The idea of never ending growth is simply wrong and we must resile from it

The maintenance of exisiting lifestyles and the mitigation of climate change are incompatible.

Modern lifestyles depend upon the profligate use of energy, almost exclusively fossil fuel-based energy, and as is well understood by our climate scientists, the resultant carbon dioxide from the combustion of the ingredients of those ancient fuels has disturbed, and significantly changed, Earth’s climate system.

Humanity has lived through an era of relatively unchanged climatic conditions, but that is changing, or has changed, and so what we are witnessing now is the arrival of weather events foreign to what is needed to allow the people of the world to thrive.

Humanity has been herded into a consumptive col-de-sac, driven there by the market paradigm of never-ending growth that was force-fed to the population using Edward Bernays created propaganda that was re-cast as “public relations”.

The idea of never-ending growth, the essence of capitalism that has now morphed into globilization, is fundamentally flawed and is ultimately impossible in a finite world.

It is the concept to endless growth and the need, now pressingly urgent, to live in a more restrained way which are contradictory and so demand, if we are to have any hope of a reconciliation between the two, we need a re-set of humanity’s values, ideals, aims, hopes, and dreams.

Considering this dilemma causes me to consider what the late German pastor, Dietrich Bonhoeffer said: 

“Culturally it means a return from the newspaper and the radio to the book, from feverish activity to unhurried leisure, from dispersion to concentration, from sensationalism to reflection, from virtuosity to art, from snobbery to modesty, from extravagance to moderation.”

Bonhoeffer, who was killed by the Nazis in 1945 for being involved in an attempt to kill Adolf Hitler, could see even than that our extravagance was detrimental to human wellbeing, although probably for different reasons than those that trouble, and threaten, humanity today.

And so taking Bonhoeffer’s advice, we need to pry apart our extravagance, resile from it and build a new way of living that is about understanding how we can continue to enjoy our lives with less of everything and so live in a more restrained fashion.

From the Merchants of Doubt to a tale of trouble

The new book from
 Naomi Oreskes
and Erik Conway.

Naomi Oreskes and Erik M. Conway became more widely known when they wrote about the Merchants of Doubt in 2011.

That fast selling book told how just a few scientists confused and obscured the truth about tobacco and global warming.

Again they have combined their talents, insights and skills to pen just 104 pages about the collapse of western civilization.

They look back from an imagine future in an attempt to alert us to what will unfold if we continue to ignore what the science is telling us.

Published just this month, “The Collapse of Western Civilization: A View from the Future” is honest to the point of brutality with the overwhelming message being that although we knew exactly what was happening, did nought.

The rather slim book tells a message worthy of a much weightier tome and in doing so tells us of the perverse contradictions in operation – neoliberals who object virulently to government interference, but in pursuing their ideals are actually bringing down upon themselves what they dislike most.

Naomi Oreskes - looking
toward tomorrow.

They wrote: “A key attribute of the period was that power did not reside in the hand of those who understood the climate system, but rather political, economic, and social institutions that had a strong interest in maintain the use of fossil fuels.

“Historians have labelled the system the carbon-combustion complex: a network of powerful industries comprising fossil fuel producers, industries that served energy companies (such as drilling and oil field service companies and large construction firms), manufacturers whose products relied in inexpensive energy (especially automobiles and aviation, but also aluminium and other forms of smelting and mineral processing), financial institutions that service their capital demands, advertising public relations, and marketing firms who promoted the products”.

Although much of what Oreskes and Conway write is fictional, it emanates from fact and relying on what science is telling us today, paints a picture of what tomorrow will look like if we continue to ignore the science.

Obama moves on climate change, despite the skeptics

U.S. President,
Barack Obama.

America is second only to China with regard to carbon dioxide emissions.

That hardly warrants applause for the U.S. has less than five per cent of the world’s population, while China has nearly a fifth of those on earth.

India is closing on China and many say it will be home to more people than China soon, while Australia, close to the top ten of carbon dioxide emitters, has .33 per cent of the world’s population.

The values, ideals and aspirations upon which the developed world hinges are quickly becoming regular for all nations and so what is happening in the U.S, is intently watched by others and dutiful copied.

Considering that, what happens in America is critical and so it was interesting to read a The Guardian story headed: “Obama climate change plan gets first airing in front of House sceptics” that the Obama administration moved on its climate change action plan with or without new laws from Congress.