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MISSION:
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DESCRIPTION:
Regular day-to-day life in this timeline has been strange lately. It's my home timeline, and I suppose it's always strange to settle into home after a long journey. I've seen a number of timelines, universes, dimensions, places, sentient beings, societies, and systems. I have seen the rise and fall of civilizations based on the strangest things. However, I have not seen this timeline's future. I don't think things don't look good right now in the US. I recognize some ominous patterns from my journeys. However, I base this hunch on information filtered through my biases and unique perspective, fed to my brain from my eyes from my screens, and that information is filtered through a creator's whole brain to eyes to screen pipeline, delivered through a social media service and often covering information from a news segment, which got it from an article, which got it from another article, which got it from a study based on another study, and so on... The babushka doll of WTF IS GOING ON gets bigger by the day. Although I trust my interpretation of our historical context as much as anyone can, I don't trust the information I can access from home, or from media and social media interests. I need to go talk to people and find out. I need first-hand information. I need to see what people are like when they're not debating in comments, when they have the psychological safety to open up. I'm curious about the mindsets that lead us to this point. Lately, I've been thinking about a parable: 8 blind mice find an elephant and all believe it is something different. The mouse by the tail says it's a rope; the mouse by the trunk says it's a snake; the mouse by the foot says it's a tree. The mice can't know what it is from any one perspective, and arguing about who is right is pointless; they're all right, and they're all wrong. They have to talk about their different perspectives to build an accurate picture of what they're touching. Reality is both subjective and objective. We are students in life, trading notes, building a composite reality. I will contribute to that picture by touring the US and interviewing everyone I can to understand their experience and their vision of the future. I will document the experience and assemble the information I gather into a composite picture of two worlds: 1. the world we live in 2. the world we want to live in I don't believe we can change until we understand the cause and effects of how we got here. It's a vast puzzle, and I'm excited to do my best to piece together a little corner. I hope to talk to people of all backgrounds: scientists, engineers, artists, activists, farmers, lawyers, musicians, kids who can't stop talking about dinosaurs, psychologists, data analysts, performers, directors, writers, comedians, advocates, leaders, followers, baristas, essential workers, teachers, and so forth. As long as civil discourse is maintained, I will interview anyone I can. The more the merrier (ha). People don't have to be experts in any field to interview; each perspective is unique and valuable, and differences are what will (pun intended) make the difference. I love this universe and planet. I love sentient beings, despite the history of exploitation, oppression, and genocide in this planet's timeline. I want to be of service. This is how I've chosen to do so: traveling to share songs, compassion and curiosity, as well as interviewing and sharing the stories of the incredibly diverse American populace, and putting my organizational, systems-minded, pattern-recognition-loving brain to work. I'll let you know what I find out. NOTE: I resigned from my job and decided to do this instead of sliding back into the gears of capitalism, for my own well-being (I am best when connected to myself and others through art) as well as succumbing to the overwhelming drive to design a system that supports psychological safety and human advancement, that frees people to pursue their interests autonomously, and that protects sentient beings over oppressive systems and the bottom line.
I am not funded by any outside interests and I aim to keep it that way. However, I lack the privilege of financial security, so I'm working on ways to ask for support during this tour and project. For now: PayPal: merripalmer@gmail.com Venmo: @Merri-Palmer If you feel so inclined to share resources, your support is very much appreciated in advance! |
* IDEAL VENUES: Theaters, museums, libraries, bookshops, DIY & community spaces, parks/gardens, art galleries, concert halls, concert venues, outdoor spaces, house concerts, open-minded churches
* NOT IDEAL VENUES: Bars, restaurants, cramped indoor spaces, extremely loud or bright locations
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