it’s human beings living on planet Earth
we live in a big world with some 7.5
billion souls and countless species of
life since I was a child I was
fascinated by the big questions
the existential ones like who are we
where do we come from where are we going
this fascination led me to become a
mythologist a few years ago I received
my PhD in mythological studies in depth
psychology from Pacifica Graduate
Institute this program basically
anchored my passion for the existential
quest in research and analysis but it
also led me to discover my own approach
to an artistic and social practice I
call eco activism this practice seeks to
combat systems of oppression and
violence that threaten multiple
environments of our existence including
the human natural and cosmic worlds what
drew me to the field of mythology is the
notion that myths are transformative my
focus has been contemporary myths of
apocalypse survival and revolution today
myths of the new millennium
are projected across digital media
platforms and virtual spaces from
television and movies to gaming videos
in the World Wide Web
mr. vehicles of knowledge memory and the
imagination and they reflect the inner
workings of what psychologists Carl Jung
called the collective unconscious for
this reason myths have the power to
shift consciousness they can catalyze
revolution in the individual mind and
they can spark evolution across cultures
time and space in the same way we see
art as a tool of social change I believe
mythology as a system of knowing and a
framework of belief has the power to
transform even more holistically
completely and more importantly
sustainably some scholars of mythic
theory claim that myths actually form
the basis of reality and they give rise
to the physical world my favorite
definition of myth comes from
anthropologists and dance
Maya Deren who said myths are the facts
of the mind manifests in the fiction of
matter and that definition alone
inspires the imagination right on one
hand the thought of our creative agency
and our powers of people to shape
reality is very empowering but then you
turn on the evening news you read the
morning paper and you scan your social
media feed to find it’s a much darker
different real reality that we live in
maybe like me you can’t help but wonder
what kind of world have we created
what’s up with all this violence
darkness and inhumanity what kind of
species are we becoming let’s face it as
human beings living on planet Earth we
have a lot of things to worry about
right racial and social injustice
terrorism and nuclear war limited food
and contaminated water supplies cyber
bullies and Facebook killers incurable
cancers and super viruses climate change
and natural disaster rogue asteroids and
solar flares you name it just reading
off this list is exhausting let alone
the scary thoughts that it can conjure
it seems we encounter new threats on
every level of our existence and in
every environment that humans have come
to inhabit this brings me back to the
title of my talk eco activism in the age
of the multiverse in the scientific
community and ecosystem is described as
a community of living organisms and
their environment more generally outside
of science and across multiple fields an
ecosystem can be described as a complex
network or an interconnected system so
what this multiverse all about
according to noted advocates of the
multiverse theory it is a newly revealed
reality that includes an infinite number
of parallel or alternate universes some
very similar and some very different
from our own for most of us that sounds
like the stuff that science fiction is
made of and it’s very far from our daily
experience on earth here in the here and
now so let’s step back from this more
scientific definition and look at the
concept of the multiverse from a
perspective we can all relate to can you
think about it we already live
and occupy many different worlds at the
same time the natural world and our
inspiring Wild Kingdom of Elemental
riches and resources the digital and
virtual worlds of our ever advancing
technology and new media and the cosmic
world of our native solar system and the
greater galactic unknown these worlds
and environments have their own rules
dynamics and change agents at work in
many ways these worlds intersect and
overlap existing symbiotically but they
can also conflict and threaten one
another and what’s even radical and
sometimes catastrophic effects I’m sure
like me at some time or another many of
you felt numb and defenseless against
this multitude of dangers that plagues
modern civilization and the planet that
we call home we’re living in an age of
unprecedented atrocities apocalyptic
disasters that have never before been
witnessed in human history and this
presents a grave concern for all
humanity all life on Earth that no
conscious mind or compassionate heart
can ignore so then what do we do about
it
how do we call our fear and anxiety long
enough to take action what kind of
weapons can everyday people use to fight
back against these threats that permeate
our every dimension of being let’s zoom
in on two worlds or ecosystems within
that figurative multiverse and take a
closer look at those threats and
concerns but don’t worry I’m not going
to you know tie your stomach up and
knots or raise your blood pressure
because I know many of these Doomsday
programs often do and I know you’ve seen
them like you know Armageddon week or a
hundred ways that the world will die
what I would like to do is leave you
with a few strategies and tools of
change that you can start using today
and with no previous experience required
these methods have been tried and proven
effective by fellow activists and
concerned citizens like you people who
have determined to conquer challenges
and faced fears as well as cultivate
hope in these daunting and very
dangerous times so consider this if
image shapes reality and we are what we
eat
does the media we consume manifest our
destiny the average consumer of
mainstream media encounters various
forms of violent imagery on multiple
platforms in a given day in the same way
we should care about the food that we
put into our bodies we should be
critical consumers about the images that
we feed our minds popular movies and
video games graphically portray brutal
combat and vicious assault senseless
destruction that viewers and users
experience through celebrity actors and
anonymous avatars news media outlets
tragically overlook the good to
highlight the bad and the ugly stories
of the day while grossly misrepresenting
minorities and the marginalized simply
because this is what sells sound bytes
and video clips of terror and tragedy
are played and replayed as we take in
the trauma of it all over and over and
over again we’re living in the time of
the viral video when murders and
suicides are broadcast live to audiences
of all ages across a global network
straight with no filter this is the dark
side of the media universe scholars of
media ecology like Marshall McLuhan and
bell hooks have shown the impact of
images and media on the individual and
the collective psyche powerful
connections can be made between
recurring images and patterns in the
media landscape and our cultural
pathologies and perceptions of reality
it’s not just the content of the media
that has the power to inform our
consciousness the platforms and vehicles
through which media is delivered also
play a role in shaping the social
environment in which we live and
interact with one another
in a world of hyper connectivity and
ubiquitous violence how do we fight off
infectious fear-based media and the dark
shadows that cast on our lives in the
present as well as in the unfolding
future black science fiction luminary
Samuel Delaney says we need images of
tomorrow to reimagine and reclaim our
future this is how we take control we
fight fire with fire
image with image
direct action is not always about
protesting in the streets we can become
Do It Yourself DIY producers of our own
media on our own terms start a podcast
or a radio show you can share your own
public service announcement make a short
film about an issue that you’re
passionate about through independent
media we reclaim the human right to
manifest our own destiny and self
determine who we are and what we want to
be by creating positive images of
ourselves our community our world that
the media rarely shows we begin to shift
narratives of negativity opening doors
to possibility and the potential for
change right here in Cheltenham and
across Greater Philadelphia this kind of
activism is alive and hard at work and
you too can become a part of this
creative resistance this is where change
begins this is how we light up the
darkness but what happens when we’ve
taken more from the planet than she can
give or replace what would happen if all
people on earth had free access to
sustainable energy and didn’t have to
rely on coal or big oil to fuel our
lives corporate greed and mass
consumerism have put us in a pretty
precarious predicament wouldn’t you
agree with recent decisions made by our
current administration just days ago it
feels like we’re actually moving
backwards in this race to save the earth
Nikola Tesla said if your hate can be
turned into electricity it could light
up the whole world this was a man of
true genius and he was way ahead of his
time but you don’t have to be a genius
or a scientist to observe that the
climate is changing
winter feels like spring and summer
feels like fall the ice caps are melting
and Ocean Shores are eroding perennial
cycles mating rituals and seasonal
migrations are out of sync as more
species are being pushed to the brink of
extinction as the wealthy elite wrote
obese with power and over indulgence
people are dying of hunger across the
globe just minutes from this high school
people suffer from malnutrition diabetes
hypertension living in food deserts that
defy logic and disgrace humanity these
ills upon the earth and the structural
violence upon our communities reflects a
society sick with racial food and
environmental injustice economic
disparity and the immoral misuse of land
by corporate initiative occupation and
use of the lands in the Commons is a
human right of the people it has
belonged and still belongs to those who
live and work upon the land even if they
don’t know it’s theirs to claim so again
in the face of all these and justices
what do we do about it we can take back
the land by taking root where we stand
you can plant seeds where you live in
your backyard community garden or your
local urban farm learn to grow your own
healthy food free of toxic pesticides
feed your family share with your
neighbors contribute to your local
creative economy urban farmers and
independent growers everywhere are
radically reclaiming the land of this
earth and the resources it can provide
like media activists and indie film
producers the urban farming community is
using creative resistance as a tool of
self-determination returning hope and
power to the people of overlooked and
underserved communities in this
interconnected web of life when one
ecosystem is threatened the entire
multiverse or greater network is
endangered when life territory or
beliefs are threatened we fight back and
we fight back fiercely we may even kill
to defend what’s ours this is the power
of natural law and the timeless survival
instinct in action with so many causes
to fight and so many wounds to heal
sometimes we can lose sight of the big
picture here on the ground on the
earthly plane sometimes it can be hard
to see that we’re all connected all
people all species of life the mountains
the oceans the trees the air that we
breathe we all matter because we are all
one as founder and director of myth
media studios
I use image and myths to raise awareness
of life-threatening issues that impact
my community and the fate of the planet
my current project are feeding the grass
it’s funded in part by the Leroy
Foundation and the escape artist
initiative and it’s an interactive
graphic novel that promotes creative
resistance and community readiness
through an apocalyptic myth set in
future Philadelphia now this novel is
interactive in the sense that it
contains a real survival map that charts
emergency routes and natural resources
sacred sites and safe spaces in
Philadelphia that could be accessed in
the event of any number of the threats
that I’ve touched on today the title
graffiti in the grass is actually a
metaphor for crop circles and if you
don’t know about crop circles before I
go let me share just an image or two of
this all inspiring phenomenon that
really gives me hope these masterful
designs of sacred geometry and mythic
symbolism seasonally appear in farming
fields stretching across acres of cereal
crops and they’ve been popping up like
clockwork for decades crop circles are
mysteriously crafted by unknown entities
sometimes in a matter of milliseconds
those are decipher and interpret these
formations claim they offer warnings for
humanity guiding us toward our more
peaceful and harmonious existence many
believe this is just the work of
pranksters or an elaborate hoax but
scientific evidence proves otherwise
this lead these are the last big
question that I want to leave you with
today and I really want you to think
about this one but first let me setup
the scenario what if NASA announced
tomorrow that intelligent life exists on
other planets and scientists were
somehow able to prove the existence of
the multiverse then say there was some
kind of evidence that benevolent ET from
other worlds have been visiting earth
trying to communicate and intervene in
an effort to steer humanity away from
not only the global destruction of earth
but from the destruction of other worlds
of the multiverse that our world is
connected to what would matter most to
you in this new reality what kind of
human of
multiverse would you aspire to be one of
my goals there’s an eco activist is to
get others thinking about the big
existential questions the ones that
transcend race class and gender national
borders and religious beliefs the true
power of the mythic image is that it can
speak volumes in a single vision and can
tap into the wireless global network of
the collective unconscious this one
right here this image strikes a nerve
deep inside when you see it it stirs the
soul of all humans who still have one
it’s the mother of all issues the fight
of all fights
it’s the final battlefield that eclipses
all others so do what you can but do
something do anything that brings
yourself and thus the world closer the
peace light and visions of hope for
tomorrow because the multiverse depends
on it and there’s no time to waste
thank you
[Applause]
we live in a big world with some 7.5
billion souls and countless species of
life since I was a child I was
fascinated by the big questions
the existential ones like who are we
where do we come from where are we going
this fascination led me to become a
mythologist a few years ago I received
my PhD in mythological studies in depth
psychology from Pacifica Graduate
Institute this program basically
anchored my passion for the existential
quest in research and analysis but it
also led me to discover my own approach
to an artistic and social practice I
call eco activism this practice seeks to
combat systems of oppression and
violence that threaten multiple
environments of our existence including
the human natural and cosmic worlds what
drew me to the field of mythology is the
notion that myths are transformative my
focus has been contemporary myths of
apocalypse survival and revolution today
myths of the new millennium
are projected across digital media
platforms and virtual spaces from
television and movies to gaming videos
in the World Wide Web
mr. vehicles of knowledge memory and the
imagination and they reflect the inner
workings of what psychologists Carl Jung
called the collective unconscious for
this reason myths have the power to
shift consciousness they can catalyze
revolution in the individual mind and
they can spark evolution across cultures
time and space in the same way we see
art as a tool of social change I believe
mythology as a system of knowing and a
framework of belief has the power to
transform even more holistically
completely and more importantly
sustainably some scholars of mythic
theory claim that myths actually form
the basis of reality and they give rise
to the physical world my favorite
definition of myth comes from
anthropologists and dance
Maya Deren who said myths are the facts
of the mind manifests in the fiction of
matter and that definition alone
inspires the imagination right on one
hand the thought of our creative agency
and our powers of people to shape
reality is very empowering but then you
turn on the evening news you read the
morning paper and you scan your social
media feed to find it’s a much darker
different real reality that we live in
maybe like me you can’t help but wonder
what kind of world have we created
what’s up with all this violence
darkness and inhumanity what kind of
species are we becoming let’s face it as
human beings living on planet Earth we
have a lot of things to worry about
right racial and social injustice
terrorism and nuclear war limited food
and contaminated water supplies cyber
bullies and Facebook killers incurable
cancers and super viruses climate change
and natural disaster rogue asteroids and
solar flares you name it just reading
off this list is exhausting let alone
the scary thoughts that it can conjure
it seems we encounter new threats on
every level of our existence and in
every environment that humans have come
to inhabit this brings me back to the
title of my talk eco activism in the age
of the multiverse in the scientific
community and ecosystem is described as
a community of living organisms and
their environment more generally outside
of science and across multiple fields an
ecosystem can be described as a complex
network or an interconnected system so
what this multiverse all about
according to noted advocates of the
multiverse theory it is a newly revealed
reality that includes an infinite number
of parallel or alternate universes some
very similar and some very different
from our own for most of us that sounds
like the stuff that science fiction is
made of and it’s very far from our daily
experience on earth here in the here and
now so let’s step back from this more
scientific definition and look at the
concept of the multiverse from a
perspective we can all relate to can you
think about it we already live
and occupy many different worlds at the
same time the natural world and our
inspiring Wild Kingdom of Elemental
riches and resources the digital and
virtual worlds of our ever advancing
technology and new media and the cosmic
world of our native solar system and the
greater galactic unknown these worlds
and environments have their own rules
dynamics and change agents at work in
many ways these worlds intersect and
overlap existing symbiotically but they
can also conflict and threaten one
another and what’s even radical and
sometimes catastrophic effects I’m sure
like me at some time or another many of
you felt numb and defenseless against
this multitude of dangers that plagues
modern civilization and the planet that
we call home we’re living in an age of
unprecedented atrocities apocalyptic
disasters that have never before been
witnessed in human history and this
presents a grave concern for all
humanity all life on Earth that no
conscious mind or compassionate heart
can ignore so then what do we do about
it
how do we call our fear and anxiety long
enough to take action what kind of
weapons can everyday people use to fight
back against these threats that permeate
our every dimension of being let’s zoom
in on two worlds or ecosystems within
that figurative multiverse and take a
closer look at those threats and
concerns but don’t worry I’m not going
to you know tie your stomach up and
knots or raise your blood pressure
because I know many of these Doomsday
programs often do and I know you’ve seen
them like you know Armageddon week or a
hundred ways that the world will die
what I would like to do is leave you
with a few strategies and tools of
change that you can start using today
and with no previous experience required
these methods have been tried and proven
effective by fellow activists and
concerned citizens like you people who
have determined to conquer challenges
and faced fears as well as cultivate
hope in these daunting and very
dangerous times so consider this if
image shapes reality and we are what we
eat
does the media we consume manifest our
destiny the average consumer of
mainstream media encounters various
forms of violent imagery on multiple
platforms in a given day in the same way
we should care about the food that we
put into our bodies we should be
critical consumers about the images that
we feed our minds popular movies and
video games graphically portray brutal
combat and vicious assault senseless
destruction that viewers and users
experience through celebrity actors and
anonymous avatars news media outlets
tragically overlook the good to
highlight the bad and the ugly stories
of the day while grossly misrepresenting
minorities and the marginalized simply
because this is what sells sound bytes
and video clips of terror and tragedy
are played and replayed as we take in
the trauma of it all over and over and
over again we’re living in the time of
the viral video when murders and
suicides are broadcast live to audiences
of all ages across a global network
straight with no filter this is the dark
side of the media universe scholars of
media ecology like Marshall McLuhan and
bell hooks have shown the impact of
images and media on the individual and
the collective psyche powerful
connections can be made between
recurring images and patterns in the
media landscape and our cultural
pathologies and perceptions of reality
it’s not just the content of the media
that has the power to inform our
consciousness the platforms and vehicles
through which media is delivered also
play a role in shaping the social
environment in which we live and
interact with one another
in a world of hyper connectivity and
ubiquitous violence how do we fight off
infectious fear-based media and the dark
shadows that cast on our lives in the
present as well as in the unfolding
future black science fiction luminary
Samuel Delaney says we need images of
tomorrow to reimagine and reclaim our
future this is how we take control we
fight fire with fire
image with image
direct action is not always about
protesting in the streets we can become
Do It Yourself DIY producers of our own
media on our own terms start a podcast
or a radio show you can share your own
public service announcement make a short
film about an issue that you’re
passionate about through independent
media we reclaim the human right to
manifest our own destiny and self
determine who we are and what we want to
be by creating positive images of
ourselves our community our world that
the media rarely shows we begin to shift
narratives of negativity opening doors
to possibility and the potential for
change right here in Cheltenham and
across Greater Philadelphia this kind of
activism is alive and hard at work and
you too can become a part of this
creative resistance this is where change
begins this is how we light up the
darkness but what happens when we’ve
taken more from the planet than she can
give or replace what would happen if all
people on earth had free access to
sustainable energy and didn’t have to
rely on coal or big oil to fuel our
lives corporate greed and mass
consumerism have put us in a pretty
precarious predicament wouldn’t you
agree with recent decisions made by our
current administration just days ago it
feels like we’re actually moving
backwards in this race to save the earth
Nikola Tesla said if your hate can be
turned into electricity it could light
up the whole world this was a man of
true genius and he was way ahead of his
time but you don’t have to be a genius
or a scientist to observe that the
climate is changing
winter feels like spring and summer
feels like fall the ice caps are melting
and Ocean Shores are eroding perennial
cycles mating rituals and seasonal
migrations are out of sync as more
species are being pushed to the brink of
extinction as the wealthy elite wrote
obese with power and over indulgence
people are dying of hunger across the
globe just minutes from this high school
people suffer from malnutrition diabetes
hypertension living in food deserts that
defy logic and disgrace humanity these
ills upon the earth and the structural
violence upon our communities reflects a
society sick with racial food and
environmental injustice economic
disparity and the immoral misuse of land
by corporate initiative occupation and
use of the lands in the Commons is a
human right of the people it has
belonged and still belongs to those who
live and work upon the land even if they
don’t know it’s theirs to claim so again
in the face of all these and justices
what do we do about it we can take back
the land by taking root where we stand
you can plant seeds where you live in
your backyard community garden or your
local urban farm learn to grow your own
healthy food free of toxic pesticides
feed your family share with your
neighbors contribute to your local
creative economy urban farmers and
independent growers everywhere are
radically reclaiming the land of this
earth and the resources it can provide
like media activists and indie film
producers the urban farming community is
using creative resistance as a tool of
self-determination returning hope and
power to the people of overlooked and
underserved communities in this
interconnected web of life when one
ecosystem is threatened the entire
multiverse or greater network is
endangered when life territory or
beliefs are threatened we fight back and
we fight back fiercely we may even kill
to defend what’s ours this is the power
of natural law and the timeless survival
instinct in action with so many causes
to fight and so many wounds to heal
sometimes we can lose sight of the big
picture here on the ground on the
earthly plane sometimes it can be hard
to see that we’re all connected all
people all species of life the mountains
the oceans the trees the air that we
breathe we all matter because we are all
one as founder and director of myth
media studios
I use image and myths to raise awareness
of life-threatening issues that impact
my community and the fate of the planet
my current project are feeding the grass
it’s funded in part by the Leroy
Foundation and the escape artist
initiative and it’s an interactive
graphic novel that promotes creative
resistance and community readiness
through an apocalyptic myth set in
future Philadelphia now this novel is
interactive in the sense that it
contains a real survival map that charts
emergency routes and natural resources
sacred sites and safe spaces in
Philadelphia that could be accessed in
the event of any number of the threats
that I’ve touched on today the title
graffiti in the grass is actually a
metaphor for crop circles and if you
don’t know about crop circles before I
go let me share just an image or two of
this all inspiring phenomenon that
really gives me hope these masterful
designs of sacred geometry and mythic
symbolism seasonally appear in farming
fields stretching across acres of cereal
crops and they’ve been popping up like
clockwork for decades crop circles are
mysteriously crafted by unknown entities
sometimes in a matter of milliseconds
those are decipher and interpret these
formations claim they offer warnings for
humanity guiding us toward our more
peaceful and harmonious existence many
believe this is just the work of
pranksters or an elaborate hoax but
scientific evidence proves otherwise
this lead these are the last big
question that I want to leave you with
today and I really want you to think
about this one but first let me setup
the scenario what if NASA announced
tomorrow that intelligent life exists on
other planets and scientists were
somehow able to prove the existence of
the multiverse then say there was some
kind of evidence that benevolent ET from
other worlds have been visiting earth
trying to communicate and intervene in
an effort to steer humanity away from
not only the global destruction of earth
but from the destruction of other worlds
of the multiverse that our world is
connected to what would matter most to
you in this new reality what kind of
human of
multiverse would you aspire to be one of
my goals there’s an eco activist is to
get others thinking about the big
existential questions the ones that
transcend race class and gender national
borders and religious beliefs the true
power of the mythic image is that it can
speak volumes in a single vision and can
tap into the wireless global network of
the collective unconscious this one
right here this image strikes a nerve
deep inside when you see it it stirs the
soul of all humans who still have one
it’s the mother of all issues the fight
of all fights
it’s the final battlefield that eclipses
all others so do what you can but do
something do anything that brings
yourself and thus the world closer the
peace light and visions of hope for
tomorrow because the multiverse depends
on it and there’s no time to waste
thank you
[Applause]
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