from 19 october 2003 blue vol II, #101 |
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We came down from the trees, now we cut them ![]() by Jan Lundberg
Beyond examining the ecological facts and historical record, the question of our cultural responsibility comes up in terms of identifying causes and seeking solutions for the precarious state of our world. The dominant culture that embraces the basic values of Western Civilization is out of control, and has a mad dog called The Economy preventing our approaching to offer changes. Economics is the chief imperative to address, as it commodifies and destroys the forests, farmland, wildlife habitat, and our air and water. Unless we change economics immediately, the climate may become unlivable in the next several decades in most of the world. Is an increase 15.8 degrees F by 2100 enough to warrant droves of intelligent consumers to now go car free, for example? That figure is what the UK's Hadley Centre (World Meteorological Organisation) estimates as the global rise when accounting for some of the positive feedback loops going into effect (e.g., sea-level rise kills land vegetation which releases carbon, which adds to the global temperature, which adds to sea-level rise, ad infinitum). For every additional amount of average warming, climate disasters are more easily brewed, and along with the warming trend they have now been established as fixed and ongoing, according to world scientific consensus. A movement for a new way of living What gave rise to today's economics and what allows it is the dominant culture. It is a deeper and more fundamental approach to work on the issue of culture than to attempt to modify economic policy or the politics that control the economy. Yet, our culture is such a broad and deep target, providing our basic myths (e.g., progress through endless growth), that we may do best by trying to unite our many efforts into a movement for a new way of living. In effect, one must transcend the peace movement while working for peace and cultural change. Transcend the environmental movement by fighting for human rights and the environment by leading a life of simplicity (less materialistic). The steps and opportunities are many, and even amidst the oppressive, vicious global economy people are creative. One day there will be a convergence that will signal an historic change in the world, and it will be greater than the combined 1960s elements of new relevant music, massive demonstrations and the back-to-the-land movement. Activists are justified in working on all areas of concern. No one in his or her right mind would want WTO watchers to give up pressuring the World Trade Organization and its members to respect the environment and the rights of workers and peasants. Other forms of activism are as diverse as providing love and care to autistic children, creating a permaculture yard, and agitating for bicycle facilities where cars dominate. Yet, unless enough of us agree on an approach to our common plight as overconsuming, overcrowded individualists, it may be that the countless efforts by the few citizens who care will be swept aside by a collapsing economy and the failing ecosystem. However, all good efforts for sustainability have their reward and positive reverberations. So the countless efforts by the few cannot be for naught, no matter what the outcome. The one approach we as the conscious citizenry may first agree on, prior to concerted action on a large issue such as global warming, could be to find common ground in sensing the force of major change toward transition. Then we can discuss the most significant changes afoot and what desirable changes deserve immediate attention. A discussion of our destructive dominant culture has been initiated in recent years by several writers, publications and a few organizations. However, they do not equate to a movement for cultural change in such a way to be really noticed by the majority. In the late 1960s, the public was acutely aware of alternative lifestyles and revolutionary thinking that challenged habitual attitudes of patriotic consumers particularly in the U.S. The same movement survives under the surface to this day, although dissipated and disempowered by plentiful petroleum and other trappings of highly technological civilization. Several decades after the '60s, the majority of people - while at least somewhat aware of global crises - are able to keep destroying their ecosystem and over-breed as if there is no alternative or need to change. Authors such as Daniel Quinn have alerted a mass audience to the contradictions inherent in our culture. For example, "totalitarian agriculture" means claiming ever more land for (certain) crops and depriving other species and peoples of habitat. Voila, the Agricultural Revolution, spawned by our dominant culture dating back to the earliest towns in the Mesopotamia region. Totalitarian agriculture diverged from and attacked the predominant methods of subsistence all around that featured much less work-effort. With the desired surpluses and division of labor in early Western Civilization, humanity saw the first of empires that have risen and fallen to the present. Civilization has turned forest and other rich lands into deserts, always moving on. It has never been worse than now. It is not a secret to anyone interested in the world. The men who have done this are well aware. They have always been the dominant culture's principal leaders. The juncture at which we find ourselves is to choose whether civilization , embodied in the global economy, can and should continue its greedy thrust into all remaining resource-rich regions of the Earth. Clearly, it is not a choice where all of us are considered. The species rapidly going extinct get even less consideration. It is critical to look at ourselves - each one of us and each community - as involved to some extent in the global economic juggernaut. Then choices can be made at the micro level to perhaps fight the hegemony of the global economy (including actively opposing new road construction and deforestation) and/or take steps as households to slash energy consumption. Efforts are being made along these lines, including reducing waste such as in paper, plastic, and space for living-quarters. A class of mostly young warriors for peace does more, such as involvement in campaigns to stop further contamination of sovereign lands ridden with U.S. depleted uranium. A leader ![]() ![]() Culture Change and SEI: P.O. Box 4347 Arcata California 95518 USA E-mail: info@culturechange.org Website: www.CultureChange.org Published by Sustainable Energy Institute, a nonprofit charity 501(c)(3) California corporation. Useful link: dieoff.com
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