Comments on: My people are a problem http://www.ecologicalhope.org/featured/my-people-are-a-problem/ Thu, 18 Mar 2010 20:12:29 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9.2 hourly 1 By: hombredelatierra http://www.ecologicalhope.org/featured/my-people-are-a-problem/comment-page-1/#comment-40957 hombredelatierra Tue, 28 Jul 2009 20:01:38 +0000 http://www.ecologicalhope.org/?p=3653#comment-40957 http://www.sd-commission.org.uk/publications/downloads/prosperity_without_growth_report.pdf This is a rather interesting document given that it issues from a Western Government, the UK's Sustainable Development Commission. It's long, over 100 pages but presents some interesting perspectives for the contemporary activist. They postulate an alternative economic model in which growth (interminable and unsustainable) is dethroned as the "motor" of prosperity. Other, human and community centered, values are presented as essentiel to human "flourishing". The current mode of emulative, ostentatious overconsumption is presented - correctly, I believe - as a form of social or mass psychopathology: ecologically suicidal and, contrary to it's proponents propaganda, fostering values and life styles inimical to human "flourishing" (mental, physical, spiritual and social health; life-affirming self-expression, positive affecting bonding..) I believe there is hope in the current darkness. Mother nature is sending us clear messages! GO BACK! GO BACK! No, some will refuse to listen; time will eliminate them. The "trick" for the activist today is to arm themselves with knowledge and whatever means they can to exploit the coming crises. It is at such "tipping points" (thresholds / Phase or State transitions) that action is most effective: everything balances on a feather. Events become fluid and can take new, unsuspected trajectories along novel pathways of evolution ("emergent phenomena") We live in "Interesting Times" !! http://www.sd-commission.org.uk/publications/downloads/prosperity_without_growth_report.pdf

This is a rather interesting document given that it issues from a Western Government, the UK’s Sustainable Development Commission. It’s long, over 100 pages but presents some interesting perspectives for the contemporary activist.

They postulate an alternative economic model in which growth (interminable and unsustainable) is dethroned as the “motor” of prosperity. Other, human and community centered, values are presented as essentiel to human “flourishing”.

The current mode of emulative, ostentatious overconsumption is presented – correctly, I believe – as a form of social or mass psychopathology: ecologically suicidal and, contrary to it’s proponents propaganda, fostering values and life styles inimical to human “flourishing” (mental, physical, spiritual and social health; life-affirming self-expression, positive affecting bonding..)

I believe there is hope in the current darkness. Mother nature is sending us clear messages! GO BACK! GO BACK!

No, some will refuse to listen; time will eliminate them. The “trick” for the activist today is to arm themselves with knowledge and whatever means they can to exploit the coming crises. It is at such “tipping points” (thresholds / Phase or State transitions) that action is most effective: everything balances on a feather. Events become fluid and can take new, unsuspected trajectories along novel pathways of evolution (“emergent phenomena”)

We live in “Interesting Times” !!

]]> By: Margaret http://www.ecologicalhope.org/featured/my-people-are-a-problem/comment-page-1/#comment-40628 Margaret Wed, 15 Jul 2009 21:43:03 +0000 http://www.ecologicalhope.org/?p=3653#comment-40628 I could not agree with you more. After all, THIS world is the only one we have. If our spirituality is not rooted HERE, then I think we have missed the point of Creation to begin with. And since economics are part of the construct of human society, how can an authentic spirituality not be in dialogue with it -- and vice versa, for that matter. I could not agree with you more. After all, THIS world is the only one we have. If our spirituality is not rooted HERE, then I think we have missed the point of Creation to begin with. And since economics are part of the construct of human society, how can an authentic spirituality not be in dialogue with it — and vice versa, for that matter.

]]> By: Priscilla http://www.ecologicalhope.org/featured/my-people-are-a-problem/comment-page-1/#comment-40626 Priscilla Wed, 15 Jul 2009 20:11:58 +0000 http://www.ecologicalhope.org/?p=3653#comment-40626 PS: Thanks especially for linking spirituality and economics. Too often they're perceived as dealing with different worlds. A large part of addressing our ecological problem, I believe, will involve redirecting our spirituality toward THIS world--which in part involves bringing spirituality and economics into conversation with each other. PS: Thanks especially for linking spirituality and economics. Too often they’re perceived as dealing with different worlds. A large part of addressing our ecological problem, I believe, will involve redirecting our spirituality toward THIS world–which in part involves bringing spirituality and economics into conversation with each other.

]]> By: Priscilla http://www.ecologicalhope.org/featured/my-people-are-a-problem/comment-page-1/#comment-40625 Priscilla Wed, 15 Jul 2009 20:06:31 +0000 http://www.ecologicalhope.org/?p=3653#comment-40625 I think you're right on when it comes to stretching President Obama's vision. He isn't clued in to ecological economics yet. I too despair about the climate change deniers. Their position is not just ignorant, it's profoundly irresponsible. As in so many issues, the die-hard deniers are committed to a certain worldview--and so their position is impervious to reason. I had a grad student awhile back who wasn't convinced even by the best evidence in the world, the IPCC 2007 report. What's more, this person wasn't interested in reason or in comparing evidence. I just don't know what will get through to a person like that--except disaster, and then it will be too late for all of us. I just read Krugman this morning; he despairs about this one too. Anyway, thanks for your thoughts. I think you’re right on when it comes to stretching President Obama’s vision. He isn’t clued in to ecological economics yet. I too despair about the climate change deniers. Their position is not just ignorant, it’s profoundly irresponsible. As in so many issues, the die-hard deniers are committed to a certain worldview–and so their position is impervious to reason. I had a grad student awhile back who wasn’t convinced even by the best evidence in the world, the IPCC 2007 report. What’s more, this person wasn’t interested in reason or in comparing evidence. I just don’t know what will get through to a person like that–except disaster, and then it will be too late for all of us. I just read Krugman this morning; he despairs about this one too. Anyway, thanks for your thoughts.

]]> By: Margaret http://www.ecologicalhope.org/featured/my-people-are-a-problem/comment-page-1/#comment-40547 Margaret Mon, 13 Jul 2009 17:02:52 +0000 http://www.ecologicalhope.org/?p=3653#comment-40547 Our inability to preempt disaster is one of the most worrying aspects of the ecological crisis. Paul Krugman wrote on this over the weekend: http://www.nytimes.com/2009/07/13/opinion/13krugman.html 'Boiling frog' syndrome seems to be expression of our cultural pathology when it comes to climate change. We slog through another day not unlike the day before and ask, "what crisis?" It's a beautiful, cool clear mid-July day in Wisconsin. What crisis? Pathological behavior does not lead to healthy results. Margaret Our inability to preempt disaster is one of the most worrying aspects of the ecological crisis. Paul Krugman wrote on this over the weekend: http://www.nytimes.com/2009/07/13/opinion/13krugman.html

‘Boiling frog’ syndrome seems to be expression of our cultural pathology when it comes to climate change. We slog through another day not unlike the day before and ask, “what crisis?”

It’s a beautiful, cool clear mid-July day in Wisconsin. What crisis?

Pathological behavior does not lead to healthy results.

Margaret

]]> By: Jason Crow http://www.ecologicalhope.org/featured/my-people-are-a-problem/comment-page-1/#comment-40539 Jason Crow Mon, 13 Jul 2009 13:50:01 +0000 http://www.ecologicalhope.org/?p=3653#comment-40539 It's really sad that there is so little awareness of the fact that we are trashing the planet at an staggering rate. I was in the car with two coworkers the other day and I mentioned something about the pacific garbage patch and they had never heard of it. I kind of felt like they thought I was some kind of crazy treehugger or something (I think I might be one). the majority of people have absolutely no idea what is going on. They think buying cases of eco shaped bottled water is good for the planet. We have been dumbed down and made into a consumer society that is going to crash hard. It’s really sad that there is so little awareness of the fact that we are trashing the planet at an staggering rate. I was in the car with two coworkers the other day and I mentioned something about the pacific garbage patch and they had never heard of it. I kind of felt like they thought I was some kind of crazy treehugger or something (I think I might be one). the majority of people have absolutely no idea what is going on. They think buying cases of eco shaped bottled water is good for the planet. We have been dumbed down and made into a consumer society that is going to crash hard.

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