealth, but by their generosity and number of friends. Great chiefs had few possessions at all: witness the potlatch ceremony where valuable gifts were exchanged only to be burned in a great communal bonfire. Perhaps there are valuable lessons to be learned from our ancestors who had a direct connection with the spiritual essence of nature and felt no need to interfere with the natural flow of things. Primitive cultures all have in common some form of ecstatic boundary-dissolving ritual that bonds people to a greater spirit of nature. People who have dissolved the boundaries between themselves and the spirit of Mother Earth might feel less need to amass wealth or to dominate other people or species. The thrust of technology throughout history has largely been to separate people from nature, at the expense of many less fortunate species. We have unwittingly become `specists,' letting the mediated experience of entertainment and religion replace the direct knowledge of the planetary soul, with the false concept that Westerners are somehow above, separate from, or superior to this wonderful world of peoples, plant and animals that we call home. Blaming technology itself is too simple an answer, but many destructive practices, if continued, threaten the death of the planet. There are developments in technology, however, that have the potential to create an electronic retribalization of society and help society remember our place on this sacred sphere. Virtual communities on-line are changing the way we perceive each other and share ideas. There is no pre-judgment of concepts based on sex or color; a new form of universal language has emerged. Another universal language is rapidly transforming the way people interact. House music, tribal dance music with a continuous beat is the soundtrack to an enormous youth movement worldwide. House parties are basically an updated version of an Indian Pow-Wow where certain members of the tribe provide the beat (DJ's or drummers) and the other members of the various tribes come together in peace to share the blessings of being alive, dress wild, act crazy and dance themselves into oblivion. Out of this oblivion is where one gains knowledge, direct experience of the equality of all people and creatures of the universe. The insight gained by abandoned tribal dancing changes a person. Spiritual awareness is no longer a mediated experience but an irrefutable feeling. As more and more people have boundary-dissolving insights into nature, and more and more of these people link minds with each other via technology, we can hope for a future where an awareness of the spiritual value of nature is factored into decisions regarding the fate of the planet. By loving each other, dancing with each other, and communicating with each other, we have our best hope for a future where all people, plants and creatures co-exist in peace and harmony. Mark Metz is owner of Amoeba, a rave apparel and accessories store on Haight Street in San Francisco. |
