The Perils of a Houseguest On Getting off the Pot & Righteous Endeavour
Driving along the by-pass heading West between Sanur and Kuta I found myself getting into one of my periodic internal monlogues, this time on the evils of strip development. Winding myself up something terrible I was, until I caught myself and started gabbling my mantra interruptus.
Why, I grumped to myself, having more or less totally obliterated all the open spaces on the landward side of the by-pass on what had been one of the few stretches of open road left, were they now building empty rukos on mountainous bases of limestone out into the mangroves? Weren’t the mangroves supposed to be protected? Hadn’t the Japanese spent millions for that purpose? Haven’t we just learned that mangroves protect us from tsunamis? That led on to sundry thoughts on venality and the suchness of things and off and away I went until I caught myself and the mantra kicked in.
Deciding to stick with the line of thought I decided to adopt a more positive approach and this took the form of an internal dialogue.
If it is hard to convince people to go for the greater good, especially if it conflicts with their immediate self-interest, how do you still get them to go for it? Appealing to their better nature works, it seems to me, only so far. People may strike high-minded poses in public but how far does that translate when it comes down to the nitty gritty? After all, who wants the much needed new abattoir or open prison for the criminally insane located down their lane? So turning it around, I thought to myself, the answer is obvious. You get people to do good by appealing to their self interest, however immediate.
Brilliant! But how do you do that? Ahhhh.......
“
Well”, I thought to myself summoning up a time long when as a hotshot Adman I needed to play for time, “er..., you need a Big Idea, don’t you?”
Yes, And then......?
I pondered on that a while. So, OK, what’s big in Bali? RICE, that’s what big in Bali. It came in a flash. Of course! I was on a roll.
-Rice fields are pretty.
-Rice terraces are pretty.
-Some cows manuring the fields are very pretty.
-Rice has been a way of life here for a thousand years
and more.
-Traditional Balinese culture has grown up around it.
-Bali has three varieties of rice, all delicious.
-Organic Bali rice would be even more delicious.
-People are willing to pay more for organic produce.
-The world likes Bali
-What the world needs now, is Bali Rice.
-Bali rice farmers could earn the same if not more growing the traditional way.
Result? More ricefields under cultivation in an ecologically desirable way.
Bingo!
Great Stuff! But how do you go about doing that?
You might have been a country boy once upon a time but what do you know about farming, let alone rice cultivation?
Good point. But then I don’t need to be an expert myself, do I? Are there not already people up there with foundations and co-ops growing or encouraging the production of organic or at least rice grown naturally in the traditional way? Have I not seen organic produce being sold by various means to the public and do not the expensive hotels in Bali make a point of offering some organic veggies?
OK, that’s pretty good, you’ve managed to shuffle out of that one and put the onus on someone else. Where would you go from here with your Big Idea?
Now I was hitting my adman stride.
You brand Bali Rice, that’s what. You package and market it smart to a premium niche market overseas. Bali’s already got a great image worldwide, which gives Bali Rice a huge $million assist. There would be a zillion good ways to promote Bali Rice. It’s a PR man’s dream. A major part of the appeal would be, not only were Balinese rice farmers getting paid for the first time a fair screw for their crop, but a substantial part of the proceeds would go back into bringing more of Bali’s rice fields under organic and traditional cultivation. It’s compelling and I can think of several up-market US natural food stores who’d certainly give it a go. It’s a natch. All you need to kick it off is a reasonable quantity of consistent supply and quality.
Did you say “All you need?”.
Yeah, yeah, you gotta assume that at this stage. We’ll worry about that later.
How are you going to structure all this, then?
Way I see it, is twofold. First a marketing company to pur chase and brand Bali Rice, then promote and sell it overseas. Then you need a Foundation set up with the express purpose of funneling back a significant part of the proceeds so as to boost the volume of organic Bali rice and bring more land under cultivation while keeping the process open and honest.
Good luck with that. Have you ever been involved with a yayasan here?
Yes, although I have to say it wasn’t a very nice experience. I’ve never had such a hard time giving away money before. It was weird. But I’m sure it doesn’t all have to be like that.
Anyway, there it all was. Still driving along the by-pass in a matter of a few minutes I had gotten the problem solved. Strip development along the roads would disappear, the mangroves would be saved to save us in turn in times of peril, the rice fields would not only be saved but would expand very prettily and the world would happily spend many extra pennies devouring Bali Rice by the bushel.
Having set the world to rights with the usual Geminian masterplan and a good job done, I completed my journey in excellent spirits, forgiving and considerate of whatever Bali’s dreamtime traffic threw my way.
There the matter would, I suspect, have rested had it not been for my house guest Sri, to whom I mentioned something of the above.
“
Sounds great, so when do you start? What’s your first step?”
Now I love Sri, like a brother. He is one of the new style Great & the Good. Born in India he’s lived in America since a student, he is a Professor of Computer Science, already made his bundle in Silicon Valley a decade or more ago and has since made it his business to promote consciousness and world peace wherever he can in ways that are both practical and imaginative. No space cadet, our Sri. He’s gone a long way with the folks at the cutting edge of the Ghandian non-violence movement and it’s fascinating to learn where that is headed in the 21st C. When we get together it’s a real gabfest and I love it.
“
I know you”, he says. “You and I love to talk. Sometimes we need to do something. Sometimes it’s the last thing we should do, I grant you. But this sounds good. I can put you in touch with people who’ll buy your Bali Rice and support what your doing, but you’ve gotta tell me it’s a goer. You’ve been talking about righteous endeavour and getting stuck back in. Well, here you go, pal....”
So here indeed I do go. Getting stuck into the research, reading up on rice in Bali. All good stuff, but hardly a novel occupation for me. Pretty soon though, I’m actually going to have to get out there and see who and what is really up there in them thar’ hills. That I have to admit, means getting out my box and off my pot. Thanks a bunch, Sri.
