What does it have to offer us here now in the 21st Century? From the story told in the ABC's Compass documentary it becomes apparent that perhaps there is nothing. The community was a negative experience for those people, it has nothing but pain and hurt to offer them in the 21st Century. But if I run with that it doesn't sit right for me. I have listened to around about 50 people talk about their experience with the UB and I have only heard negative perceptions from a handful and then, those same people also spoke of their positive experience as well.
As with every experience in this place there is a whole range of perceptions to be gained out of a single experience. I know and acknowledge that there was a darkness associated with Fred, with Centre core, with the UB experience but I guess it is my choice and the raison d'être of this film to shine the light on the gifts, the positive legacies that the UB offers us in 2010.
Thankfully, I didn't live in the UB and I have the freedom to make the choice to take this positive approach. Why the ABC would choose to tell the story they did is a mystery to me, I guess it had something to do with engaging the audience through the fail-safe method of dramatic intrigue. They interviewed many of the same people that I have spoken to and it is revealing that they chose to shine the light on the journey of those who didn't enjoy the experience. This would appear to be in direct conflict with the mantra of the community and Fred Robinson, 'we are not here to combat the negative, but we are here to establish the positive'. 'The Brotherhood' was very much a film about honing in and combatting the negative forces ... my film will, in line with the UB mantra, be made to establish the positive.
So, returning to my question. What does the UB have to offer us in the 21st Century? Well, first, as an example (biggest and best organised?) of that whole 'alternative' movement that was around at the time, the Universal Brotherhood is to be congratulated for influencing our (mainstream culture) focus on healthy living. They ran an organic farm, ate simple organic food, meditated, did yoga, jogging ... all of the healthy living qualities we value today in mainstream culture they were doing it 30 years ago. And in this way the community was a 100% successful, it was Fred's initial vision to 'create a heaven on earth for the children', to show the rest of the world how it could be done. It took us 30 years to tune in but look how much of UB life is now reflected in mainstream culture. Fred would be jumping with joy to see how many of us now are living his dream!
It would be easy to make a film that analysed and pulled out all of the mistakes the UB communards made. But why would I do that? What does that have to offer us in 2010? We should look at history, find what worked well and repeat those bits, not the bits we want to discard, leave behind, forget.
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Archeologists could ask similar questions Carolyn. Are you awakening the curse of Fred or the ghosts of the Brotherhood? Fair questions to ask, speaking as one who lived amongst them. Fred had a shadow and a darkness about him at times, I think more as a consequence of his dogmas and pseudo-religious beliefs; his heart and soul, however might just tell a very different tale. The bulk of the community, including the frequently maligned Centre-core members achieved something never done in Australia.
ReplyDeleteThey practiced, extraordinarily well at least one of Fred’s primary Objectives: ‘to build a heaven on earth for the children’– for several years, if not longer I witnessed and experienced stretched and strained human hearts, fatigued bodies and some very courageous souls giving it their best shot. It was a unique alchemy of vision and guts. Considering the challenging circumstances everyone was under (the pervading psychism from the UFO-spacebrothers and channeling phenomenons, the uncomfortable pioneering conditions and the sometimes confusing and dictatorial [but well-meaning] leadership, a negative outcome was very predictable. Profoundly sad and especially destructive for many, yet for others the BHd experience was a blessing.
But if as you say Carolyn, the reason for your film is to ‘shine a light on the positive legacies’ of the Bhd, and you are willing to look deeper than the vengeful comments and negative portrayal by the ABC Compass program, then I think you have a film awaiting you.
'I witnessed and experienced stretched and strained human hearts, fatigued bodies and some very courageous souls giving it their best shot. It was a unique alchemy of vision and guts. '
ReplyDeleteI love that! Thanks for your perspective David. Much of my view of the UB has probably evolved out of our discussions over the years and it is a mixture of yours and SC's natural leaning toward the positive aspects of life in Balingup that are the foundation to my own wish to shine that light on the 'good, true and beautiful' aspects of the UB.