Philip the Bard's Harappan Blog: The Living Laws

The Living Laws

Welcome wild readers.

The Greenie movement started before the Green Bible was discovered. Their initial creation was more about working to save the environment than any kind of political involvement.

When the Green Bible was found and attributed to Marcus Johnson that woke up the green movement and gave them a legitimacy they previously did not have.

When the world government and the LC started they set up what were called the Living Laws. These were a set of rules to live by so that people could preserve the environment. There was no enforcement program but people followed these laws because they saw the need for them.

The Living Laws were mostly about how could people live sustainably in their day to day living. Since humanity had just gone through several decades of one environmental disaster after another no one wanted to do anything that would send Earth back down that path.

A generation later, after the world had been cleaned up and the environment was stable, young people didn’t see the need to follow the Living Laws anymore and society began to fall back into old and wasteful habits.

That is when the Greenies came forth with their Green Bible. They and their book gave people a reason to live in a good way. 

The LC jumped on the Greenie bandwagon right away and promoted the Green Bible through their criers. Over the next forty years the Greenies gained more and more influence. By Earth Year 2184 the Greenies were the only viable religion on Earth. Christianity, Islam and Judaism had disappeared or gone underground. Buddhism, Hinduism and the nature cults were gone too except in Cascadia.

That was the beginning of the Pax Veridis.

Tomorrow: How peaceful was the Green Peace?

Never mix red wine with Oodo.   

Philip Normer

Kushan Year 87

Earth Year 2479

Philip the Bard's Harappan Blog: Part One of the history of the SID

Greetings wonderful readers.

Yesterday I mentioned that I would be discussing the SID this week. I suppose I can’t really tell the story of the SID without mentioning the LC and the Greenies.

As the twenty-first century drew to a close the human race was holding on by a thread. National governments all around the world were collapsing and failing due to massive amounts of environmental refugees.

The invention of the hydro-cyclon motor save the Earthers. There is some dispute about just who invented the device. Some people like to give credit to Marcus Johnson who had already left for Harappa. Others like to credit a team of individuals working in a lab in Texas. Either way the clean energy machine made workable an idea that was indeed the Founders.

Earth put up a series of air scrubber drones that cleaned much of the CO2 from the atmosphere and a system of weather control was created.

Stabilizing the environment made possible the creation of a world government. A cluster of wealthy elites set up a group called the Leadership Council (the LC). The LC initially served as consultants for the new world government but eventually evolved to the leadership role. When the LC took control they moved into the background. A system of scribes and criers was set up to inform the people and enforce governmental pronouncements.

By Earth Year 2109 the new government was in place. Shortly after the ascension of the LC the Greenie movement began.

Tomorrow we’ll discuss their rise to influence.

Never mix red wine with Oodo.   

Philip Normer

Kushan Year 87

Earth Year 2479

Philip the Bard's Harappan Blog: This Week: the SID

Greetings intrepid readers. This week we’ll start a discussion of the Science and Industry Division (SID). They have been a central part of recent history but not everyone knows their origins.

We’ll discuss how they grew out of the Greenies and Leadership Council’s (LC) needs for some industrial base. We’ll learn how they became more of a political group during the years after the “Arrival” on Harappa and what happened to them when the Mother became involved in Intergalactic Politics.

Tomorrow we’ll begin by discussing the SID’s creation on Earth during the LC’s ascension.

For today I’ll end with a quote from the Founder:

“Those who can hold their tongue find it easy to hold their friends.”

Never mix red wine with Oodo.   

Philip Normer

Kushan Year 87

Earth Year 2479

Final thoughts on hedonism.

The past week and a half me and Philip and his wife Ina have been discussing hedonism. I have always been a proud hedonist. I don’t think most people understand the philosophy and consider hedonists with disdain. Those of us who take on hedonism as a philosophical choice are not simple lushes and reprobates.

For me, life is about the experience. Look around the Universe and most of what we see is either frigid cold and barren or hotter than hot and barren. We have yet to find anything anywhere near as nice as our homeworld.

When I first went into the Air Force in 1970 I was handed a pocket New Testament by a very pretty young woman. That started my spiritual journey. I first dismissed Christianity during my reading of their text. There was nothing there to honor the sacred feminine. I found nothing in the Bible that spoke to my soul. I searched Eastern philosophy for several years after that and while I learned much in that journey I came to the conclusion that Buddhism did not meet my needs as a spiritual guide. I just can’t hang with the notion that, “Life is suffering”.

So, I’ve come up with my own spirituality which is a mix of paganism, hedonism and atheism. 

I don’t believe in a sky god whom I will have to answer to in some after life. Actually I don’t believe in an afterlife. If there is one I’ll deal with that when the time comes. Until then I try to live my life by my moral code.

Being that I claim hedonism as my guide don’t assume I have a lax moral code. I would venture it is more strict than most, if not all Christians I know.

I believe all things are sacred. I try to treat all things thus. Our world is a small, fragile speck in space. We, as humans need to protect every single piece of it as if it is unreplaceable (which it is). 

I am a strong believer in fidelity and honesty. I love hard work and feel a responsibility to my community(s) to contribute.

As far as the meaning of life, simple: perpetuation of the species.

I am doing my part by not reproducing. I see the biggest problem facing our world now is the human population. We need to dramatically shrink our numbers to a sustainable number. In that way we may last long enough to find a second home for humanity.

Finally I believe in experiencing what life has to offer. I occasionally get angry and depressed but I have a hard time understanding depression on a long term basis (unless it is a medical issue). I’ve known many people who just saw so little joy in life that they wore their depression like a crown. I don’t get it. Look at the amazing diversity and beauty found on this world. How can you be depressed when you are surrounded by such beauty?

I’m not saying we don’t have work to do but be cheerful while helping our community move forward. Then when you need rest open a nice bottle of wine, light up a pipe and reflect with friends and family.

Have a great weekend. I and Philip will be back on Monday.

Earth Year 2013

Never mix red wine with Oodo.

Philip the Bard's Harappan Blog: Ina's view on Harappan Hedonism

Philip the Bard’s Harappan Blog

Ina’s View

My husband has been discussing Harappan’s proclivity for hedonism. Yes, we do drink and smoke and yes, he did mention we also work hard and contribute to society.

But, I think he has focused on only one part of our hedonistic philosophy. I asked Philip to let me write today’s blog so that I could complete the picture.

The Harappan lifestyle is about more than just partying. It is more about experiencing what the Universe has to offer.

We believe in eating the best foods. Not only good tasting but healthy as well. We are very committed to producing healthy foods not tainted by chemicals. I would never consider putting SID produce on my dinner table.

I suppose the SID has its place, but producing food . . . nope. I’ve not been to Earth or Lava. I have not seen SID farms. I am told that their Lavan farms are mostly human operated but their Earth farms are completely automated. Machines till, plant, fertilize, spray pesticides, harvest and process. Humans don’t touch the food till it arrives in someone’s kitchen. 

It is not just the lack to human interaction that concerns me it is the SID’s dependence on chemical fertilizers and pesticides. I don’t think the SID agriculturalists have ever heard of composting.

Healthy food comes from natural processes. Humans were not created in a chemistry lab. Our food should not come from one either.

Harappan hedonism is not just food, drink and smoke. It is also music, art, literature and companionship. I’ll let Philip talk about the entertainments we enjoy but I’ll mention our family ties.

I am Mandan. On Harappa we were a clannish tribe. Family ties were most important. When we moved to Kusha we became less nomadic but we still keep our family ties. I married outside of the clan, which is rare for my people but I still maintain my connection with my Mandan clan. Philip has his friends from the White Mountain Clan and we both spend time with my family who now live in a town called Mandan, near Harappa City.

I don’t know any Harappans who don’t regularly hang out with their family.

Never serve red wine with tellon berries.   

Ina Normer

Kushan Year 87

Earth Year 2479

Harappans and the "Lovely Fog"

Harappans and the “Lovely Fog”

Greetings beauteous readers. We were discussing hedonism, something most Harappans and Kushans embrace. Even if we don’t accept it as a philosophy for ourselves we understand the concept and support it in our friends and family.

Earthers often ask me if we have to deal with a lot of abuse. I answer “Not really.”

Before “The Arrival” we only had a few simple intoxicants. We drank several types of alcohol, wine and Oodo mostly and some beer and whiskey. And, we smoked the weeds.

We did not have some of the chemical intoxicants like Pax, meth, crack and such. Still don’t have them in our society. If I can grow it in my garden and prepare it myself I can probably handle it. If I need a chemistry set to make the stuff then I stay away.

I know there is some Pax on Kusha. Some of the SID folks use it. I don’t know any Harappans who do. It makes people mean.

Is the Mother a hedonist? Not really. I’ve seen her drink wine occasionally and maybe a few beers but I’ve never seen her smoke anything. I think she always has too much on her mind.

My friend Dorian Thain is definitely a hedonist. He smokes more than I do and maybe drinks a little less. He would want you to know that he is a thoughtful hedonist. He doesn’t just drink to get stupid. For him imbibing is an intellectual exercise. When his day is done he separates himself from his leadership persona and looks at things differently. He says he doesn’t work on drugs but I know some of his best ideas came from the “lovely fog”.

Never mix red wine with Oodo.   

Philip Normer

Kushan Year 87

Earth Year 2479

Football Hangover

OK OK so we didn't beat the Doncos on Monday Night Football. Our QB looked good till he was knocked out of the game with a concussion. We'll get 'em next time. (or the time after that)

Since I'm dealing with some health issues I am restricting my diet. So . . . I don't have a hangover but after the game I don't feel as chipper as I might.

Fear not, my football depression doesn't last long. Philip the Bard will return tomorrow.