Found another book yesterday. By social researcher Hugh Mackay called Advance Australia... Where? addressing why a lot of Australians are feeling powerless and isolated and yearning for a more meaningful life. Only just started reading it, but this topic really interests me.
Why are people so (apparently) apathetic toward the environment, climate change and peak oil?
Why aren't people preparing and making significant changes to their lives?
Why isn't the destruction of our home (Earth) important to people?
Do people honestly think
a) someone is going to save us
b) Government will stop it
c) it's just a big hoax
d) there isn't anything we can do anyway...
e) the mortgage and new tv are much more important than the next generation's lives
f) I'd be considered a freak if I do anything about it or be ridiculed
g) let the next generation sort it out
h) all of the above
i) none of the above
We know what an increase of only a few degrees will do to the planet, that it will cause widespread devastation and loss of a significant amount of species.
Our lives perhaps, but definately our children's and grandchildren's lives will be markedly different from ours. Yet there isn't protesting in the streets, school children aren't rioting demanding we do something about the mess they will inherit.
On the local news last night there was a very cute story about a local 4-year-old girl who has started a campaign in her kindy wanting to save the whales. Great, good on her, but if climate change is increasing the acidity and temperature of the oceans, threatening the very food supply the baleen whales need to survive, what's the point of stopping a few hunters when we are all contributing to killing the whales even if we're not chomping into a whale burger with the lot or launching the harpoon ourselves.
What would motivate people to act?
How can people become aware, educated, and empowered to do something.
Interesting times we are all living in...
Sonya
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5 comments:
Hi Sonya,
We sure do live in "interesting times". I think the answer to your question is h) all of the above. With perhaps another point as well: it's too overwhelming to do anything about so I'll ignore it and hope it goes away/ somebody else will deal with it. At least, in my experience, that argument has a lot of weight amongst people I have talked to. Sad, but true.
I admire your practiveness (is that a word, LOL?) in all that you are doing in your local community though: kudos to you!
Cheers, Julie (jaygee on ALS).
Oops, I meant "pro-activeness", not practiveness ;-)
I'm looking forward to reading HM's new book too Sonya - I find his perspectives on our society fascinating.
Thanks for your comments. Sharing ideas and thoughts is going to be a key factor in how we shape our future.
I would love to understand the process to take the idea of peak oil and the changes we all WILL have to make into palatable bite sized pieces for others to chew on.....
It seems almost too much for most... the most effective way forward seems to be by DOING SOMETHING and at least having a personal PLAN B......
I wonder how long it is going to take for the groundswell of understanding to filter through the superficial information people fill up their lives with on a daily basis?
You write well.......KEEP AT IT.
:) bright moments.
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