Is There Any Point in Fighting to Stave off Industrial Apocalypse?

This article posits two positions as to humanity's future position and what to do about it. We are already there. Our leaders are running around as headless chickens. They do not want to face the consequences of the future so are doing little about change. They are fighting over approaches to whatever changes may be required. All efforts are to continue systems which are already outmoded. A continued vision that we are in control. We are not in control of nature. It is the controlling factor of our existence. When we threaten and despoil the structures of our existence we are just increasing the debacle. Our planet cannot sustain the burden of its present population. It cannot remotely support the projected increase in the number of humans living on it. Already this overcrowding has exasperated the viciousness and violence we are faced with in the affairs of living together in harmony. To begin with truth must be told, media must communicate, education must start to to create an approach to a civilization which can respect the confines placed upon us by the nature we live within. It is the young who must lead us. We need to guide them with what worthwhile experiences we can present. mb
Posted by Michael Butler, Sunday, August 23, 2009

Kill the Indian. Save the Man.

"Manifest Destiny", that is the ruling mantra of America. Worldwide as we extend our empire it has been on the backs of the indigenous peoples. I got into HAIR as I thought it was a Native American show. My grandfather was, amongst other careers, a serious cattle and horse rancher in South Dakota, Montana and Illinois. He raised me with horror stories as to our governments treatment of 'the Indians'. In this country and all over the world our treatment of the locals has been inexcusable. In this article I was particularly taken by the remarks of Mark Twain about Hawaii. mb
Posted by Michael Butler, Friday, August 14, 2009

Thinking the Unthinkable: Not Growing the Economy

We must think along the 'unthinkable'. Our short term thinking has contributed to the degrading of the life styles of the majority of the world. It is not a question of being critical of excessive greed in our bankers or managers. Not pigs but hogs they have been when through financial manipulation they take 3-400 times that of the majority. It is not a question of taking fees, bonuses or perks. It is a solution to be found in changing the system and the philosophy behind it. Going from a short term to a long term strategy we can dishonor the apparent overuse use of finite resources without which our planet may not survive. Instead of concentration on the physical aspects we need to honor the intellectual and spiritual sides of human nature. We need to change course before we leave our children and grandchildren with a planet so plundered that life becomes a continual downward spiral. Share we must. mb
Posted by Michael Butler, Saturday, August 1, 2009