This is good. I began thinking about honeybees collective decision making, especially at the beginning of Trump’s reign or mis-reign of power with all his admirers and supporters.
I’ve spent time reading Dr. Seeley’s book Honeybee Democracy, talking bees over dinner with him, and blogging about how honeybees make decisions. Bees have much to teach us.
The following op-ed by Jennifer Finney Boylan couldn’t be said better. She’s spot on. I don’t want to be a pessimist, but the bees do teach us a lot about ourselves as humans, and the dire circumstances we find ourselves in due to poor judgement on all fronts—from dousing our food system with chemicals, to refusing to elect political officials who have the will to act on climate change and the health and safety of our communities, to our will to change our own lifestyles (think, plastic in oceans, carbon in the atmosphere, wars over other nation’s resources for our “interests”).
Anyway. I’ll stop. No one likes a pessimist. We can only tolerate so much bad news as humans. I realize it’s not the best motivator.
Hope you read the following excellent article.
My bees are popping this year! They survived, thanks in part to my careful attention and more engaged activity this last year. I assisted them in facing all the factors arrayed against them, most particularly fighting the varroa mite that is killing bees (climate change and toxic chemicals also up there at the top of the list).
Let’s take advantage of the Spring time to make consistent changes and work for a true democracy. It will take increased and persistent work to make decisions “for the people, by the people”.
Bees and drones and thrones! Bring it on!
thinklikeabee 
Greetings Anita
Your spirit inspires! Other creatures have always been our teachers. For the million years or so of hunting and gathering human cultures other creatures helped enhance our spirituality. I doubt if there were any atheists. The earth was (and still is) an enchanted place full of spirit and love.
I am appending a paragraph from a note I sent an old friend of mine who is active in the ecosocialist movement in California.
“I believe the profound nature of technological determinism upon human beings takes the issue to a higher level. The technological society itself is a great deal like a golem. We create it and then it moves us into actions that threaten our existence and nature. But unlike the golem it is not so easy to free or disconnect ourselves/society from the power and outcomes of the (golem) techno-machine. So many of our problems are linked to the invention, promotion and actions of tools and technology. It is clear that our fellow creatures and nature are also taking a terrible loss. How humans find a new life style that supports the life support system of the planet is a staggering challenge. It is possible but also involves a spiritual component.”
Carry On,
Daniel
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Just ran across your comment Daniel. Thank you so much for continuing to read and support a life affirming path on this planet. You are energizing lovely things, in spite of the ugly and death dealing culture.
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