I won’t die if I don’t buy another doodad, and I won’t change the system, either. In limited situations boycotts can work, but a global boycott is not possible. Managing the on-the-way next crisis does demand some attention. I don’t know what percent of all jobs in the world are needed to sustain life, but eliminating the useless ones (millions ? billions?), were it to happen in an instant, would create its own kind of chaos. Yes, we need a new system of incentives and disincentives, and IF we produce the right one it will sadly be on considerable more wreckage already in the works. The old world is dying, and the new is struggling to be born. Dream as we struggle to mitigate, as we attend to the damage, fight the managers of the poisonous incentives, and replace both with better ones, but at the individual level we might just have to be content with just trying to do the right thing.
This piece says it all. I immediately forwarded it to 11 people with the following messageHello,
You are one of just 11 people I know who will really appreciate this little piece by Kathleen Sullivan, a nature-loving retired psychoanalyst who lives in Freeport. My reaction was "Damn, this is GOOD," and I don't say that about very many of the things I read on the subject of climate change. Oh don't you wish we could get more people to think this deeply about the implications of the LA wildfires?
My daughter and granddaughter are in LA and safe for now. Our so-called American Dream has become a nightmare that is getting more personal with each passing day. Thank you for casting light, without blame, on how we are part of the problem and also the solution.
Absolutely fantastic. Spot on, Kathleen. I have been thinking along these lines as well. Gluttony, out of control consumerism, marketing, advertising, replacing our agency. I don’t know how we begin to change this structure, but it is a prison, indeed. Thank you.
Thank you, Kathleen, for your brutal, beautiful honesty. We are all accountable. Time to admit that to ourselves. Otherwise, we ALL have blood on our hands in this conflagration of our country. ❤️🙏
Kathleen, I did not mean to imply that it's either/or but that one must be willing to move beyond their personal lifestyle choices to the next step. It's, you must do both. You and I know that only when the climate crisis really hits the fan will people be willing to take to the streets and speak out. When that inevitable time comes some will ask themselves, "why didn't I speak out sooner? At that point, as Jesus said several times, "there will be weeping and the gnashing of teeth".
What will it take for people to experience that moment when "it hits the fan?" LA looks a lot like that but I don't see much waking up or gnashing of teeth. ohoh
I hope this comment won't be deemed too far afield, but I am concerned because much of the media is using the fires to deflect attention away from the criminality of Donald Trump. While journalism which exposed what went wrong and how we can avoid these infernos in the future would be welcome, much of the reporting just reitterates what we already know: The fires are terrible.
If we are to have some impact beyond our personal life choices we must confront the fact that the biggest US banks are financing this destruction through their support for new fossil fuel projects. Your insurance company may also be insuring those projects. Unless we decide to become activists for the planet our grandkids will have a bleak future. After all, it was British Petroleum who first alerted consumers to the concept of a personal carbon footprint in an effort to take our eye off of the real culprits, the fossil fuel industry and the banks that enable them.
HI Tom! I don't think it is either one or the other. I think we need both and I think unless people understand the basic flaw of our story of progress and happiness through consumption and competition, I think they will have less reason, less energy to become activists. And we know how hard that is to get folks on the street!
I won’t die if I don’t buy another doodad, and I won’t change the system, either. In limited situations boycotts can work, but a global boycott is not possible. Managing the on-the-way next crisis does demand some attention. I don’t know what percent of all jobs in the world are needed to sustain life, but eliminating the useless ones (millions ? billions?), were it to happen in an instant, would create its own kind of chaos. Yes, we need a new system of incentives and disincentives, and IF we produce the right one it will sadly be on considerable more wreckage already in the works. The old world is dying, and the new is struggling to be born. Dream as we struggle to mitigate, as we attend to the damage, fight the managers of the poisonous incentives, and replace both with better ones, but at the individual level we might just have to be content with just trying to do the right thing.
This piece says it all. I immediately forwarded it to 11 people with the following messageHello,
You are one of just 11 people I know who will really appreciate this little piece by Kathleen Sullivan, a nature-loving retired psychoanalyst who lives in Freeport. My reaction was "Damn, this is GOOD," and I don't say that about very many of the things I read on the subject of climate change. Oh don't you wish we could get more people to think this deeply about the implications of the LA wildfires?
Thanks, Tom! It is great to hear this really struck a chord for you! Thanks for sending this on to friends too!
My daughter and granddaughter are in LA and safe for now. Our so-called American Dream has become a nightmare that is getting more personal with each passing day. Thank you for casting light, without blame, on how we are part of the problem and also the solution.
That must be so scary Pam. I am so glad to hear they are safe and hope they stay that way. I am glad this piece didn't feel like blame to you.
Thank you, Kathleen. So so true - but still so hard to get people to recognize/embrace the needed next steps
Absolutely fantastic. Spot on, Kathleen. I have been thinking along these lines as well. Gluttony, out of control consumerism, marketing, advertising, replacing our agency. I don’t know how we begin to change this structure, but it is a prison, indeed. Thank you.
Thank you. I have been thinking similar thoughts. Great connection to The Divine Comedy.
This insightful commentary is required reading .
Thank you, Kathleen, for your brutal, beautiful honesty. We are all accountable. Time to admit that to ourselves. Otherwise, we ALL have blood on our hands in this conflagration of our country. ❤️🙏
This is excellent, Kathleen. Thank you.
Jed Davis
Kathleen, I did not mean to imply that it's either/or but that one must be willing to move beyond their personal lifestyle choices to the next step. It's, you must do both. You and I know that only when the climate crisis really hits the fan will people be willing to take to the streets and speak out. When that inevitable time comes some will ask themselves, "why didn't I speak out sooner? At that point, as Jesus said several times, "there will be weeping and the gnashing of teeth".
What will it take for people to experience that moment when "it hits the fan?" LA looks a lot like that but I don't see much waking up or gnashing of teeth. ohoh
I hope this comment won't be deemed too far afield, but I am concerned because much of the media is using the fires to deflect attention away from the criminality of Donald Trump. While journalism which exposed what went wrong and how we can avoid these infernos in the future would be welcome, much of the reporting just reitterates what we already know: The fires are terrible.
https://davidgottfried.substack.com/p/the-la-fires-have-been-donald-trumps
If we are to have some impact beyond our personal life choices we must confront the fact that the biggest US banks are financing this destruction through their support for new fossil fuel projects. Your insurance company may also be insuring those projects. Unless we decide to become activists for the planet our grandkids will have a bleak future. After all, it was British Petroleum who first alerted consumers to the concept of a personal carbon footprint in an effort to take our eye off of the real culprits, the fossil fuel industry and the banks that enable them.
HI Tom! I don't think it is either one or the other. I think we need both and I think unless people understand the basic flaw of our story of progress and happiness through consumption and competition, I think they will have less reason, less energy to become activists. And we know how hard that is to get folks on the street!