Secrets and Hope in Our Mad World

Early in 2017 I read George Marshall’s book ‘Don’t Even Think About It: Why We are Wired Not to Think About Climate Change’ and I decided I would think about it. And I would read about it. Then I would write about it.

I write as a 'non-expert' and I'm hoping that your comments will help me to see whether the insights I've

gained make sense, whether the conclusions stack up and whether it's realistic for me to start feeling

hopeful about the future .

November 24th - We Know The End - What are the Means?

Well, there I was feeling warm and uplifted ...  POLYP's scientific explanation that co-operation is fundamental to all life on Earth and is the way towards a better world, when along comes a comment that 'The co-operative commonwealth is the end, co-operatives, however, are not the means to the end'. So, I'm more or less back at square one. 
The next question has to be:  If co-operatives are not the means to the desired end, what is?  
I thought I'd fallen upon the answer recently when I spotted an article in the New Internationalist which outlined a road map to a sustainable future but it entailed all sorts of legislation and tax changes which I couldn't imagine could possibly be enacted.  We all know that huge corporations call the tune and I can't believe that they would 'allow' national governments to pass legislation which would hinder their operations or 'allow' international agreements which went against their interests. 
I've just about had enough of gloom and doom with people telling me what hasn't been successful in taking us to a better world, so I've now got hold of 'One No, Many Yeses' to see what is happening and will take a look at 'Redesigning Civilisation with Permaculture' by Toby Hemenway and some of the website links people have kindly sent to me. 
Just hope they aren't full of academic-speak and long-winded explanations ... I'm looking for a simple answer! 


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4 comments:

  1. Anonymous24 November 2013 at 10:45

    Like to say with respect that it is not a better future that I want, it is a better present.
    The means to a sustainable end? How about paying proper respect to nature and the environment and other species and we live for companionship not profit.
    sitting quietly
    doing nothing
    the seasons come and go
    the grass grows itself

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  2. jl24 November 2013 at 16:07

    If you want a simple answer, you need to find a simple question.

    ReplyDelete
  3. Finding & Harnessing Hope25 November 2013 at 02:00

    Felt a bit irritated when I first read this comment. Not sure why. Perhaps because it's right. The closest I can come to just now is: 'How can we find a way of organising life on Earth which allows humans to flourish* while respecting the lives of other species and protecting the natural environment'. I think I'd settle for that.
    * (a good definition of this in Tim Jackson's 'Prosperity Without Growth')

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