Quote:
Originally Posted by Chris
Kottke in that underground classic, The Final Empire: The Collapse of Civilization and The Seed of the Future said: "Because civilized people do not know what they are, they talk politics, religion and science and pursue material wealth while the basis of their life on earth, the soil, slips away beneath their feet."
(farming pun!)
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Growing up in the 70's and images of of native Americans weeping over the state of our country, I was very conscious about the environment, and for that matter decided to study agricultural engineering.
The above statement seems to present the idea that civilization through advancement will actually be the cause of the failure of the earth to sustain us. However, experiance and history teach us something different altogether.
I have the feeling you feel that somehow there will be a grass roots movement from the bottom up that will somehow transcend national boundaries, languages and politics, but I feel you know that our long and cluttered history would not support that. Also, any first hand experience with people of lesser education means would immediately call into question the veracity of the likelihood of the scenario becoming reality. The fact is ignorance and lack of education are the main causes of that we continue to abuse our environment, ie people simply don't know what they do can hurt them in the end.
It may seem that big business and greedy governements are the root cause, but then again, vist any third world country and view the ground and watershed contamination not to mention the smog caused by millions of poor running hc motors, and it becomes clear that abuse of the environment is not limited to any societal or monetary class of individuals.
Therefore, unfortunate as it may be, change has to come from above by the leaders of the community, and inewvitably this involves politics.
Don't give up hope though. All one has to do is look at the changes in the health of the environment and attitudes that happened in some 35 some odd years in the US to know that it is possible.