It was quite a strange moment, coming in from working in the garden all day – weeding between the rows of potatoes, turning compost, and finding myself completely covered in dirt – to open a laptop where hundreds of people from all across the world were all joining in at the same time to discuss the regenerative renaissance that we all wish to see happen. It felt like a bizarre zoom in and zoom out that happened in such a short amount of time – from local to global, personal thoughts to a collective perspective, a closeness of realities that seem so different from each other, but are intricately connected. Maybe it’s because I am not using digital technology that often, but I will always marvel at the fact that we can communicate with people from opposite ends of the planet in an instant.
My first introduction with SEEDS, and cryptocurrency in general, came with the joining of the “Tools for the Regenerative Renaissance” course that just finished in June 2021. As someone who could be labeled “technologically illiterate,” it felt like stepping into another reality that had been happening parallel to mine, but I didn’t know the language. As someone who has found a passion in Permaculture and spends a lot of time working in the garden, the digital technological aspect of the regenerative renaissance was something that hadn’t been a big part of my journey and felt like something beyond what I knew. As I wondered if I was the only one feeling this way, in a conversation at the end of the course two other people expressed similar sentiments. One saying she didn’t know how to participate with such an unstable internet connection on her farm and another posing the thought, “I wonder if in this digital world, will people like me be left behind?”
I felt that question really heavily. Even though I love the idea of large global networks of people connected online and the possibilities that digital tools offer for ushering in a regenerative renaissance, for some of us it feels too impersonal, stressful, and abstract. We can see the person behind the screen, but we aren’t really able to feel it. We see digital tools, but they don’t make us feel inspired in the same way that a plot of land does or the chance to build something new. We prefer dirt that we can put our hands into, people that we can touch and sense in real time, and connections that feel grounded in physical space. Being linked into such a large digital network, feeling a need to respond to notifications, and being lost in different conversation threads can feel like stretching too far. Even more, relying on technology to work can feel daunting, especially when you’ve got an outdated laptop and wifi that cuts in and out. At least, this is the experience that I often have when I need to launch a Zoom meeting or try to get my old laptop to download a new application.
And yet, as I started to go deeper into learning about the different applications and platforms, I saw how some people found their creativity and expression through these digital tools. I saw this through the way that people were creating algorithms that could help to facilitate collective decision making, create bioregional resource mapping, coordinate new forms of cooperation, share better news sources, host better online conversation, ect. What an incredible way to use the gift of the digital world! I saw how some people were able to use these things as tools and find ways that they could help to build a better world and connect with people like me who are working to regenerate the land. It touched on my skepticism that had subtly been growing about technology as something that is just creating more complex problems and ecological harm than solutions and made me rethink some of my aversions towards digital technology.
It also made me start to think about the different roles that we all play in building a better future. That, just like the complexity and diversity of a rich ecosystem, there are niche’s where every person fits in order to create harmony. The farmer who is on the ground working in the garden needs the people at the other end of the chain who will purchase and share their food. The small scale agricultural projects that are struggling to stay economically viable need new ways of sharing their projects and getting funding for their farms when governments prioritize large scale industrial farming instead of localized agriculture. All of the people that exist along this chain need each other to help their project to succeed and continue to thrive, and with the help of digital tools, there are new opportunities for connections and support to reach the goal that we are all striving for.
In the end, I’ve felt confidence in knowing that even as someone who has difficulty working with digital technology, there is an absolutely essential place for me in the regenerative renaissance as a farmer on the ground. A place that can be helped by other people who find their creativity and inspiration through using digital technology that may not necessarily connect with the way that I work. From what I’ve experienced on SEEDS and from observing the design of this platform, this community link can be strengthened and there is room for people who aren’t tech savvy to exist and find common benefit with the people who are skilled with utilizing digital technology. To me, this seems to be the direction that I want to see cooperation happening. I know that I will always have this part of myself that will want to step away from the digital world and focus on the work that I am doing on the farm. And yet, I have a feeling of excitement at all of the new tools, like SEEDS, that are coming that can create connection, community, and ultimately – regeneration.
