Topic: Ethics and Climate Change
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Hey, all:
There is a very thoughtful, challenging, interesting, worthwhile paper from 1968 that addresses some larger principles that touch on ethics and climate change. Here is the citation: Hardin, G. 1968. The Tragedy of the Commons Science V. 162. 6 pp. It is available as a PDF for a fee from Science.org, but you could prolly save money and find it at your library, and maybe free on the web. The author uses the illustration of the commons, being in this case a pasture which can be used by all for grazing livestock. The tragedy is that 'what belongs to everyone belongs to no one', and greed becomes the driving force in parceling the resource, while all shirk responsibility. The inevitable result is degradation. The connection to the topic here is that climate is a "commons", too. Another vital principle concerns "externalized costs", costs that Big Bidness has passed on to some other entity, and the commons is a perfect illustration of the principle, and so is climate. They are both things that the Corporate Oligarchy has weaseled out of any ethical connection to, and any responsibility for its protection or care. One example of an "externalized cost" from the USA is very appropriate: in the past 30 years, the USA government has spent US$35 billion on medical costs for USA coal miners. So these costs are part of the price customers pay for heat and electricity, increases in greenhouse gases, and the ethical bankruptcy of Big Bidness. Neat, huh? The Corporate Oligarchy certainly will not ever, never, never, take responsibility for the commons, and therefore they are in the eternal position as being "part of the problem". So until we have the strength to hit the CO with a great big stick, the problem will persist. I think part of OUR problem has to do with a subtle pettiness or turf war among groups. WE really do need to act as one, but we still have a long way to go. I have no answers for this problem, but to suggest universally that all the egos need to be set aside as a start. Another step is to make sure we embrace all people everywhere all the time, consciously, deliberately. Sometimes we speak over the heads of others--way over in many cases--and sometimes we speak very provincially and assume others know what we mean, which isolates and eliminates a large part of the audience we should be trying very hard to reach. As one of our leaders and friends in the USA, Jesse Jackson, says, "Keep your eyes on the prize". Regarding the issues in the other excellent messages here, I would say continued education (inward and outward) has to be the central focus. The more we know, the less we will (or should) accept. "They" (you know who "they" is, don't you?) also know this--that ignorance is bliss--so they strive to deny knowledge to all at any cost. As DeGaulle said, "Strike, strike". I would add, "in every ethical way you can." Good discussion. David Messages done with sustainable energy, with Wind and Sun! |
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Hi Lisa,
I guess it's not very easy to get conversations going in the blog amidst so many other blogs and websites revolving around the climate change issue. One of my favourite blog WorldChanging.com, of which ECI's Director is a regular contributor, also has a minimum-to-moderate level of conversations, and this is for a blog with so many loyal readers. This could both be a good sign, and a bad sign. This being a good sign means, progressive people are busy at keeping up to date and doing the right thing that they do not have time for lenghthy conversations on topics they already are very aware of. This being a bad sign means, the issue has not entered the awareness of the rest of the populace (read: folks busy with their day-jobs, family and taking a break from their day-jobs) to create a larger conversation process--one that can truly be called "global" and "paradigm-changing". Earth Charter in this regard, is very potential both in strethening the work done by progressive people and in introducing the general populace to the bifurcation ahead of us, where the life and future they are working hard for may not actually be there any more. So, this is my suggestion. Before doing a global conversation about specific issues like climate change, it may be better to concentrate our effort in building a global conversation around the Preamble part of the Earth Charter--around "We stand at a critical moment in Earth's history, a time when humanity must choose its future". We need to arouse the awareness that "humanity must choose" is exactly what "individual is choosing" in anything they do on a day-to-day basis, and how every single thing we do may contribute to the wrong branch of the bifurcation in this "critical moment in Earth's history" For example, - taking a shower using chemichals that is alien to nature and most probable non-bio-degradable contributes to the "mass sub-consciousness" that it's OK to pour humongous amounts and varieties of chemichals into our natural environment. - buying packaged foods from the grocery store instead of buying fresh unpackaged (and organic if possible) food at the local market help sustain the unsustainable food industry that's generating so much garbage and pollution, contribute to global warming and make our health worse off at the same time. - buying toys and game consoles for our children, instead of taking them for a walk or a camp in the wilderness contributes to the separation between man and nature, and worsen the crisis we are already in. - and countless other "small" and "subconscious" decisions. Most people simply just don't "get it" about the situation we are in. Sure they know ice caps are melting, or the suburban is getting boring and unlivable, or cancer is happening to more people at a younger age, but they simply don't connect it to their daily choices and actions (including the choice of their day-jobs). We need to bring it out from their subconscious to ther conscious thinking. Once each person "get it", learning, conversing and taking action will become a self-organized process. This is the role that I believe ECI should first and foremost take the lead on. We need to stop concentrating to the "already converted" and start focusing on the "non-believers". And we need to be creative in doing so. Re-read the Preamble of the Earth Charter below to see the many possibilites of this kind of conversations and what a difference that would make toward creating a just and sustainable world. Each sentence (and maybe word!) in it can be a basis for a very mind-changing global dialogue for the general populace. And while we're at it, why not build a global dialogue on every sentence/principle in the whole Earth Charter, and start with mind-boggling questions for each principle to kickstart the dialogue FOR the general populace (the non-believers). For example: From the Preamble "As the world becomes increasingly interdependent and fragile, the future at once holds great peril and great promise.": - How come we're interdependent? I buy all I need in town... - Fragile? you've got to be kidding me, nature is so robust after all we've done to it.... - Hmm... great perile and great promise... at once? How can this be? Principle 10.a. "Promote the equitable distribution of wealth within nations and among nations.": - I work hard shoulder heavy responsibility, so I get paid generously. What's wrong with that? - Though I live a rather glamorous lifestyle, I donate quite a sum of money to charity regularly, is that not enough? - I support progressive income tax, don't tell me that even this will not be enough.... That's my take on the kind of global dialogue we desperately need to have. I hope some of it are useful. Sincerely, Bowo ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ PREAMBLE We stand at a critical moment in Earth's history, a time when humanity must choose its future. As the world becomes increasingly interdependent and fragile, the future at once holds great peril and great promise. To move forward we must recognize that in the midst of a magnificent diversity of cultures and life forms we are one human family and one Earth community with a common destiny. We must join together to bring forth a sustainable global society founded on respect for nature, universal human rights, economic justice, and a culture of peace. Towards this end, it is imperative that we, the peoples of Earth, declare our responsibility to one another, to the greater community of life, and to future generations. Earth, Our Home Humanity is part of a vast evolving universe. Earth, our home, is alive with a unique community of life. The forces of nature make existence a demanding and uncertain adventure, but Earth has provided the conditions essential to life's evolution. The resilience of the community of life and the well-being of humanity depend upon preserving a healthy biosphere with all its ecological systems, a rich variety of plants and animals, fertile soils, pure waters, and clean air. The global environment with its finite resources is a common concern of all peoples. The protection of Earth's vitality, diversity, and beauty is a sacred trust. The Global Situation The dominant patterns of production and consumption are causing environmental devastation, the depletion of resources, and a massive extinction of species. Communities are being undermined. The benefits of development are not shared equitably and the gap between rich and poor is widening. Injustice, poverty, ignorance, and violent conflict are widespread and the cause of great suffering. An unprecedented rise in human population has overburdened ecological and social systems. The foundations of global security are threatened. These trends are perilous—but not inevitable. The Challenges Ahead The choice is ours: form a global partnership to care for Earth and one another or risk the destruction of ourselves and the diversity of life. Fundamental changes are needed in our values, institutions, and ways of living. We must realize that when basic needs have been met, human development is primarily about being more, not having more. We have the knowledge and technology to provide for all and to reduce our impacts on the environment. The emergence of a global civil society is creating new opportunities to build a democratic and humane world. Our environmental, economic, political, social, and spiritual challenges are interconnected, and together we can forge inclusive solutions. Universal Responsibility To realize these aspirations, we must decide to live with a sense of universal responsibility, identifying ourselves with the whole Earth community as well as our local communities. We are at once citizens of different nations and of one world in which the local and global are linked. Everyone shares responsibility for the present and future well-being of the human family and the larger living world. The spirit of human solidarity and kinship with all life is strengthened when we live with reverence for the mystery of being, gratitude for the gift of life, and humility regarding the human place in nature. We urgently need a shared vision of basic values to provide an ethical foundation for the emerging world community. Therefore, together in hope we affirm the following interdependent principles for a sustainable way of life as a common standard by which the conduct of all individuals, organizations, businesses, governments, and transnational institutions is to be guided and assessed. |
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The site is very informative and has some good papers I could post on WE. I just posted the "Winning the Struggle Against Global Warming" paper. It's difficult to tell though that there is an ongoing conversation happening (WE has the same struggle). Though there are smart and motivated people who write helpful comments, they're not visible by most people who visit.
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Over at earthcharter.org, we have started a blog site on this topic, and it has become relatively popular (in terms of site visitors). (See: http://www.earthcharterinaction.org/climate/).
Here on WiserEarth we have created a place to conduct public dialogue on this topic as well. Comments are always welcome on the blog, but this discussion forum is unmoderated. Ethics and climate change ... what do you think about the postings so far at the Earth Charter site? What other ideas, concerns, worries, critiques, and possibilities would you like to discuss? We look forward to your thoughts ... The Earth Charter Team |
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"Everything said is said by somebody" Humberto Maturana/Francisco Verela. Tree of Knowledge: The Biological Roots of Human Understanding."
If we can step back for a moment and reflect on the fact that "to speak" one must be embodied in biology. If any of you are having conversations with "dis-embodied" spirits I am interested in exploring the phenomena and I can share my identity with you and coordinate intentions with you in a world we design together, here and now! So I have learned to not take language for granted and that what I actually "say" creates, generates, and maintains the world "I" experience.
In my assessment the global environmental conversation and movement is blinded by the appearance of the catastrophe, extinction, degradation, and survival issues. It is a dualistic confrontation between two belief systems: Common Man versus Corporate Oligarchy, both desiring power, control and sustainability. There is a way to re-frame the dualistic notion, paradigm, and it is the exploration of meaning of cultural patriarchy.
We now know in the field of biology and history of living systems that language arose in Homo sapiens because they were social loving animals and not an aggressive specie. We grunted and groaned are way to the "Chavet Caves" in France where our ancestor's 30,000 years ago shared their story of legitimacy-in-coexistence in the web of life, beautiful artistic expressions of horses, bears, manmoths, and even a human 'hand.' We were social loving animals and very connected, balanced, and integrated in the web of life.
Patriarchy is currently referred to as the war in sexism 'male versus female.' I offer it may have a blindspot as well. And here is a hypothesis for patriarchy offered by Humberto Maturana. Where does this fear of the big bad wolf come from in the mythological foundations of human beings? As a biologist he can find no evidence of wolves being aggressive to human beings. Wolves have raised human beings in the wild, and all our friendly domesticated dogs come from the wolf, so why do we have this Little Red Riding Hood story of the Big Bad Wolf? He submits that about 8,000 years ago in endoeurope there was most likely a family migrating with the caribou and sharing the food chain with the wolves. This had been happening for a very long time. And maybe an environmental crisis happened or the caribou got sick, we don't know, but for so reason the wolves started eating a lot of caribou or the humans thought they were going to run out of food, but a breakdown happened in the standard practice between the wolves and our ancestors. It could have been the woman that said "we have to keep the wolves from eating the caribou, so throw rocks at the wolves, guard the caribou and so on. Humberto claims this is the first act of patriarchy "exclusion." And what man did unkowingly is "appropriate" the caribou!
I have been reflecting on this hypothesis for many years and in the world I experience today patriarchy, the cultural distinctions of exclusion and appropriation is now the taken-for-granted ways of being and living in language. Modern languaging is an emotional grinding of "teeth and claws" through words. Humanity now has no responsibility or accountability for speaking much less listening. Just listen to the clowning right wing talk shows, who make a living, in throwing the red meat to emotional savages of modernity. Fundamentalist's in the environmental movement are no better in my assessment. For me to bring up the word 'environment' with a conservative friend is like choosing to end the friendship and argue about reality. Yet, the domain of friendship is a domain of human experience happening throughout our world where we enact and embody the "social loving animal." Although difficult in modernity it still happens even in "family" relationships. Most business deals happen between friends who trust one another. Treaties in governments happen between friends. So this domain of friendship, social relations, is a domain worthy of further exploration as a biological, linguistic and cognitive foundation to the possibility of designing a world together!
I am now friends with the Lakota People and it is full of wonder! An oral languaging passed from generation to generation over thousands of years where social relations, not power, constituted, sustained and maintained there community. Creation stories that still intact, not one stone has been changed, and make sense in the new awarenesses arising in biology, physics and cosmology. These traditional elders are humble people that have respect in the presence of another. The horse is there brother and mother earth is appreciated as the womb of creation.
I have a mood of joyful concern that WE will come together. Because deep in our biology is an ultra stable coherence guiding us social relationship. WE go to the forest as often as we can to experience the natural law we are embedded in: beauty, friendship, birds, streams, clean air and the stars. WE have a choice: do we support patriarchy based in exclusion, appropriation, power, (it is not wrong, we can do that and are doing it) it has conseguences or do WE choose social relations and bring forth a praxis (ethics in living) where in the presence of another (human, plant, animal, rocks, stars) we praxis legitimacy-in-coexistence for the other. I submit we have no choice if we choose to survive and build a world together. And even more important and humorous is that in the biological roots of understanding and realization it is who we really are: social loving animals, mortal beings, not gods, and it is the best part of living everyday.
So, in all truth, I am one crazy guy who thinks the world is insane and finding some beautiful new realities with some new friends who have been "seeing" a whole different "paradigm" for a long, long time. The real battle is not out there in the world, it is in every moment and how we respond authentically in the praxis of living. Indigenous people have been conserving our heart's desire biologically for a very long time and have a lot to share with us as teachers, scientists, and gentle social loving brothers and sisters.
If "everything said is said by somebody" I am responsible for what I have offered and pray I haven't spoken over anyone's head. I am willing to be accountable, offer further evidence in discussions, challenge my own thinking, and learn from each of you. What happens when we live in a world where "what is said, is not said by somebody (maybe god, a scientist or president says it) , and the declaration is a demand for obedience to others." This isn't friendship it is the brutal aggression of patriarchy and we have a wonderful example of this idiotic behavior entertaining us everyday, King George......even my conservative friends are at a loss for words and if we learn anything let us learn once and for all that war proceeds from someone's "declaration." WE can declare one world of common goodness in people, growing in friendship, having a mood of joyful concern in what WE are doing, and watch the culture of patriarchy "burn"like paper before our eyes. Whatever arises must converge and let the convergence happen today in all your social relationships and enjoy the magic of living in the moment!
Thanks for this conversation and I pray I bring no offense to this community. I believe this Wiser Earth innovation is a wonderful platform for WE and even a minority voice (I am not prejudice I hate everybody) can speak without being attacked. I trust the possibility of friendship in this community.
In Appreciation of All Our Relations