. . . . . entries for 23.8.10 . . . . .
PEI asked me some questions about Gus Speth's book, The Bridge at the Edge of the World. Here they are, with my answers.
"In the introduction of Speth’s book, he presents a series of graphs illustrating humanity’s impact on the Earth over the past 250 years (what he calls The Great Collision). What reactions did you have to these graphs showing the timescale and amplitude of environmental degradation? In your view, is there a point when it becomes too late to reverse damage to the environment?"
The graphs alone didn't phase me much - I'd seen them before. But Speth's tone throughout the introduction and first chapter left me with a sense of enormous dread, depression, and hopelessness. It was incredibly difficult to read, because environmental issues are not an idle curiosity or academic interest for me - they are the single most important complex of problems facing the human race, and anyone who realizes it has a moral obligation to assess and follow through on how best they can help solve them. I was frankly amazed and appalled that he chose to lay this heavy psychological burden on his readers right off the bat, without any glimmer of hope to sustain them. I do not think it was an effective choice on his part; if I had not felt obligated to read through I would have dropped the book and never returned to it. Perhaps more to the point: I was much more hopeful about my generation's ability to mitigate and possibly reverse climate change and other environmental problems before I read the introduction and first chapter. And in light of this summer's events in Pakistan, Moscow, and Greenland, who are we to say that the point of no return has not come and gone long since?
"Referring to Speth’s book, what are some of the impacts of global climate change that are likely to affect us locally? Have you had an experience in which you’ve witnessed the effects of global climate change? Which effects do you foresee being the largest threat in the next 10 years? 50 years? 100 years?"
You're trying to get me to be afraid of climate change - I know because how to get people to be afraid of climate change is what I study. Well, I'm already afraid. So don't worry about it. Personally, I'm concerned that you ask if I've "witnessed the effects of global climate change," since the effects at our latitude mix so thoroughly with weather or shorter-span climate phenomena that it's impossible to say "global warming did that!" - and if you do, you're as bad as those who say "global warming doesn't exist!" with the first blizzard of winter. But I'm guessing our rain patterns will change - maybe more, maybe less, maybe just more concentrated in large downpours and therefore more likely to result in flooding and crop damage. The local flora and fauna will change too. We may eventually get malaria in Princeton if heat and humidity turn out to be where the trend pushes us. But the effects on me, personally, in the short term, are those of seeing events that might be connected to climate change - the fires in Russia, the floods in Pakistan, etc. - and, further, the utter disaster of the human response (or lack of response) to such events, and teetering on the brink of despair for our species and everyone in it. For me, something doesn't need to be local or imminent to be dire and horrifying. I'm weird like that, I guess. A lot of enviros must be.
"What in this reading relates to the work you are doing for your internship this summer?"
Most prominently? The emphasis on reaching young people, although I think OurEarth does this better than Speth, because Speth vehemently pushes away the young, hopeful, and doe-eyed before he tries to draw them close and teach them, whereas OurEarth says "here everything is, for you to find - now use it as you will, to act on the knowledge and fears and hopes you already possess. I trust you. I am not trying to scare you. I am trying to lift you from your despair to a point of action and courage." Honestly, stuff like Speth's book, that piles on the horror before showing even the tiniest glimmer of hope, is both the reason we need outlets like OurEarth and why it may be too late for them - because so many people think it's too late to do anything about climate change, if they allow themselves to believe or acknowledge that it's happening at all.
"In his book, Speth acknowledges that the changes necessary to secure a sustainable future may be overwhelming, considering the current period of economic uncertainty. Yet, he remains hopeful that humans, particularly young people, will carry forward their motivation to bring about this transformation. In your view, how can we become effective agents of change both individually and socially?"
Demand more of everything - demand better than what Speth depicts. Demand more responsible political action, better commercial products of all kinds, more conscientious consumption on the parts of your friends and loved ones. And don't look for solace in material things: look for solace in other people, emotional experiences, beautiful places that may soon be gone forever. These are the things we can never manufacture, and that we should have been valuing all along. I don't quite know how to manufacture the social movement to make the change Speth wants happen, though, other than to be a cog in its frame once it forms. Maybe a sociology or anthropology major would know that.
come home?
.:people:.
{ting}
she looks like the real thing
{mari}
out and about
[kelsey]
THIS IS AMERICA
{yianni}
stop being depressed
{alisa}
other
[shannon]
close and far
{frank}
islands where no islands should go
[cassie]
eating knowledge
{colin}
my dm
[emily]
shoulder to the wheel
[brian]
nostalgic for fantasy
[nicole]
industry insider
{elle}
angry enviro
[matt]
never heard of miyazaki
[pirate dan]
are you reading this?
[olga]
distracted
[messiah dan]
messiah/believer
{max}
approach focus
[natalie]
wait a minute
[susan]
solitude
{greg}
manbeargreg
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.:skin:.
turtles! turtles! by araglas
(heavily modified by yours truly)