David Korten: What Would a Down-to-Earth Economy Look Like?

[marmar]

from YES! Magazine:


What Would a Down-to-Earth Economy Look Like?
How did we end up with Wall Street when models for a healthy economy are all around us?

by David Korten
posted Jan 17, 2013


With proper care and respect, Earth can provide a high quality of life for all people in perpetuity. Yet we devastate productive lands and waters for a quick profit, a few temporary jobs, or a one-time resource fix.

Our current expansion of tar sands oil extraction, deep-sea oil drilling, hydraulic fracturing natural gas extraction, and mountaintop-removal coal mining are but examples of this insanity. These highly profitable choices deepen our economic dependence on rapidly diminishing, nonrenewable fossil-energy reserves, disrupt the generative capacity of Earth’s living systems, and accelerate climate disruption.

A global economy dependent on this nonsense is already failing and its ultimate collapse is only a matter of time. For a surprisingly long time, we humans have successfully maintained the illusion that we are outside of, superior to, and not subject to the rules of nature. We do so, however, at a huge cost, and payment is coming due.

To secure the health and happiness of future generations, we must embrace life as our defining value, recognize that competition is but a subtext of life’s deeper narrative of cooperation, and restructure our institutions to conform to life’s favored organizing principle of radically decentralized, localized decision making and self-organization. This work begins with recognizing what nature has learned about the organization of complex living systems over billions of years. ..................(more)

The complete piece is at: http://www.yesmagazine.org/issues/what-would-nature-do/inside-the-down-to-earth-economy

[a geek named Bob]

1. Dude...

The rule is Puff, Puff, Pass...

I call party foul.

[NoOneMan]

2. This seems like knee-jerk disrespect for alternative ideas to the status quo

For example, I understand that overweight people would prefer a magic pill to exercise and diet. Every now and then we need to recognize our preferences may be contrary to some pretty decent ideas.

BTW, caught any carbon in your great red balloons lately? Im curious about how the project is coming (no disrespect intended)

[marmar]

3. Some minds are hermetically sealed, sadly.

nt

[a geek named Bob]

5. right...

"really... it'll expand your mind..."

Thank you for playing

[a geek named Bob]

4. I was simply attempting to use a poetic metaphor to express...

That said "stated ideas that are alternative to the status quo":

1.) showed precious little descriptive simplicity.
The apparent tenor of the snippet seemed to rest on the "dominance by eloquence" technique of bad rhetoric. I've read Post-Modernist Literary Critical Theory that sounded more folksy than this.

2.) Read like something out of an old Hippie Day Book:

A global economy dependent on this nonsense is already failing and its ultimate collapse is only a matter of time.

2a.) The back to the earth crowd Luddite crowd has said this since the Industrial Revolution. When we run out of oil, we can replace it with pond scum derived bio-diesel. We can turn pollution into feed stocks for other recycled waste industries. We can run our cities off solar and wind.

2b.) Then there's that problem of "our global economy/society." We have different countries for a reason. Not everybody likes to do the same things. You like Salmon, and I hate the stuff. Different ways. I can understand and relate to Bucky Fuller's World Systems Game goals, but I like the idea of choosing who I associate with.

For a surprisingly long time, we humans have successfully maintained the illusion that we are outside of, superior to, and not subject to the rules of nature. We do so, however, at a huge cost, and payment is coming due.

One word: Holland.

3.) would probably read better if the reader was stoned. I think that pretty much speaks for itself...

[NoOneMan]

6. 2a makes us seem pretty clever

Exhibit #1

Exhibit #2: I don't need Exhibit #2. Please scroll up to Exhibit #1.

The belief that we will always be able to avert catastrophe with our cleverness and provide for our needs with technology is akin to religious dogma, which is fine as I respect that everyone has a right to believe whatever garbage they want.

[a geek named Bob]

7. That "belief" you mentioned is based on our track record as a species to figure our way

out of problems.

Your video has nothing to do with what I posted.

[NoOneMan]

8. Yeah, war, poverty, epidemics, waste, pollution, and now climate change

We still haven't got any of it figured out. We flounder in cycles.

My video shows a great ape failing. Watch it again. Funny shit.

[a geek named Bob]

9. and gardening, and food storage, and elctricity, and books, and

tool making, and clothing, and boats, and medicine, and codified laws...

[NoOneMan]

10. Precisely! All that stuff and we are still perpetually screwing up...

But one one day we will magically come out on top! That's some heavy faith man. Pass the joint

[a geek named Bob]

11. Every day that we don't kill ourselves is a day that we come out on top.

Then there's economically beating the shit out of the USSR, and facing evil (and winning) via WWII.

I thought you were going to be my designated stoner. If true, you're going to have to go through a lot more...

[NoOneMan]

12. "Then there's economically beating the shit out of the USSR"

Yeah, that did wonders for our emission levels

[a geek named Bob]

13. If you want to go be depressed...

The Smiths CDs, Aqua-net, and Special K are in the glove-box...

Seriously... You can actually SEE Los Angeles! The Cuyahoga river doesn't catch fire anymore! We can beat pollution with technology.

I like you better when you're smoking your grow...

[NoOneMan]

14. Get back to me when we are actually beating pollution

Right now we are outsourcing it while global emissions continue to rise:

[a geek named Bob]

15. So what do I get, for fixing the problem?

what will you trade?

You keep trying to move goal posts...

[NoOneMan]

16. Damn Bob, we are going to need more balloons!

Look, its not my goal to maintain industrial civilization at all costs by devising clever plans to deal with yesterday's problems (caused by yesterday's clever plans). If you can figure out a way to do it, I imagine its salvation will be your reward. Otherwise, I could give a damn what you "get".

[a geek named Bob]

17. again, you seem upset...

why are you upset?

As you your pics... that looks like heavy particulate matter suspended in humid air (smog). How much air do we need to clean up?

Have fun with the fishnet stockings and the black markers...

[NoOneMan]

18. I am rather ambivalent about your struggle

I don't share your goals. You'll either figure it out or billions will starve (or you figure it out and fewer billions still starve anyway).

Best of luck with the balloons Bob.

[a geek named Bob]

19. Thank you for the well wishing...

Though I was hoping for either food or booze.

[tama]

20. Where HAVE you been?

The "rule" is puff as you please and as much and as long as you feel is good for you.