“The quest for certainty blocks the search for meaning. Uncertainty is the very condition to impel man to unfold his powers.”
Erich Fromm
Uncertainty is a key characteristic of complex systems, the world in which we live being just such a system. The existence of such uncertainty must not only guide our future actions but might also be a source of true enrichment of our lives. As the above quotation suggests I believe our current prevalent desire for control as a source of certainty is actually preventing us from living truly meaningful lives. Life itself grew out of uncertainty and chaos and is to some extent sustained by it, if you stop to wonder at the world it is the unexpected which is truly captivating. It is the unexpected that gives us the most pleasure; it encourages us to develop as people. If we could only let go of our desire for certainty, be that in what will happen or what we believe, we might find a wonderful array of new possibilities.
The world is pregnant with possibility, as are we, when was the last time there was a paradigm shift in the way human beings choose to behave or see things. If we are to radically change, then the systems and structures which govern almost everything we do must change too, with that will come massive uncertainty and unless we are able to positively embrace it we will be driven back with fear, and like the proverbial ostrich bury our collective heads in the sand and say the threat really isn’t there. We’ve been doing that for the last 20 years and we are now firmly on the tonight’s menu.
Today's most powerful people benfit from things being as they are and use our innate fear of the unknown to support our 'devil we know' attitude, rest assured if they continue to prevail and we do not move a way from a consumer driven economic model the degree of uncertainty that will be visited upon us all will be beyond imagination. The extremely wealthy may be able to protect themselves but not their offspring. Death does not discriminate....
Wednesday 13 January 2010
The Earth: An unconcerned observer
“I would feel more optimistic about a bright future for man if he spent less time proving that he can outwit Nature and more time tasting her sweetness and respecting her seniority.”
Elwyn Brooks White
I feel a deep resonance with James Lovelock’s notion of Gaia, whilst on one level it is metaphorical in that it suggests the Earth’s biota is a sentient being, I believe it is helpful conceptually for us to consider it as such since it offers us the opportunity to identify with it and develop a better way of relating to it. However, I believe we also need to recognise the hard truth of the matter, the Earth does not care about us, we have evolved out of the complex history of life on Earth but we are not essential to it, in fact nothing much is, certainly nothing that is alive. Species have come and gone throughout the ages based on their ability to adapt to or survive in the every changing environment on Earth. We seem to believe that we are somehow special, more important than other creatures, perhaps we are but only in so much as we have developed the ability to cause so much harm. The point we must remember is that life on Earth will continue well after our extinction, yes it may look very different and there may be time needed to recover from the impact of humankind but it will indeed happen.
The real concern therefore is not for the good of the Earth, it is for the good of ourselves because we are the only ones who really have a vested interest. I believe we need to start to see this as an issue for Mankind’s survival and not about saving the planet, an irritant we may be but a long term threat we are not. If people truly believed that their children and grand children were going to suffer terribly they may actually be willing to re-examine what really matters to them and forgo their desire for more and settle for being more. I truly believe that we are living at a pivotal point in human history, they say that the night is darkest just before the dawn and looking at our world today with all it’s crisis’s including global terrorism, social unrest, corporate exploitation, political nepotism, environmental devastation and climate change to name but a few, things certainly look extremely dark to me. So what might the dawn bring? Perhaps a time where we meet in our sameness and not in our difference, a realisation that we all need to collaborate to avert the impending disaster and in so doing, we might actually learn that there is a different, more meaningful, morally richer way of relating to each other and the world around us. If, like Martin Luther King, I had a dream, this would be it.
Elwyn Brooks White
I feel a deep resonance with James Lovelock’s notion of Gaia, whilst on one level it is metaphorical in that it suggests the Earth’s biota is a sentient being, I believe it is helpful conceptually for us to consider it as such since it offers us the opportunity to identify with it and develop a better way of relating to it. However, I believe we also need to recognise the hard truth of the matter, the Earth does not care about us, we have evolved out of the complex history of life on Earth but we are not essential to it, in fact nothing much is, certainly nothing that is alive. Species have come and gone throughout the ages based on their ability to adapt to or survive in the every changing environment on Earth. We seem to believe that we are somehow special, more important than other creatures, perhaps we are but only in so much as we have developed the ability to cause so much harm. The point we must remember is that life on Earth will continue well after our extinction, yes it may look very different and there may be time needed to recover from the impact of humankind but it will indeed happen.
The real concern therefore is not for the good of the Earth, it is for the good of ourselves because we are the only ones who really have a vested interest. I believe we need to start to see this as an issue for Mankind’s survival and not about saving the planet, an irritant we may be but a long term threat we are not. If people truly believed that their children and grand children were going to suffer terribly they may actually be willing to re-examine what really matters to them and forgo their desire for more and settle for being more. I truly believe that we are living at a pivotal point in human history, they say that the night is darkest just before the dawn and looking at our world today with all it’s crisis’s including global terrorism, social unrest, corporate exploitation, political nepotism, environmental devastation and climate change to name but a few, things certainly look extremely dark to me. So what might the dawn bring? Perhaps a time where we meet in our sameness and not in our difference, a realisation that we all need to collaborate to avert the impending disaster and in so doing, we might actually learn that there is a different, more meaningful, morally richer way of relating to each other and the world around us. If, like Martin Luther King, I had a dream, this would be it.
The role of religion and spirituality
“The more I study religions the more I am convinced that man never worshipped anything but himself.”
Richard Francis Burton
“Love the animals, love the plants, love everything. If you love everything, you will perceive the divine mystery in things. Once you perceive it, you will begin to comprehend it better every day. And you will come at last to love the whole world with an all-embracing love.”
Fyodor Dostoyevsky
I am not concerned here with the veracity of any of the assertions made by particular religions or spiritual philosophies but with the influence religion and spirituality has and can wield. The major religions of this world directly impact the beliefs and behaviours of billions of people, I wonder what their original founders might have to say about the way we are behaving relative to the world at large today. I am also fascinated by the apparent growth in alternative spiritual practices which seem to me to be symptomatic of a sense of dissatisfaction with the experience of everyday living. I wonder if we don’t have an innate need to connect with a higher sense of purpose and meaning, as a context in which to set the experience of our individual lives. If this is true then perhaps much of that context could be provided through our relationship with the planet we call home..
It seems to me that all the different religions and spiritual paths extol the virtues of respect for all living things and the divine creation. For various reasons surrounding power and influence these seem to be subservient to the proliferation of each particular doctrine and the mandate it offers their leaders.
I choose to think of 'creation' instead of God thereby removing the tendency to anthropromorphise, I am then better able to treat everything that occurs in the universe as part of an emergent process. As I am part of this 'creation' my role is to participate in a way that is respectful of and sympathetic with, everything else.
When I consider the way that different human societies and cultures have behaved to date, I am left in no doubt that we are far from being contributory to the 'whole'. I am changing my perspective and am beginning to experience a little of the immense beauty that is undoubtedly enfolded in the gift of creation.
The more one cares for, the more one is cared for...... Enjoy!
Richard Francis Burton
“Love the animals, love the plants, love everything. If you love everything, you will perceive the divine mystery in things. Once you perceive it, you will begin to comprehend it better every day. And you will come at last to love the whole world with an all-embracing love.”
Fyodor Dostoyevsky
I am not concerned here with the veracity of any of the assertions made by particular religions or spiritual philosophies but with the influence religion and spirituality has and can wield. The major religions of this world directly impact the beliefs and behaviours of billions of people, I wonder what their original founders might have to say about the way we are behaving relative to the world at large today. I am also fascinated by the apparent growth in alternative spiritual practices which seem to me to be symptomatic of a sense of dissatisfaction with the experience of everyday living. I wonder if we don’t have an innate need to connect with a higher sense of purpose and meaning, as a context in which to set the experience of our individual lives. If this is true then perhaps much of that context could be provided through our relationship with the planet we call home..
It seems to me that all the different religions and spiritual paths extol the virtues of respect for all living things and the divine creation. For various reasons surrounding power and influence these seem to be subservient to the proliferation of each particular doctrine and the mandate it offers their leaders.
I choose to think of 'creation' instead of God thereby removing the tendency to anthropromorphise, I am then better able to treat everything that occurs in the universe as part of an emergent process. As I am part of this 'creation' my role is to participate in a way that is respectful of and sympathetic with, everything else.
When I consider the way that different human societies and cultures have behaved to date, I am left in no doubt that we are far from being contributory to the 'whole'. I am changing my perspective and am beginning to experience a little of the immense beauty that is undoubtedly enfolded in the gift of creation.
The more one cares for, the more one is cared for...... Enjoy!
The crisis of identity
“I've grown certain that the root of all fear is that we've been forced to deny who we are.”
Frances Moore Lappe
I agree with Lappe in so much as I believe that today we tend to over identify ourselves with what we have rather than who we actually are. The consequence of this is both a fear of losing our material wealth and a sense of increased isolation from others who have more or less than us. This in turn seems to lead to an insatiable desire to have more for fear of being overtaken. This is the marketer dream and the very thing they play upon, as they seek to convince us to want what ever it is they have to sell. This is entirely self perpetuating since you buy more to assuage your fear and then fear losing the status it has given you, so in turn need to buy more and so on and so on.
Are you simply the sum of what you have? Are the richest people in the world really the best human beings? Are fear and competition the ingredients for a happy life?
One’s sense of self is greatly influenced by societal norms which are in turn influenced by much of what has gone before in this blog. I believe that we, as individuals, must become aware of our own personal identity and to honestly reflect on what has informed it. We can change what we choose to identify with and thereby change ourselves. When we do this we will become more personally empowered to challenge those who seek to defend the systems and structures which they believe serve them preferentially today.
Frances Moore Lappe
I agree with Lappe in so much as I believe that today we tend to over identify ourselves with what we have rather than who we actually are. The consequence of this is both a fear of losing our material wealth and a sense of increased isolation from others who have more or less than us. This in turn seems to lead to an insatiable desire to have more for fear of being overtaken. This is the marketer dream and the very thing they play upon, as they seek to convince us to want what ever it is they have to sell. This is entirely self perpetuating since you buy more to assuage your fear and then fear losing the status it has given you, so in turn need to buy more and so on and so on.
Are you simply the sum of what you have? Are the richest people in the world really the best human beings? Are fear and competition the ingredients for a happy life?
One’s sense of self is greatly influenced by societal norms which are in turn influenced by much of what has gone before in this blog. I believe that we, as individuals, must become aware of our own personal identity and to honestly reflect on what has informed it. We can change what we choose to identify with and thereby change ourselves. When we do this we will become more personally empowered to challenge those who seek to defend the systems and structures which they believe serve them preferentially today.
Monday 11 January 2010
Learning to live
“That is what learning is. You suddenly understand something you've understood all your life, but in a new way.”
Doris Lessing
I love this quotation because it suggests that learning is a process of moving beyond one’s own current understanding not about something new but about something you were already aware of. So often we see learning as the ability to accumulate knowledge and information and therein lies the problem. We spend too much of our formative years being educated and not enough being encouraged to learn about how to live a learning life. I believe it was Socrates who agreed that he was possibly the wisest man alive because he knew that he knew nothing, I wonder how much quarter that would get in our universities and hallowed halls of today.
It is time for us all to begin to learn how to live a meaningful and fulfilling life and how to put aside our intoxication by and addiction to, consumerism, economic growth and technological advancement. We need to understand that who we are is so much more than such things and to begin to use our incredible creativity to find solutions to the real problems of the day, all of which are consequences of our current misunderstanding. The troubles we face ahead are all absolutely of our own making, we are able to change, all that is required is the understanding that we have little of any true value to lose and everything to gain.
Learning is a life long process and it is incumbent upon everyone, in particular those in positions of power, to begin to re-evaluate their understanding of the world around us. This will not be easy and I anticipate much resistance even to the notion that it is necessary but the rewards will be great. The attachment of politicians and corporations to economic growth is an example of entrenched institutionalised learning; I haven’t yet heard anyone suggest a managed global recession as a potential solution to rising carbon dioxide emissions, surely since it is the source of the increase the logical thing would be to turn it down. We must learn to start addressing these issues at their root cause now, as well as finding less damaging solutions to meeting our interim needs.
It is interesting to note that since first writing about this in November 2007 we are now in the midst of a global recession, unfortunately my worst fears have been realised since all the G8 world leaders have opted for packages of economic stimulation measure including quantitative easing and capital infrastructure projects all designed to re-invigorate consumption rather that taking the opportunity to improve the global ecology. I am left wondering why we haven't deployed all the human potential released by redundancies, short time working and higher unemployment towards environmental projects, the development of more sustainable technologies and social improvement.
Doris Lessing
I love this quotation because it suggests that learning is a process of moving beyond one’s own current understanding not about something new but about something you were already aware of. So often we see learning as the ability to accumulate knowledge and information and therein lies the problem. We spend too much of our formative years being educated and not enough being encouraged to learn about how to live a learning life. I believe it was Socrates who agreed that he was possibly the wisest man alive because he knew that he knew nothing, I wonder how much quarter that would get in our universities and hallowed halls of today.
It is time for us all to begin to learn how to live a meaningful and fulfilling life and how to put aside our intoxication by and addiction to, consumerism, economic growth and technological advancement. We need to understand that who we are is so much more than such things and to begin to use our incredible creativity to find solutions to the real problems of the day, all of which are consequences of our current misunderstanding. The troubles we face ahead are all absolutely of our own making, we are able to change, all that is required is the understanding that we have little of any true value to lose and everything to gain.
Learning is a life long process and it is incumbent upon everyone, in particular those in positions of power, to begin to re-evaluate their understanding of the world around us. This will not be easy and I anticipate much resistance even to the notion that it is necessary but the rewards will be great. The attachment of politicians and corporations to economic growth is an example of entrenched institutionalised learning; I haven’t yet heard anyone suggest a managed global recession as a potential solution to rising carbon dioxide emissions, surely since it is the source of the increase the logical thing would be to turn it down. We must learn to start addressing these issues at their root cause now, as well as finding less damaging solutions to meeting our interim needs.
It is interesting to note that since first writing about this in November 2007 we are now in the midst of a global recession, unfortunately my worst fears have been realised since all the G8 world leaders have opted for packages of economic stimulation measure including quantitative easing and capital infrastructure projects all designed to re-invigorate consumption rather that taking the opportunity to improve the global ecology. I am left wondering why we haven't deployed all the human potential released by redundancies, short time working and higher unemployment towards environmental projects, the development of more sustainable technologies and social improvement.
The gifts of consciousness and conscience
“A human being is part of a whole, called by us the Universe, a part limited in time and space. He experiences himself, his thoughts and feelings, as something separated from the rest a kind of optical delusion of his consciousness. This delusion is a kind of prison for us, restricting us to our personal desires and to affection for a few persons nearest us. Our task must be to free ourselves from this prison by widening our circles of compassion to embrace all living creatures and the whole of nature in its beauty.”
Albert Einstein
“The paradoxical and tragic situation of man is that his conscience is weakest when he needs it most”
Erich Fromm
Whilst both these quotations suggest that we have not made best use of these gifts they clearly allude to the importance both these great thinkers give them. I believe that both consciousness and conscience are unique to mankind; it is their presence in our make up that gives me hope that we will one day accept that we must radically change our ways. If it weren’t for both I believe that slavery would still be considered an acceptable commercial enterprise.
Consciousness gives us our sense of self-awareness and an awareness of how we relate to our wider environment; it also gives us a deeper sense of knowing above and beyond the merely rational. It encourages us to move beyond our basic animal instincts and is the source of our sense of morality. I like Einstein believe that our consciousness has become extremely limited and that it is imperative for us to expand it beyond the boundaries of self, family, nation, generation and species. With this greater awareness will develop a deeper compassion and empathy for all things and I hope that we will begin to feel more secure in and concerned for, the living creation of which we are but a part.
Our conscience is the arbiter of our integrity; it lets us know when we are violating our values and morals. Conscience alone however is not enough; one next has to have the will to act in accordance with it, often in competition with the temptation to ignore it in the pursuit of personal gratification. It seems to me that we are guilty of both valuing the wrong things and of defining morals which are far too anthropocentric. As for acting in accordance with our conscience this seems to me to be something that most people are all too frequently prepared to sacrifice in exchange for personal gain.
Climate change is finally entering into our consciousness following decades of warnings from environmental scientists but this is just the tip of the iceberg, the real threat is mankind’s excessive growth and unsustainable consumption of natural resources and habitats. Until this becomes part of our consciousness and we have the fortitude to act in accordance with our collective conscience about our responsibility to address this, we will make little or no effective progress in limiting the incalculable and devastating consequences that will ensue.
Albert Einstein
“The paradoxical and tragic situation of man is that his conscience is weakest when he needs it most”
Erich Fromm
Whilst both these quotations suggest that we have not made best use of these gifts they clearly allude to the importance both these great thinkers give them. I believe that both consciousness and conscience are unique to mankind; it is their presence in our make up that gives me hope that we will one day accept that we must radically change our ways. If it weren’t for both I believe that slavery would still be considered an acceptable commercial enterprise.
Consciousness gives us our sense of self-awareness and an awareness of how we relate to our wider environment; it also gives us a deeper sense of knowing above and beyond the merely rational. It encourages us to move beyond our basic animal instincts and is the source of our sense of morality. I like Einstein believe that our consciousness has become extremely limited and that it is imperative for us to expand it beyond the boundaries of self, family, nation, generation and species. With this greater awareness will develop a deeper compassion and empathy for all things and I hope that we will begin to feel more secure in and concerned for, the living creation of which we are but a part.
Our conscience is the arbiter of our integrity; it lets us know when we are violating our values and morals. Conscience alone however is not enough; one next has to have the will to act in accordance with it, often in competition with the temptation to ignore it in the pursuit of personal gratification. It seems to me that we are guilty of both valuing the wrong things and of defining morals which are far too anthropocentric. As for acting in accordance with our conscience this seems to me to be something that most people are all too frequently prepared to sacrifice in exchange for personal gain.
Climate change is finally entering into our consciousness following decades of warnings from environmental scientists but this is just the tip of the iceberg, the real threat is mankind’s excessive growth and unsustainable consumption of natural resources and habitats. Until this becomes part of our consciousness and we have the fortitude to act in accordance with our collective conscience about our responsibility to address this, we will make little or no effective progress in limiting the incalculable and devastating consequences that will ensue.
Beliefs: The architects of experience
“Some beliefs are like walled gardens. They encourage exclusiveness, and the feeling of being especially privileged. Other beliefs are expansive and lead the way into wider and deeper sympathies.”
Sophia Lyon Fahs
What we believe determines what we perceive and what we perceive defines what we believe to be real. We are therefore governed less by reality but more what we believe. Our beliefs can be compared to computer subroutines which interpret data by reference to a predefined set of criteria, the problem being that if the criteria are not met, the data is rejected as invalid rather than possible evidence that the subroutine or comparative data set might be flawed. A few of these subroutines are genetically encoded; typically those around survival but the vast majority are installed by our parents, society and our experience. Beliefs are not immutable and can be changed but this requires us first to be aware that they are present and secondly to accept how much they govern what we notice. It is only by asking ourselves what else we are not seeing that the grip of a particular belief can be broken.
So often when people come into conflict it is actually caused by a clash of beliefs rather than the lack of an available solution, if only both parties could see the whole. If we are to change the way people see the world and behave towards it, we will need to work at the level of beliefs. We will need to be open to exploring our deeply held beliefs and those of others. We will need to value people who are able to suspend their beliefs, empathise with others and take a synergistic approach compared to the advocating, combative leaders of today.
Values are beliefs which define what we as individuals and societies deem to be most important and as such, to make any lasting change in the way we behave, we must re-address the fundamental values which are driving us on our current path to social and ecological disintegration.
What are the critical beliefs which are limiting our willingness or ability to make the necessary changes to address the challenges facing us all?
Sophia Lyon Fahs
What we believe determines what we perceive and what we perceive defines what we believe to be real. We are therefore governed less by reality but more what we believe. Our beliefs can be compared to computer subroutines which interpret data by reference to a predefined set of criteria, the problem being that if the criteria are not met, the data is rejected as invalid rather than possible evidence that the subroutine or comparative data set might be flawed. A few of these subroutines are genetically encoded; typically those around survival but the vast majority are installed by our parents, society and our experience. Beliefs are not immutable and can be changed but this requires us first to be aware that they are present and secondly to accept how much they govern what we notice. It is only by asking ourselves what else we are not seeing that the grip of a particular belief can be broken.
So often when people come into conflict it is actually caused by a clash of beliefs rather than the lack of an available solution, if only both parties could see the whole. If we are to change the way people see the world and behave towards it, we will need to work at the level of beliefs. We will need to be open to exploring our deeply held beliefs and those of others. We will need to value people who are able to suspend their beliefs, empathise with others and take a synergistic approach compared to the advocating, combative leaders of today.
Values are beliefs which define what we as individuals and societies deem to be most important and as such, to make any lasting change in the way we behave, we must re-address the fundamental values which are driving us on our current path to social and ecological disintegration.
What are the critical beliefs which are limiting our willingness or ability to make the necessary changes to address the challenges facing us all?
Mankind: The global parasite
“Creation destroys as it goes, throws down one tree for the rise of another. But ideal mankind would abolish death, multiply itself million upon million, rear up city upon city, save every parasite alive, until the accumulation of mere existence is swollen to a horror.”
D.H.Lawrence
A parasite is an organism living in or on another and benefiting at the expense of the other, based on this definition and the qualification that the other, in this case, is the Earth, I believe we must consider ourselves to be a parasitic creature. I am not aware of any other living creature which produces toxic and non-biodegradable waste and whose very existence is detrimental to the entire ecosystem of which it is a part. The growth of the human population over the last 300 years has been little short of biblical in proportion. It took approximately 180,000 years for the human population to reach a quarter of a billion and since the late 1800’s the population has risen from a billion to today’s 6.9 billion with the last one billion of those being added in less than 12 years. Furthermore the global population is predicted to rise to in excess of 9 Billion by 2050.
Irrespective of our polluting ways and the consequential impact on the environment, the earth simply cannot support so many human beings without significantly damaging its ability to produce sufficient food alone in future years. We must recognise this as fact and take action to reduce our population over the next century, with a goal of achieving a global population of between 0.5 and 1.0 Billion people within 150 years. In the meantime, we will need to recognise that we must drastically reduce our consumption of absolutely everything and develop products and materials which are truly recyclable and preferably organic; in so much as they can quickly be returned to the ecosystem, as the original natural resources from which they were fabricated.
Another dire consequence and contributory cause of the population explosion has been the urbanisation of our species. When once we were wanderers who moved with the seasons and in response to the availability of food, we have now built permanent cities and have our food produce by relatively few people in the agricultural industry. This has left us vulnerable to changes in climatic conditions, changes in sea levels, storm patterns and ocean currents which can completely undermine the entire infrastructure of cities designed for entirely different conditions. I believe that as the more devastating impacts of climate change become manifest, millions upon millions of people in cities all around the world will be radically affected. I fear that the citadels of the 20th century are destined to become the mausoleums of the 21st.
Albert Einstein suggested that a problem could not be solved at the same level of thinking which created it, how must our thinking now change?
D.H.Lawrence
A parasite is an organism living in or on another and benefiting at the expense of the other, based on this definition and the qualification that the other, in this case, is the Earth, I believe we must consider ourselves to be a parasitic creature. I am not aware of any other living creature which produces toxic and non-biodegradable waste and whose very existence is detrimental to the entire ecosystem of which it is a part. The growth of the human population over the last 300 years has been little short of biblical in proportion. It took approximately 180,000 years for the human population to reach a quarter of a billion and since the late 1800’s the population has risen from a billion to today’s 6.9 billion with the last one billion of those being added in less than 12 years. Furthermore the global population is predicted to rise to in excess of 9 Billion by 2050.
Irrespective of our polluting ways and the consequential impact on the environment, the earth simply cannot support so many human beings without significantly damaging its ability to produce sufficient food alone in future years. We must recognise this as fact and take action to reduce our population over the next century, with a goal of achieving a global population of between 0.5 and 1.0 Billion people within 150 years. In the meantime, we will need to recognise that we must drastically reduce our consumption of absolutely everything and develop products and materials which are truly recyclable and preferably organic; in so much as they can quickly be returned to the ecosystem, as the original natural resources from which they were fabricated.
Another dire consequence and contributory cause of the population explosion has been the urbanisation of our species. When once we were wanderers who moved with the seasons and in response to the availability of food, we have now built permanent cities and have our food produce by relatively few people in the agricultural industry. This has left us vulnerable to changes in climatic conditions, changes in sea levels, storm patterns and ocean currents which can completely undermine the entire infrastructure of cities designed for entirely different conditions. I believe that as the more devastating impacts of climate change become manifest, millions upon millions of people in cities all around the world will be radically affected. I fear that the citadels of the 20th century are destined to become the mausoleums of the 21st.
Albert Einstein suggested that a problem could not be solved at the same level of thinking which created it, how must our thinking now change?
Water: The elixir of Life
“Be praised, My Lord, through Sister Water; she is very useful, and humble, and precious, and pure.”
Francis of Assisi
Water, water, every where,
Not any drop to drink.
Samuel Taylor Coleridge
If the 'holy spirit' had a material form it would be water. Water is absolutely essential to every living thing, without it none would survive; water is truly our most precious resource. Not only is it essential to all living processes, it is fundamental to most, if not all, geophysical processes and in all its forms plays a major role in the moderation of Earth's climate. To date Modern man has treated water as a resource to be consumed and not as a vital, precious gift to be protected.
Throughout history man has chosen to live near sources of fresh water, using it not just for drinking but for agriculture, sanitation and in industrial and mining processes. With the growth in population and consequent increases in water usage in all these areas, mankind has not only polluted water stocks but we now live in a world with insufficient fresh water to support our needs, let alone those of the rest of the ecosystem. The increasing development of the more populous nations of the world will only exacerbate this problem. We can no longer take water for granted and must develop technologies and processes to limit its use wherever possible. We must also recognise that we must, over the long term, allow our population distribution across the planet to be limited by sustainable water availability. This will require a managed transition spanning generations and, if massive suffering is to be avoided, the sharing of technologies and resources across nations whilst this balance is achieved. I have no doubt that should we choose to attend to such matters as a priority for all, instead of focusing on material wealth, countless suffering could be avoided.
There are 1.4 billion cubic Kilometres of water covering 71% of the Earth’s surface, 97.5% of which is saltwater in the oceans and seas, containing some 70% of the Earth’s biomass. For this reason we must urgently understand and minimise the impact man has on saltwater, its inhabitants and the role it plays in the moderation of the Earth’s climate. Of the remaining 2.5 % which is fresh water only one third is in liquid form and almost all of it, namely 98.5%, is held below ground in rocky aquifers, this remains there for thousands of years only gradually seeping to the surface. This leaves an ever decreasing and extremely limited amount of accessible fresh water which is why over 1 billion people have no access to clean water and 2.6 billion have no sanitation . The dynamic fresh water cycle which irrigates the biosphere is driven by water evaporation from sea and land which subsequently falls as rain.
In man’s search for extraterrestrial life, the presence of water on a planet is considered to be a pre-requisite and we must all come to realise exactly how important it is to the continued survival of life on Earth.
Francis of Assisi
Water, water, every where,
Not any drop to drink.
Samuel Taylor Coleridge
If the 'holy spirit' had a material form it would be water. Water is absolutely essential to every living thing, without it none would survive; water is truly our most precious resource. Not only is it essential to all living processes, it is fundamental to most, if not all, geophysical processes and in all its forms plays a major role in the moderation of Earth's climate. To date Modern man has treated water as a resource to be consumed and not as a vital, precious gift to be protected.
Throughout history man has chosen to live near sources of fresh water, using it not just for drinking but for agriculture, sanitation and in industrial and mining processes. With the growth in population and consequent increases in water usage in all these areas, mankind has not only polluted water stocks but we now live in a world with insufficient fresh water to support our needs, let alone those of the rest of the ecosystem. The increasing development of the more populous nations of the world will only exacerbate this problem. We can no longer take water for granted and must develop technologies and processes to limit its use wherever possible. We must also recognise that we must, over the long term, allow our population distribution across the planet to be limited by sustainable water availability. This will require a managed transition spanning generations and, if massive suffering is to be avoided, the sharing of technologies and resources across nations whilst this balance is achieved. I have no doubt that should we choose to attend to such matters as a priority for all, instead of focusing on material wealth, countless suffering could be avoided.
There are 1.4 billion cubic Kilometres of water covering 71% of the Earth’s surface, 97.5% of which is saltwater in the oceans and seas, containing some 70% of the Earth’s biomass. For this reason we must urgently understand and minimise the impact man has on saltwater, its inhabitants and the role it plays in the moderation of the Earth’s climate. Of the remaining 2.5 % which is fresh water only one third is in liquid form and almost all of it, namely 98.5%, is held below ground in rocky aquifers, this remains there for thousands of years only gradually seeping to the surface. This leaves an ever decreasing and extremely limited amount of accessible fresh water which is why over 1 billion people have no access to clean water and 2.6 billion have no sanitation . The dynamic fresh water cycle which irrigates the biosphere is driven by water evaporation from sea and land which subsequently falls as rain.
In man’s search for extraterrestrial life, the presence of water on a planet is considered to be a pre-requisite and we must all come to realise exactly how important it is to the continued survival of life on Earth.
Saturday 9 January 2010
Economics: A self serving system
“Money often costs too much.”
Ralph Waldo Emerson
I find it interesting that, that which I know least about seems to me to be of the biggest concern. I must confess I find it hard to get my mind around money and economics. Everyone tells me it is absolutely essential, does that mean that like water, life cannot exist without it or does it mean that one cannot survive in the human society we have created without it or perhaps something else? If I take a step back, I see a population of people living in a world of finite resources, who have created a system to attribute value to activities, in order to afford greater or lesser access to those resources, based on a collective judgement of what is worthwhile and which is evidenced by the allocation of printed paper or stamped metal. In such a system, having money grants access to both essential and non-essential resources which makes it essential to life. My question is; is this truly the best system to encourage mankind to behave responsibily both towards each other and more importantly in the World as a whole? Even if it is, who decides what is truly worthwhile or not?
Who are today’s beneficiaries of the global economic system. I read somewhere that the 100 most wealthy Americans have assets worth more than the annual income of half the world’s population. Since these people have little or no assets, the consequent assumption suggests that these one hundred people are more worthwhile than the sum of over 3 billion others, this I cannot accept. One pragmatic view of this, in the context of the over population of the world, would be to say that if those 3 billion people didn’t exist, the remaining population would be better of and the impact on the earth would be less severe. However, it must be remembered that it is the less well off who actually do the majority of the productive work that generates the money or goods for the rest. Yes, we need to reduce the global population over time but more immediately, we must reduce consumption and it is the people in the developed world who currently account for the vast majority of it. In the developed world there are also massive social inequalities, with over 90% of the wealth in the hands of 10% of people. The real issue is not the 10% but the 90% of us who aspire to being like them, constantly wanting more, this then fans out across the even less fortunate in the world and we end up with a species bent on an insatiable desire to consume. Wealth does not equate to happiness but an inability to meet basic needs leads to misery. I can’t help but feel that once our basic needs are met there are much more abundant sources of happiness than material gain.
Whilst I am heartened by the increasing amount of dialogue and discourse about climate change and environmental issues, I am also struck by the inherent attachment to the notion that any change must not impede economic growth. It seems to me that we are totally blindsided to the possibly that the economic system we have created is not only a fundamental cause of, but also a barrier to, any radical solution to the crisis’s which are facing the world today. I recognise that this may be a very poorly informed opinion but I believe money affects almost everything we do at every level. If we are to fundamentally change our culture, both our attitude toward and use of money must change radically.
Ralph Waldo Emerson
I find it interesting that, that which I know least about seems to me to be of the biggest concern. I must confess I find it hard to get my mind around money and economics. Everyone tells me it is absolutely essential, does that mean that like water, life cannot exist without it or does it mean that one cannot survive in the human society we have created without it or perhaps something else? If I take a step back, I see a population of people living in a world of finite resources, who have created a system to attribute value to activities, in order to afford greater or lesser access to those resources, based on a collective judgement of what is worthwhile and which is evidenced by the allocation of printed paper or stamped metal. In such a system, having money grants access to both essential and non-essential resources which makes it essential to life. My question is; is this truly the best system to encourage mankind to behave responsibily both towards each other and more importantly in the World as a whole? Even if it is, who decides what is truly worthwhile or not?
Who are today’s beneficiaries of the global economic system. I read somewhere that the 100 most wealthy Americans have assets worth more than the annual income of half the world’s population. Since these people have little or no assets, the consequent assumption suggests that these one hundred people are more worthwhile than the sum of over 3 billion others, this I cannot accept. One pragmatic view of this, in the context of the over population of the world, would be to say that if those 3 billion people didn’t exist, the remaining population would be better of and the impact on the earth would be less severe. However, it must be remembered that it is the less well off who actually do the majority of the productive work that generates the money or goods for the rest. Yes, we need to reduce the global population over time but more immediately, we must reduce consumption and it is the people in the developed world who currently account for the vast majority of it. In the developed world there are also massive social inequalities, with over 90% of the wealth in the hands of 10% of people. The real issue is not the 10% but the 90% of us who aspire to being like them, constantly wanting more, this then fans out across the even less fortunate in the world and we end up with a species bent on an insatiable desire to consume. Wealth does not equate to happiness but an inability to meet basic needs leads to misery. I can’t help but feel that once our basic needs are met there are much more abundant sources of happiness than material gain.
Whilst I am heartened by the increasing amount of dialogue and discourse about climate change and environmental issues, I am also struck by the inherent attachment to the notion that any change must not impede economic growth. It seems to me that we are totally blindsided to the possibly that the economic system we have created is not only a fundamental cause of, but also a barrier to, any radical solution to the crisis’s which are facing the world today. I recognise that this may be a very poorly informed opinion but I believe money affects almost everything we do at every level. If we are to fundamentally change our culture, both our attitude toward and use of money must change radically.
Tuesday 5 January 2010
The consequence of corporations
“I see in the near future a crisis approaching that unnerves me and causes me to tremble for the safety of my country. Corporations have been enthroned, an era of corruption in high places will follow, and the money-power of the country will endeavour to prolong its reign by working upon the prejudices of the people until the wealth is aggregated in a few hands and the Republic is destroyed.”
Abraham Lincoln
The global influence of today’s multi-national corporations must not be under estimated. Whilst today we look to the UN to advocate what needs to be done to protect the good of all in the world, I believe it is only with the agreement and co-operation of the world’s largest corporations, that the necessary changes can be implemented. The world’s largest corporation Royal Dutch Shell has an annual turnover in excess of $450 billion, which would give it a raking of number 22 in the league tables of national economic scale. RD Shell has a greater annual turnover than the Gross Domestic Product (Atlas method) of Saudi Arabia. Even the 10th highest revenue generating company would rank 45th in the league of economic nations. Not only are they hugely significant financially, they are absolutely totalitarian in nature, the executive controls the behaviour of the whole and the enterprise is focused on one thing alone, the generation of maximum wealth for its shareholders. These companies would not exist if they did not have consumers providing a financial return for their products or services, we the consumer are therefore to be held equally accountable for their activities.
Whilst Abraham Lincoln’s quote serves as a useful warning of what might be, I do not believe corporations are intentionally malignant and that this quotation says as much about the struggle between different groups, be that business folk or politicians, for power and influence, as it does about any disservice to the People. I believe that the growth of corporations and the damage their activities are doing to the planet and to human society, is more a function of the global economic model and human social constructions, than it is about any deliberate intent to dominate. In recent times, whenever humankind has been threatened, it has been the corporations that have responded to actually provided the solutions to any particular problem; be that pharmaceuticals, fossil fuel reserves or armaments. Corporations are excellent problem solvers; the question is; are we asking them to solve the right problems?
It is interesting to note that prior to the 'credit crunch' of the world’s 10 largest revenue generating enterprises, 5 were oil and gas companies and 4 were automobile companies. It is a small wonder that little has been done to reduce our fossil fuel dependency over the last 15 years, despite irrefutable evidence of the damage it is causing. Furthermore, since 6 of theses companies are American owned, is it surprising that George.W.Bush a former oilman himself, has continually frustrated the global attempt to take positive action to address this issue? The lobbying power of major corporations cannot be under estimated and because of their size it is unlikely to diminish. The key is for corporations to redefine themselves as the executors of the global agenda since they are best placed and best able to serve this role.
We must recognise the role corporations play in creating unnecessary consumer demand and the increasingly slick slight of hand they use to increase sales and the unnecessary use of natural resources but equally important, if not more so, is to identify what makes corporations so effective at getting things done across international boundaries and how this and their other competencies might be deployed to further our collective cause, which I propose should be to re-enchant the world..
Abraham Lincoln
The global influence of today’s multi-national corporations must not be under estimated. Whilst today we look to the UN to advocate what needs to be done to protect the good of all in the world, I believe it is only with the agreement and co-operation of the world’s largest corporations, that the necessary changes can be implemented. The world’s largest corporation Royal Dutch Shell has an annual turnover in excess of $450 billion, which would give it a raking of number 22 in the league tables of national economic scale. RD Shell has a greater annual turnover than the Gross Domestic Product (Atlas method) of Saudi Arabia. Even the 10th highest revenue generating company would rank 45th in the league of economic nations. Not only are they hugely significant financially, they are absolutely totalitarian in nature, the executive controls the behaviour of the whole and the enterprise is focused on one thing alone, the generation of maximum wealth for its shareholders. These companies would not exist if they did not have consumers providing a financial return for their products or services, we the consumer are therefore to be held equally accountable for their activities.
Whilst Abraham Lincoln’s quote serves as a useful warning of what might be, I do not believe corporations are intentionally malignant and that this quotation says as much about the struggle between different groups, be that business folk or politicians, for power and influence, as it does about any disservice to the People. I believe that the growth of corporations and the damage their activities are doing to the planet and to human society, is more a function of the global economic model and human social constructions, than it is about any deliberate intent to dominate. In recent times, whenever humankind has been threatened, it has been the corporations that have responded to actually provided the solutions to any particular problem; be that pharmaceuticals, fossil fuel reserves or armaments. Corporations are excellent problem solvers; the question is; are we asking them to solve the right problems?
It is interesting to note that prior to the 'credit crunch' of the world’s 10 largest revenue generating enterprises, 5 were oil and gas companies and 4 were automobile companies. It is a small wonder that little has been done to reduce our fossil fuel dependency over the last 15 years, despite irrefutable evidence of the damage it is causing. Furthermore, since 6 of theses companies are American owned, is it surprising that George.W.Bush a former oilman himself, has continually frustrated the global attempt to take positive action to address this issue? The lobbying power of major corporations cannot be under estimated and because of their size it is unlikely to diminish. The key is for corporations to redefine themselves as the executors of the global agenda since they are best placed and best able to serve this role.
We must recognise the role corporations play in creating unnecessary consumer demand and the increasingly slick slight of hand they use to increase sales and the unnecessary use of natural resources but equally important, if not more so, is to identify what makes corporations so effective at getting things done across international boundaries and how this and their other competencies might be deployed to further our collective cause, which I propose should be to re-enchant the world..
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