Apparently, evolutionarily speaking, depression is a survival tool. It may not come as a surprise to you that our species was not “designed for our sedentary, socially isolated, indoor, sleep-deprived, frenzied, poorly nourished lifestyle.” Though theories vary, a new therapy encourages patients to live more like our paleolithic ancestors, getting more “aerobic exercise; ingestion of omega-3 fatty acids; light; positive social interaction; substituting activity for rumination; and increased sleep.” Not only would we be better off eating a Stone Age Diet, but we may also be better off if we adopt / adapt other aspects of a stone age lifestyle — after all, we are evolved for that active life.

So, what I take from this is that it can be depressing to sit home in front of your computer screen, all alone even when you are surrounded by a metaverse of virtual friends, and ruminate about, say, creeping authoritarianism or the slight possibility that environmental collapse is not inevitable.

Great. That’s it?

No.

Barbara Ehrenreich (author of Nickel and Dimed) writes in her new book Dancing in the Streets: A History of Collective Joy that we all may be so depressed because we have forgotten how to have fun together. Ecstatic rituals, she says, have been suppressed by elites because they were perceived as being so “disruptive, subversive, and even dangerous.” We’ve allowed ourselves to be disciplined. Disciplined and punished, as the infamous Frenchman has said. She seems to see a positive sign in the carnivalization of some protest movements, like the music and colorful costumes of anti-globalization.

So, if I paint may face and yell about authoritarianism I might feel better?

You might, especially if you look around you at all of the other painted faces and laugh.

Collective joy isn’t meant to be an escape from the worries that might press in on us. Play, big adult play, is another way to remember that we’re not alone. Ehrenreich suggests that we reclaim our traditions — outside of consumption and commodification. Utah burners, go to Burning Man as a walking tree this year. That ought to make you laugh.

“How can progressives,” the Alternet writer asked her, “use collective joy to help motivate people and promote our causes?”

People who are working for change need to think about how to make their events draw on the solidarity and creativity of lots of people together. That’s been happening … but it’s something we need to address. Bringing art and culture into politics is a way to express what we are seeking, what our vision of the world is.

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Saturday, about 500,000 people marched in Washington, DC, to voice their opposition to the war in Iraq.

A protest to be proud of.

500,000 = “tens of thousands” in New York Times math, but dissenters are used to being underestimated in every way. I’m sure the U.S. military know exactly how many people were in Washington, along with their Social Security numbers, since the U.S. military keep such a close watch on anti-war protestors. Close watch, spying, surveillance. Whatever you want to call it, they keep records.

The first speaker invited to the peace rally was none other than Salt Lake City Mayor Rocky Anderson. In a speech that resembled the stirring speech he gave in Salt Lake City on August 30, 2006, he told the crowd,

No more God-is-on-our-side religious nonsense to justify this immoral, illegal war.

Listen to Rocky Anderson’s Saturday speech at the Salt Lake Tribune, and read about how Rocky ran into Karl Rove, another Salt Laker just like us–well, not JUST like us. Also, just for me, just because I love this song so much, listen to the August speech remixed with the Black Crowes “Soul Singin’” from Head On Radio.

I know you aren’t afraid to face the details of the Iraq war. Watch and read more reports at DC Indy Media, where you can get the close-up local view.

The rally involves more than marching and speeches. In a smart move, those in DC have been encouraged to talk to Congress in an all-out campaign to end this unpopular war. Today is the day for peace activists to visit their Senators and Representatives, voicing their opinions on the war in Iraq. Move On is also asking for a virtual march on Washington this Thursday, February 1st, to send 1 million messages to Congress about the war.

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I heard the announcement on KCPW (local NPR) about the Alternative Gift Fair today.  What a great idea.

Utah Red Cross, Intermountain Therapy Animals, Salt Lake City Film Center, One H.E.A.R.T. and other charities will be participating in the first Alternative Gift Fair for the Holidays.  The fair will offer sustainable and environmentally friendly gifts to match family and friends’ personalities.  Saturday, December 9th from 11 to 4 on the 11th floor of the Wells Fargo Building.  For more information, please contact One H.E.A.R.T. at 596-3317.

That’s TODAY, Saturday December 9, 11 - 4 pm at the Wells Fargo Building downtown Salt Lake City. 

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Come on. Have you been shopping in the past week? Did you at least Buy Local? I did. I bought books at King’s English–great place to spend a day and a dollar.

If you must buy gifts this season, I have a couple of my favorite gifts and online stores to recommend.

• Flying Spaghetti Monster emblem from Evolve Fish. Nothing says, “I am in a world of my own” like the noodly appendage on your car. I keep buying emblems for my car and end up giving them away to people who deserve them at least as much as I do. I sure wish my so-called church had chosen to put on a Flying Spaghetti Monster Holiday Pageant rather than a completely predictable display of religion that so few of the children will be able to relate to in any way.

• Gardening When It Counts: Growing Food in Hard Times from AK Press. Why not give a practical guide to low-input gardening? I was given this book recently. It addresses gardening in a way that someone like me, not used to gardening beyond tomatoes and chili peppers, can wrap myself around low-tech, low water food production in the space I have. The book is published by New Society Publishers and Mother Earth News, but I suggest buying it from AK Press because I like them.

• 2007 Peace Calendar from Syracuse Cultural Workers. For several years I have given the peace calendar as a gift to my most peaceful friends. The images are striking. Printed by union labor. You can buy a Teacher’s Guide. All around useful gift. They have a lot of great posters and cards, but I end up opting for this calendar every year.

Better yet, make a gift with your own hands or give the gift of time (give a lesson, cook a meal). I love gifts. I wouldn’t suggest that people NOT give gifts as tokens of their love and care. I am suggesting that it’s possible to give a great gift with both personal and global meaning (or lack thereof in the case of the Flying Spaghetti Monster).

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United for Peace and Justice are determined to use their First Amendment rights and take the mandate for peace to Washington, DC, on Saturday, January 27th. They are under Petagon surveillance, but spying won’t deter them.

“One of the main things we have to be concerned about is how this whole war on terror plays out here at home and how they use it to justify absolutely everything they do no matter how outrageous.”

Are you going to Washington?

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