If we think we are just facing yet
"another catastrophe"
in the annals of human history, I suggest checking out these
websites........
www.paulchefurka.ca
www.whatawaytogomovie.com/ ..........
moviemakers blog and my comments
And
of course, there are many others about "peak oil" and our impending economic
collapse. Just google these phrases and see what you get.
Personally however, I believe it's our health we should be most
worried about. Divorced from nature, divorced from joyful, healthful and
meaningful work, as well as deep, caring and loving relationships with each
other, we are on a course set for disaster. 26% of us are actually living
alone; could there be anything more un-ecological and unhealthy? Could we be
any less prepared to deal with the catastrophic challenges that are right
around the corner? It would seem not. How many can
truly say that their diet, 100%, is fresh, whole, organic and that their
water is pure? Not many I would guess. And yet, without this being the case
how can we truly expect to achieve longevity, and escape premature disease?
And what, is this only supposed to be the privilege of those who
happen to "own" land or have access to wealth?
I believe the popular concepts that are going around presently about "local
economy" and even "eco-village" are largely the imaginings of those who are
living primarily on retirement and government pension income, welfare, food
stamps, disability, trust funds, annuities, rental income and
exploitative, or "system" dependent cash or benefits. And if not, are
happy to live a life that primarily revolves around the pursuit of, or
necessity for.....large quantities of money. And/or are simply happy to
spend most of ones life engaged in "survival" chore type work-simply,
endlessly producing and consuming. This is not a judgment about producing
or "trade", which are obviously necessary aspects of life, enjoyable
and desirable. However, without some wisdom, ethics,
reasonable austerity, sharing, order, and cooperation; "work" it is a perfect setup for greed, compulsion, escape, the
pursuit of economic power over others and
hypocritical, self punishing
Puritanism.
Am I
suggesting we simply re-create a pre-fossil fuel society as in the 16th, 17th and
18th century? No. America was dysfunctional back then; a different kind of
dysfunction than present-day society perhaps, but dysfunctional
nevertheless; an economic system based on serfdom and slavery, provincial, exploitative, classist, greedy, workaholic,
Puritan, and alcoholic to name some. No. The way to go is ahead; or, very
far back, when people lived more communally and more equitably. America,
indeed "civilization" may be said to be founded upon lies, not truths....as
in the notion we can do and have whatever we want without any negative
repercussions. Yet this is not to say that "freedom" should not be one of
our most cherished possessions, or state of being.
Unlike most, I have lived the "local economy" reality as a
full-time organic farmer for many years and from what I saw the progression
by "alternative folks" was back into the "system", not away from it; as well
as a bizarre kind of hermit like living for many. Never mind the social
isolation, gross inefficiency, cultural poverty, un-sustainability,
and excessive cost, both in terms of time or money or both; all the result
of living so far apart, living largely un-cooperatively and without largely
any values besides the striving to "get ahead" or simply "get by".
The
notion that our "problems" are primarily technological, ecological and
energy related is a dangerously delusional concept. We clearly had the
technological expertise not just 100 years ago, but 200 years ago when
we had mastered glassmaking, casting iron, advanced farming and advanced
tool making to be living truly in Utopia even back then. And we have always
had abundant natural resources to sustain us, if only we did not
overpopulate ourselves.
Obviously, our primary "problems" are psychological,
spiritual, cultural and social.
Our capacity to ignore the subtle,
or gross cause, effects, and suffering resulting from our personal ways of
life, as well as through our collective actions is obvious and historic.
But what might be the greatest tragedy is for humanity
to pursue the "technological fix"..........and the resulting
nuclear
waste/radioactive poisoning of the DNA life is based upon, as well as
through genetic modification and its subsequent escape into the environment
and its too detrimental effect on the DNA basis of life.
