Kirkus Reviews, the Meta-Crisis, Trump, and More REDUX

NOTE:  This essay was first published about six months ago.  With Trump's re-election, it's even more crucial now.

 Kirkus has been around for decades, is number 2*** in the USA for quality book reviews, and is known for being tough on authors.  They have reviewed my second book, 

CHOICES & CHANGE ON THE PATH TO A SUSTAINABLE EXISTENCE -

BEST CHOICES FOR NAVIGATING THROUGH A MONUMENTAL CRISIS.

It's a pretty good review, fair and insightful.  

[***Publisher's Weekly is number 1, but their waiting list is way too long.]

"A straightforward and useful guide to better living.

Haley offers a short handbook for more ecologically sensible living..."  

~ Kirkus Reviews

The full review can be found here:

https://www.kirkusreviews.com/book-reviews/scott-c-haley/choices-change-on-the-path-to-a-sustainable-existe/

My three books can be found here:

https://www.amazon.com/stores/author/B0BVJMMWLG/about

At the link, click on "All Books" (above my name, near the top of the page).

Please hear me:  I don't care one whit about the piddly revenues received from book sales.  If I could afford it, I'd pay for any purchases myself; but I live very modestly (by Western World standards), and can't do that.  What I do care about are these two things:  1) the crucial concepts in the books (and elsewhere) have been rigorously researched by expert scientists in their respective fields (not by me, I'm just the messenger), and need to be spread far and wide if humans are to survive & thrive; and 2) gaslighters and serial liars like Trump are poo-pooing those concepts, and too many people seem to be believing the lies.  That must change quickly.

The Meta-Crisis we're in is real, and the threat is existential - the very existence of human civilization is under grave threat.  The key to navigating through the Crisis is SOCIO-ECO-EDUCATION, and then peacefully pressuring the Powers-That-Be to take significant mitigating action.  Without such, I fear for the quality of life my grandchildren and all younger generations will have to endure.  Help out:  become an informal educator whenever and however possible.

.................

Not only my opinion.  Be Well

Kirkus Reviews, the Meta-Crisis, Trump, and More

 Kirkus has been around for decades, is number 2*** in the USA for quality book reviews, and is known for being tough on authors.  They have reviewed my second book, 

CHOICES & CHANGE ON THE PATH TO A SUSTAINABLE EXISTENCE -

BEST CHOICES FOR NAVIGATING THROUGH A MONUMENTAL CRISIS.

It's a pretty good review, fair and insightful.  

[***Publisher's Weekly is number 1, but their waiting list is way too long.]

"A straightforward and useful guide to better living.

Haley offers a short handbook for more ecologically sensible living..."  

~ Kirkus Reviews

The full review can be found here:

https://www.kirkusreviews.com/book-reviews/scott-c-haley/choices-change-on-the-path-to-a-sustainable-existe/

My three books can be found here:

https://www.amazon.com/stores/author/B0BVJMMWLG/about

At the link, click on "All Books" (above my name, near the top of the page).

Please hear me:  I don't care one whit about the piddly revenues received from book sales.  If I could afford it, I'd pay for any purchases myself; but I live very modestly (by Western World standards), and can't do that.  What I do care about are these two things:  1) the crucial concepts in the books (and elsewhere) have been rigorously researched by expert scientists in their respective fields (not by me, I'm just the messenger), and need to be spread far and wide if humans are to survive & thrive; and 2) gaslighters and serial liars like Trump are poo-pooing those concepts, and too many people seem to be believing the lies.  That must change quickly.

The Meta-Crisis we're in is real, and the threat is existential - the very existence of human civilization is under grave threat.  The key to navigating through the Crisis is SOCIO-ECO-EDUCATION, and then peacefully pressuring the Powers-That-Be to take significant mitigating action.  Without such, I fear for the quality of life my grandchildren and all younger generations will have to endure.  Help out:  become an informal educator whenever and however possible.

.................

Not only my opinion.  Be Well

Humans, education, A.I., technology, Nature, the loss of youth, and our meta-crisis

 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zFVoearUvP8

Dr. Zachary (Zak) Stein is interviewed on the Nate Hagens YouTube channel.  Dr. Stein is Harvard-educated in the fields of human development, educational neuroscience, and the philosophy of education.  His current work is in the area of mitigation of the meta-crisis.  The discussion is deep and wide-ranging, so put on your thinking cap and be as open-minded as possible.

Relative to the Crisis we're in (and in other ways), our educational system has failed us.  Stein explains how to fix it.  He also delves into how the current path of A.I. is going to make education even worse, and dangerously so.

If you can't watch the entire interview, then at least catch these two short segments:  from 1:20:25 to 1:36:01; and from 1:39:36 to 1:41:20.  Or, better yet, watch the whole thing in stages. It will wake you up to the depth of the Human Predicament, and how to mitigate it.  Too bad almost all our national politicians apparently are oblivious to all this.

It's embarrassing that the USA shortly will offer up Joe Biden and D. J. Trump as the (supposedly) best main candidates for the Presidency of the USA.  It's also shameful, and a testament to the power of propaganda, plutocrats, and the oligarchy.  So many people are much better choices.  Here are only a few:  more or less on "The Right"---anyone [is superior to Trump], including Mitt Romney and Rand Paul; more or less on "The Left"---Elizabeth Warren, Jill Stein, Bernie Sanders, and Cornel West [all are superior to Biden].

Our educational system also is to blame.  Too many people seem to be trained only for being a "Yes" employee, a work drone.  No open-mindedness, no critical thinking, no holistic thinking, little concern for ethics, and little foresight beyond job and family.  Add to all that, little interest in philosophy, history, and the biophysical basis of our existence - NATURE.  Such a scenario is a recipe for disaster.  If it is to survive and thrive, Civilization needs a lot more than only technocrats and Yes people.

Zak Stein is a comprehensive thinker with vision and a radical, but necessary, framework for building an educational network which enhances and enables human society to be its best.  His suggestions for navigating through the ongoing human predicament are an inspiring must-see.  Don't miss it.  [I recommend you turn on the captions.]

...................

Not only my opinion.  Happy Trails

Excerpt from: "Choices & Change on the Path to a Sustainable Existence..."

 Here's part of Chapter 2 (Soil, Not Oil) from my second short book.

[The book is available here:  https://www.amazon.com/Choices-Change-Path-Sustainable-Existence/dp/B0CSSVWB3N? ] ---

...............................

Introduction

Dirt is almost totally without any life in it. Soil is a living ecosystem which, in conjunction with water, air, sunlight, and the chlorophyll in green plants, makes animal life possible on Earth. It’s a more valuable natural resource than petroleum. Partly because few people seem to recognize or appreciate that view, we are in a worldwide soil crisis. [Dr. Vandana Shiva, a renowned agroecologist, has an informative and beautiful book out titled, Soil Not Oil.]

Though not recognized as such at the time, the crisis began with the first agricultural Green Revolution in the late 1950’s and throughout the 1960’s. Because planners were concerned about human population outpacing food production, plant breeders started developing new, high-yielding varieties of cereal grains, particularly wheat and rice. The newly developed crops were high-yielding because they managed to pull more nutrients (e.g., nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium) out of the soil as compared to older varieties.

In addition to new crop varieties, science developed pesticides and farmers applied them to their fields in earnest, especially in the late 1950’s and early 1960’s. Tons of DDT were dumped onto fields, thus controlling plant-eating insects. Food production began to rise.

Apparently, few people were concerned about any potential impact of poisons on soil microbes, worms, fungi, and other life forms necessary for soil health.

At the same time, the petrochemical industry developed artificial (synthetic) fertilizers. By about the early 1970’s, worldwide food production began to increase at an unprecedented rate. Such was the start of the second Green Revolution. Due to massive application of both synthetic fertilizers and irrigation water, it lasted to about 1985 or so. Annual grain production increased by 160%.

When the Green Revolution began, the start of a long period of soil degradation also began. For quite awhile, it was unrecognized. The widespread use of DDT on crops (and thus, on soil as well) began not long after WWII, well before the Green Revolution. It was banned in the USA in 1972. The primary reason for the ban was the harm it caused populations of raptors, or birds of prey. The harm to soil generally was unknown at the time. In agriculture, other poisons took the place of dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethane (DDT). Herbicides also contributed to the ongoing degradation of soil. So, too, did the massive use of synthetic fertilizers. To understand WHY and HOW petrochemicals (in this case, synthetic fertilizers and synthetic pesticides) cause the degradation of a most valuable resource, let’s look at soil in a bit more detail.

Like all others, soil is a highly complex natural ecosystem. Most ecologists would agree that a healthy, natural ecosystem is more complex than anything ever built by humans. Anything. So, the first thing to keep in mind is: soil is a living system with more complexity than any machine or system made by us. That complex, living system is the basis of our food supply. Almost all our plant and animal food products ultimately come from the soil. Instead of essentially poisoning it with artificial petrochemicals, we should be revering it and treating it with the utmost care. [See Pal, R. 2006 in References.]

Fifty or more years ago, a good topsoil consisted of 25% air, 25% water, 45% minerals, and 5% humus. The last item, humus, is partially decayed organic matter. It’s derived primarily from dead plants, plant parts (such as fallen leaves, twigs broken off, tree bark, etc.), dead animals and microbes, and animal wastes. Humus is crucial to soil fertility. It provides not only macronutrients such as Nitrogen (N), Phosphorus (P), & Potassium (K), and the secondary nutrients Calcium (Ca),   Magnesium (Mg), and Sulfur (S), but also the micronutrients Zinc (Zn), Manganese (Mn), Iron (Fe), Chloride (a form of Chlorine, Cl), Copper (Cu), Molybdenum (Mo), and Boron (B). When industrial farmers use the main synthetic fertilizer made from petroleum, all the soil gets is macronutients. Over time, the soil slowly is degraded. Today’s soil contains humus hovering around 1%, and that’s only a part of what makes up the Soil Crisis.

Other Aspects of Soil Important to Humans

• About 25% of the world’s land biodiversity is found in soil. One result of that: biodiverse soil bacteria provide us with new antibiotics. Also, biodiversity overall makes a soil ecosystem healthier and more resistant to environmental stresses such as disease in soil plants and animals, drought, and other damage to soil food webs.

• Soil filters water. For the most part, large groundwater aquifers are located inside “solid” rock. Rock has many tiny crevices, cracks, and microscopic pores which allow water molecules to enter. They accumulate there over thousands and thousands of years. Before ever getting to underlying bedrock, soil filters the water as it travels downward. That’s why water from a drilled well generally is “pure”.

• Soil is an important carbon sink. It sequesters carbon dioxide, thus keeping excess CO2 out of our atmosphere.

• The mineral portion of soil is composed of various combinations of sand, silt, and clay. Individual clay particles are so tiny they can be seen only with a high-powered microscope. As such, they exist in what’s known as a colloid, or in colloidal form. In that state, they have a net negative electrical charge. This means they attract positively charged mineral nutrients such as calcium, magnesium, iron, potassium, etc. The nutrients thus are prevented from leaching down into the lower depths of the subsoil, out of reach of many plant roots.

• Humus also exists in colloidal form. It, too, holds nutrients in the topsoil where they can be absorbed by plant roots. The colloids making up both inorganic clay and organic humus are the most chemically active parts of any soil. They are crucial to soil fertility. Humus is a great source of nutrition for plants, and by releasing the nutrients slowly during decomposition, the plant roots are not “burned” when the nutrients are absorbed. The petrochemical fertilizer, ammonium nitrate, sometimes does damage to plant roots by quickly overwhelming and “burning” them.

• Green land plants get most of their water and nutrients (other than glucose, which they make themselves) from soil. Such plants not only are the basis of our food web, but also a significant source of the oxygen we require to live.

Petrochemicals, a major cause of soil degradation, damage or destroy soil biodiversity by killing many different types of microbes which are necessary to soil health. [See Pal, R. 2006 and Goudie, Andrew S. 2019 in References.] Bacteria, the most numerous of the soil microbes, work to decompose plant and animal matter. Thus they promote nutrient cycling. So do fungi and actinomycetes. Some bacteria can pull nitrogen out of the air and “fix” it into certain plants known as legumes (e.g., alfalfa, clover, and beans). Actinomycetes resemble both bacteria and fungi, and they aid in decomposition of organic matter, thus also contributing to the cycling of nutrients in the soil ecosystem. In addition to decomposition, fungi help bind soil particles into aggregates, and so aid in resistance to wind and water erosion.

Mycorrhizal fungi in soil are especially important to green plants. “Mycorrhizal” refers to a plant’s root system. These fungi live on the roots of plants in a mostly symbiotic (mutually beneficial) manner. Their hyphae – fungal feeding tubes – allow the host plant’s roots to take in more water and nutrients than they otherwise could. The practices of industrial farming – with their use of synthetic fertilizers and herbicides – are destroying these valuable fungi. Thus, over time, crop yields ultimately will be reduced because of soil degradation.

Factory farming also exacerbates wind and water erosion of soil, thus contributing even more to soil degradation.

BOTTOM LINE: the use of petrochemicals on farms, and all the rest of industrial agriculture, must be phased out. Farming and food supply chains must return to a smaller scale in order to regenerate our soil and cease the poisoning of food ecosystems. Organic farming, sometimes called regenerative agriculture, permaculture, or agroecology, is the best choice forward.

..........................

The excerpt above shows how reliance on Technology can backfire if planners and policy makers are not thinking comprehensively.  I see the same thing taking shape today with geoengineers addressing symptoms rather than root causes of our ongoing Crisis.

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Not only my opinion.  Be Well, and BE AWARE

The Mother of All Feedback Loops re Human Society

A short while ago, I posted the following as a small part of a new book description---

"the complex feedback loop involving constant economic growth, which requires more energy, which then creates more complexity in society, which then requires more energy, which then creates even more complexity, etc. is ruining our habitat;".

This essay is an expanded view of that concept.

In our past (and ongoing) pursuit of infinite economic growth, we've created a System, a "Superorganism" according to the ecologist, Nate Hagens.  This System is so large, so filled with complexity, and so out-of-control that a) it can't be fully described, and b) it can't be reined-in, and c) it's ruining the ecosphere.  It's the ultimate Rat-Race.  It's a primary cause of our ecological overshoot.  It's a runaway machine with no one at the helm.  It's literally killing us, not only with pollutants, but also with food insecurity, the stress of job insecurity, inadequate health care facilities, wars, inequality and inequity, declining democracy, and the like.  About twenty percent (maybe less) of Earth's human population are managing to stay afloat in the ongoing energy binge; the rest of us are in a slow descent to subsistence living.

[The twenty-six richest people on Earth own as much wealth as HALF the entire world's population combined.  In a civil society, that's an obscenity.  It's most likely also why the Rich and Powerful (perhaps with a few exceptions) want the runaway System to continue.  They appear to not be long-term, comprehensive, holistic thinkers.]

The ever-increasing complexity is causing significant problems in the arenas of:  global supply chains, manufacturing, transportation, consumption, extraction of natural resources, generation and distribution of electricity, health care equity, income inequality, institutional functioning, and more.  As society becomes more complex, the need for more and more energy increases.

Even a High School biology student could tell you with a high degree of certainty that such a scenario is unsustainable on a planet with finite resources.  Unfortunately, it appears most (not all) of the Powers-That-Be are relying on ideology, not science, to navigate through this current Crisis.  They appear to believe the benefits of our 150-year energy binge are the norm, but fail to see the Mother of All Feedback Loops, and the negative externalities of fossil fuel use.  They also don't seem to grasp the looming minerals problem relative to our necessary transition to Green Energy.  Never mind the soil crisis and the impending food supply shortage.

According to the mining engineer and geologist, Simon Michaux, in about only five years there will be serious problems regarding necessary minerals for Green energy.  In about ten years, agriculture also will be having significant problems.  It all revolves around energy.

If we don't voluntarily reduce our energy use, we'll be forced to by lack of cheap, easily available, and abundant fossil fuels AND lack of cheap, easily available and necessary minerals (about 70 of them) for renewables.  Less energy use will lessen eco-overshoot by leaps and bounds.  It also will slow down the Rat-Race by lessening societal complexity.  This all can happen if we phase out of infinite economic GROWTH, and phase into economic development in a steady state economy.  [See https://steadystate.org/ ]

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Not only my opinion.  Be Well, and Be Aware

More on: "Choices & Change on the Path to a Sustainable Existence..."

 https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0CSSVWB3N?ref_=pe_93986420_774957520

If you would like a free pdf copy, email me with the title, "Choices & Change".

Below is a list of major topics in the book---

• why we're blind to the Big Picture regarding the "carbon pulse" (fossil energy), and what it will take to transition away from it;
• why the pursuit of infinite economic growth must be abandoned ASAP;
• our blindness regarding mineral requirements for a Green economy;
• while "Going Green" is necessary, unfortunately the present approach by the Powers-That-Be is insufficient;
• why we are not superior to and separate from Nature;
• why our society must convert from high-energy use to low-energy use;
• the complex feedback loop involving constant economic growth, which requires more energy, which then creates more complexity in society, which then requires more energy, which then creates even more complexity, etc. is ruining our habitat;
• ecological overshoot is THE problem, but Powers-That-Be mostly are trying to address only the symptoms of that;
• why there's a soil crisis, and the best choices for resolving it;
• ditto for the fresh water crisis;
• ditto for the food crisis;
• why healthy ecosystems and biodiversity are the bedrock of our existence;
• how factory farming is ruining agriculture, and the best choice forward;
• what many people don't seem to understand about science;
• what is "sustainability", and numerous examples of it;
• the shift in our ethics which is necessary for humans to survive and thrive;
• the propaganda coming from the Corporatocracy;
• why the petrochemical industry must be reined-in;
• why "The Market" can't solve the ill effects of Climate Change; and
• what's needed for a bright future for us and our descendants.

.............................

Not only my opinion.  Be Well

"Choices & Change on the Path to a Sustainable Existence..."

 My second book is now available at the link below.  Please read the Description, in which I discuss who probably would enjoy the read and who would not.    

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0CSSVWB3N?ref_=pe_93986420_774957520

If interested at all in sustainability, you may also want to read a sample of the Introduction.  Click on "Read Sample" in the upper left quadrant of the page.  From time to time, I'll post other excerpts on this venue.  A hardback version will out soon.  I doubt that an eBook will be because (as I learned with the first book) getting it up and out is somewhat of a nightmare for a High Tech Dummy like me - even if I hire someone to do the eBook formatting.  😵

In any case, Thanks to All for your consideration, and 

Happy Trails,

Scott

Humans, all other life on Earth, technology, and the future

 As we begin a new year, consider a physicist's view of what our economic superorganism is doing to our quality of life.  The ecologist, Nate Hagens, interviews Thomas Murphy.  I especially enjoyed his unique method of putting human history into perspective, which is covered in the first 6 minutes.  Don't miss it; at least watch that.  [You can spare 6 minutes:]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f6yFrh1X6DI

You may have to adjust it back to the beginning. 

In terms of the geological time frame on Earth, we "modern" humans (Homo sapiens) haven't been in existence for very long - about 200,000 years or so.  Our ancestors started about 2.5 million years ago.  In a recent essay - The Simple Story of Civilization - Prof. Murphy compressed our full time (ancestors + "modern") on this planet into a 75-year span.  Using that time frame for our total existence,  he calculated the following:

a)  a mere five years ago, Homo sapiens appeared;

b)  only fifteen weeks ago, agriculture (and "civilization") began - that's about 10,000+/- years ago in the geologic time frame;

c)  barely four days ago, the Age of Science began - about 400 years ago in geologic time;

d)  only a day and a half ago, the Age of Fossil Energy started - around 150 years ago in normal geologic time;

e)  finally, just twelve hours ago, global and rapid eco-devastation began - that's about 50 years ago in normal time. 

The petrochemical industry is largely responsible for e) above.

According to Dr. Murphy, several important points arise from the scenario just described.

1)  Prior to the advent of agriculture and settlements/towns/cities (civilization), we lived more or less in harmony with Nature.

2) For thousands of years after the emergence of civilization, we still had some degree of harmony with our habitat.

3)  Nevertheless, the arrival of civilization started a path of accumulation of possessions, development of hierarchies in the extreme, and efforts to control Nature.

4)  Then, only 150 years ago, we harnessed a Master resource - relatively cheap, abundant, and easily transportable fossil energy -and we basically went berserk on overconsumption and increased attempts to control Nature.

5)  Little thought was given to unintended consequences.

6)  Our current civilization was not designed to be sustainable.  For one thing, the economic system the Powers-That-Be worship is constantly and infinitely craving more energy, and more production, and more consumption.  More, more, and more into infinity.  It's not sustainable ecologically, thermodynamically, financially, or socially.

7)  Plus, we've "doubled-down" on efforts to control Nature, something which never will be fully attained.  Meanwhile, we're damaging/destroying the basis of our biophysical existence.  Such a system is destined to fail, and we're getting close to that point.

8)  Because the system (a Superorganism) is so large, and essentially uncontrolled, the failure will be monumental.

Prof. Murphy's BOTTOM LINE is this:

Our current path clearly is not sustainable.  The spurt of growth and expansion we've seen in the last 150 years is not the norm in human history, is temporary, and is unsustainable to the max.  Future choices must ALL be predicated on (paraphrased) sustainability principles which conserve and protect the ecosphere.  In short, he's saying something I've echoed a number of times:  everything must change if we are to survive and thrive.  Only then will we be able to bequeath a healthy habitat and society to our descendants.  

How to bring about necessary changes is an open question.  A good start would be to ignore Corporatocracy propaganda, shun dogma, open our minds, be more cooperative with others, live with intention, and increase our thinking out-of-the-box.  Many people and nonprofit groups are doing such, and even a few parts of some governments are doing so.  Best choices for moving forward are emerging, and should be supported.  Make time for that.

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Not only my opinion.  Take Care, Be Aware, and Find Peace of Mind

WOW, "Beyond Growth": Jason Hickel on Capital, GDP, the Global North, EU's Green Deal, Economics+

 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xszUWnSEJig&t=100s

[You may have to adjust it back to the beginning.]

Prof. Jason Hickel is a comprehensive, holistic thinker who grasps the value and complexity of the systems approach to problem-solving.  In this short talk (introductory remarks to a "Beyond Growth" Conference in Europe), he wows and inspires the audience with a concise no-holds-barred view of the human predicament and the best choices for moving forward.

As Hickel verbally unpacks multiple crucial issues in his rapid-fire delivery, I'm again reminded of how Europe (in general) is light-years ahead of the USA when it comes to sustainability considerations.  Here in my country (which I love & never would leave), it often seems as though the overwhelming majority of adults are mired in the dogma of infinite economic growth.  It's sacrosanct.  It's a given, never to be questioned.  It's a secular religion.  Such must change if our species is to survive and thrive.

On the bright side, I'm encouraged by the interest developing online in the ideas of not only Hickel, but also William E. Rees, Nate Hagens, Simon Michaux, Brian Czech, Vandana Shiva, Peter Kalmus, Joseph Tainter, Steve Keen, Giorgos Kallis, Dennis Meadows, Josh Farley, Patrick Ophuls, and many other natural and/or social scientists.  As more people become aware of planetary boundaries and biophysical issues, the better our chances of successfully navigating through the current, multi-pronged Crisis.

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Not only my opinion.  Take Care

"Old School, the Vikings, the Realists/Community Preppers, and the Arcadians"

 From the mining engineer, Dr. Simon Michaux and the ecologist, Dr. Nate Hagens, four metaphors for the people of the world (all of us) as we face the ongoing socio-eco-econ-ethical Crisis.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bb801wdRULM&list=WL&index=66&pp=gAQBiAQB 

The title of the video is "The Arcadian Blueprint".  In it, Michaux and Hagens offer specific details for a beginning of the transition to sustainability.  Basically, it's an introduction to Michaux's "resource based economy".  [I posted this link (but with different commentary) awhile ago, maybe a month or so.  The video is both entertaining and extremely informative.]

Which of the four metaphors (or what combination) applies to you?

Old School---

those who believe everything will soon get back to "normal"; it's okay, the Powers-That-Be are handling it; we'll muddle through; reductionist thinkers.

The Vikings---

those who take advantage of the disruption by "raiding" the economy and the ecosphere, grabbing whatever they can for themselves; little to no social conscience, or concern for future generations.

The Realists/Community Preppers---

those who see the Crisis, and are working toward fairly immediate, short-term solutions re energy, food, water, shelter, and economy for their family, often in concert with neighbors or the whole community.  [Note: this category does not include those few people who believe a bunker, rifles, hand grenades, claymore mines, and razor wire are needed for defense of the "compound".]

The Arcadians (as in ancient Greece)---

those with the wisdom to work for long-term sustainability, a thriving Earth for current and future generations; comprehensive, holistic, systems thinkers.

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Be Well

Holism & Reductionism REDUX

This is being reposted because understanding it is crucial to dealing with our current socio-eco-econ-ethical Crisis.

 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h_kbt7h1YRw&list=WL&index=63

There's plenty of evidence indicating both public and private Powers-That-Be are, for the most part, relying strictly on the reductionist method of analysis when working on our current, worldwide problems.  It appears little thought is given to the holistic approach.  If such really is true, then efforts to mitigate or eliminate those problems most likely will fall short.

All the primary aspects of our Crisis are interconnected, and THE main problem is ecological overshoot.  Ocean acidification, excessive natural resource depletion, pollution of water, air, and land, soil degradation, food insecurity, famine, decreasing fresh water availability, drought, climate change, social unrest, and more are all caused by humans engaging in eco-overshoot.  This all means the problem is extremely complex, and that means addressing it must include a holistic synthesis.  "Systems thinking" is required.

Details are in the short video at the link above.

................

Not only my opinion, Be Well

Here are the cruxes of our current situation

If the many expert PhD ecologists (whose work I've been following for five-plus years) are correct about what's coming fairly soon, then aggregate humanity is in for some extremely troubling times.

People have to be aware of a problem before they undertake mitigation of it.  I sincerely doubt that (as only a few examples) most American adults are aware of the following:

1.  large scale investment in renewable energy is declining when it should be increasing; and,

2.  fossil fuels are necessary (for now & the immediate future, at least) to build renewable energy gizmos and infrastructure; and,

3.  going Green and still pursuing infinite economic growth is an oxymoron; and,

4.  because of the amounts of refined metals (copper, boron, iron, nickel, manganese, chromium, zinc, silver, molybdenum, and about 50-60 others) and rare earth elements necessary for production of renewable energy, and the time required to mine & refine those minerals, it's extremely likely there's no way we can avoid major catastrophes (worse than those recently) within the next 10 or so years...even if we NOW would go full steam ahead with production of renewables...& we're not even doing that.

[Note:  over 90 of the 118 chemical elements on the Periodic Table are metals.  High Tech gizmos require 30-70 of them in each manufactured unit.]

POINT BEING:  I'm convinced that an overwhelming majority of Americans - including a majority of those on the political Left - are not aware of (or don't believe) most of the content in 1-4 above.  Thus, they don't believe MAJOR catastrophes (worse than those of today) are coming relatively soon, no matter what we do or don't do.  More importantly, I'm convinced a majority believe we can go back to "normal" (excessive consumerism, overconsumption, living high on the hog) if we just Go Green.  They seem to believe: things will be fine if we just use renewable energy and recycle & re-use materials; industrial farming can continue to expand; commercial & industrial land development can continue to expand; fresh water availability is not a problem; soil degradation is not a problem; etc.  I'm also convinced a majority of people believe we have until 2040 or 2050 to "solve the problem", and so, no worries - the Powers-That-Be are handling it.  Sorry, none of that is true.

But all the above doesn't mean there's no hope.  Science apparently can't do it, but those coming catastrophes finally will wake up people to the fact that we as aggregate humans must undergo a paradigm shift in lifestyle, ethics, & worldview.  Only then will people, in earnest, adopt the choices found in Chapter 11 of my 1st book (or wherever else they find them)...and hundreds more found all over the internet - methods to heal the ecosphere, live sustainably as a species, and pass on a healthy habitat to future generations.  That can happen, but first we'll be going through incredibly troubling times.  There's no way to avoid them.  Prepare your mind.

Not only my opinion.  Be Well

 

Why investment in renewable energy (at scale) is stagnating...

 and why the transition away from fossil fuels is too.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3gSzzuY1Yw0&list=WL&index=69

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-585aVUNz68&list=WL&index=68

Both clips above seem to reinforce my hypothesis expressed here:

https://individualsovereignty.blogspot.com/2022/08/hypothesis-its-likely-powers-that-be.html

As the erudite political scientist and human ecologist Dr. Patrick Ophuls states:  "Electrifying the Titanic" (one of his book titles) is a good thing, but it won't suffice.  We also have to convert from a high-energy society to a low-energy society.  High energy use requires natural resource abundance (ecological abundance), but we're at the beginning of natural resource scarcity.  We've already picked the low-hanging fruit (so to speak); what's left is getting too expensive to extract from the ecosphere.  We're talking about dozens of metals and several rare earth elements.  Never mind water and petroleum.  All are necessary for the production of high tech renewable energy gizmos.  We must transition to renewables, but we also have to change our lifestyle and worldview.  Scientific studies and common sense make that crystal clear.

In short, we have to phase out of exponential, perpetual economic growth and overconsumption if we are to survive and thrive.  Not converting to a low-energy society will result in a much worse Crisis (both eco and econ) than what we're in today.  The scale of it will be unprecedented in human history.

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Not only my opinion.  Take Care

Toxic Male Energy...on Steroids

 in the forms of---

hegemonic petro-masculinity; hegemonic eco-modern masculinity (geoengineering, a la Musk, et al.); and more.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ddyOe7vm5R0 -

"Are Men Killing the Planet?"

One micro-example from the clip:  buy your own "rolling coal" kit for your pickup truck, which allows you to blow massive amounts of thick black smoke (while driving) onto hybrid cars, eco-protesters, & such.  [You have to see this to believe it.]  Ignorance abounds.

The macro-examples are even worse.

The System of Patriarchy literally is killing us and our habitat.

The Elites are panicking over a paradigm shift.  They're hanging on to fossil fuels and patriarchy with a death grip.

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Not only my opinion.  Be Well

Here's precisely why...

 everything must change.  This is the most erudite presentation on the human predicament I've ever heard.  Topics include:  the current socio-eco-econ-ethical Crisis, politics, energy, ecology, metaphysics, spirituality, future possibilities, the USA, France, history, philosophy, solutions, and more.

The human condition (and that of our world) in a nutshell:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=frK66sPntA4

Even if you have to watch it in 5 or 10-minute stages, don't miss it.  Even if you disagree with a portion of it, continue on.  Don't assume the remainder won't be valuable to you.  I'm about 99.99% sure that it will be.  [You might want to turn on the captions.]

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Be Well

The Problem and the Solution

The Problem---

While Leaders spend billions on war machines (never mind killing people and polluting the ecosphere with the wastes of proxy wars and war games), natural ecosystems, economies, and societies continue to unravel.

1.  FIVE banks now more or less have failed, not two.  [Due primarily to massive unrealized losses in the Bond Market.]

2.  Debt Bubbles continue to grow around the world.  [Total Debt now is more than 3 times the world's GDP.]

3.  The food crisis continues.  Literally millions of people are starving, many of them children.

4.  The U.N. has issued a final warning:  eco-crises (especially climate change) are not being addressed at the proper scale to prevent catastrophe.

5.  Extreme drought, extreme flooding in other areas, extreme storms, soil loss, deforestation, extreme temps, etc. all continue.  Meanwhile, new permits are issued for more fossil fuel extraction.

6.  Mass shootings are up, suicides are up, and the pandemic is still killing a few thousand people per week in the USA, which is more than in any other country in the world.

7.  Confidence in both political Leaders and Banks is at a very low level.

8.  Almost HALF the workers in the USA are either in poverty (12%) or on the brink of it (30%).  Not quite, but almost everyone else is living paycheck-to-paycheck.  Meanwhile, politicians claim our economy is "strong".  Right...for the 20% or so in the upper tier.

9.  The serial liar, Trump, is campaigning again in his normal style - whining.  Talk about "Old News", he's it.

10.  "Oil Man" Biden is showing his true colors with the Arctic Willow Project and Gulf leases.

11.  Despots around the world, who sense a peaceful grass-roots uprising, are cracking down even more on populations.

12.  Neoliberal propaganda still abides.

So my question is:  when will people start demanding a different path???

[It's a rhetorical question.]

The Solution---

 https://steadystate.org/discover/definition-of-steady-state-economy/  [Pay particular attention to the blue Menu on the right side of the page.]

More later.

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Not only my opinion.  Be Well

Complexity Connections are why Powers-That-Be cannot seem to grasp the urgency of Earth's Global Crisis

If you're anything like me, for years occasionally you've pondered over the following questions.  With all the problems we've caused in the ecosphere, and the severity of same increasing at a fairly rapid rate, why do governments keep pushing each other to the brink?  Why do they keep going to war, which exacerbates ecological damage and ruins lives?  Why don't they wake up and realize global cooperation is required if we are to survive and thrive as aggregate humanity?  Why do they keep tinkering around the edges of the socio-eco-econ-ethical Crisis?  [I do realize there are many governments around the world to which the above does not apply*** , but it seems to me the overwhelming majority are guilty as charged.]

*** Norway comes to mind, and there are several others.  Overall, the U.S. Government is not in that ecologically literate club, and never has been.

I imagine there are several possible answers to the above questions; however, I believe the following has to be in the top three.  They simply don't understand the complexity and fragility of the ecosphere.  They just don't get it.  They grew up in a world of relative abundance in natural resources, and a population less than half of today's world population.  They seem to be stuck in the Past.

In addition, most politicians and their advisors cling to the idea of perpetually unlimited economic growth.  They believe any damage from such will be mitigated or eliminated by Technology.  So, full steam ahead!

To illustrate the interactions and connections they're missing - concepts which must be understood if we are to avoid the collapse of organized human existence - today I created the following diagram.  [The title is Complexity Connections.]  It harkens back to Barry Commoner's First Law of Ecology in 1971:  Everything is connected to everything else.

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Not only my opinion.  Be Well

Editorial Review

 Below is a review of my first book provided by:  International Review of Books.

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* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

The Beginning of the Path to Human Extinction, and HOW TO GET OFF IT

Which line stood out from all the others in the book?
It has taken about forty to fifty years for neoliberalism and corporate globalization to bring us to what might be the beginning of the path to human extinction.

General Summary for Context:
A look into what's going on right under our very noses—the extinction of the human race.  While this may sound a bit dramatic and drastic, the author provides us with a detailed albeit frightening look at how our preconceived notions (more is better, for example) are not leading us to happiness but instead, on a direct path to being obliterated. In addition, he offers recommendations as to how we can stop this freight train from crashing and burning, taking all of us along for the ride.

Concise Review:
A fascinating look at how our preconceived ideas of acquiring possessions, status, power and prestige (leading to unstoppable financial accumulation) is actually a barrier to personal fulfillment. Conspicuous consumption is not providing us with happiness but on the contrary, straight to ruination and destruction.  Indeed, how our actions are propelling us not to contentment but to the wanting of more and more, continuing the vicious cycle of materialism, greed and overconsumption. But there are things we can do to halt this process, and the author offers specific and informative suggestions as to what each of us can do as our part in continuing the human race.  

General Thoughts on the Book:
A truly grounding and disturbing look at how ideas and values ground into us from birth are not leading us towards happiness but to mass extinction.  Perhaps not tomorrow but certainly in the generations to come. I was riveted and totally engaged with this book and highly recommend it to anyone with an open mind who is willing to overcome their preconceived notions and take a careful look as to what this author is describing. Definitely a five star read.

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The book may be purchased here---
 https://www.amazon.com/stores/author/B0BVJMMWLG/about
OR - 

https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/the-beginning-of-the-path-to-human-extinction-and-how-to-get-off-it-scott-haley/1141364431?ean=2940160947181\
OR-
email me & I'll send you a free pdf copy.  Make the title of your email "Book 1 Copy".

My email is:  abstractcowboy@gmail.com
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Be Well