Thursday, May 19, 2011

Psychology of saving the planet

I believe there is no doubt amongst most educated and thinking people that there is a crisis on the horizon:
  • Resources becoming more scarce (oil, water, coal, etc..),
  • water and air pollution (there is a 'trash'-island in the South Pacific the size of Texas!),
  • industry-tempering with food and thus making it lack any nutritional value (50% less vitamins in your apple than 20 years ago - not to mention the lack of TASTE!),
  • the global climate becoming more and more unpredictable (storms, rain, extremes like cold- and heatwaves),
  • destruction of crops and living spaces as a result of climate change,
  • rising of diseases that our grandparents have never even heard of (so-called civilisation diseases),
  • land fills being filled up and closed (and then were do we throw our stuff away to?),
  • mass extinction of plants and animals (who are needed to keep the planet in balance),
  • rising of super-bugs and super-weeds (due to developing immunity to antibios, pesticides and herbicides), 
  • humans caught up in the rat race (trying to pay their bills), etc..

The list goes on and on.

What is to be done?

Your answer to this is mostly depending upon what psychologucal make-up you have; according to scientists:

If you are a rational, conservative person who believes in the power of the money or the economy, you are most likely to deny any problems while out shopping or you may demand the government to take controll and order everyone to comply to certain small scale changes (heaven forbid any true change). The idea is that there is no end to economic growth and that the newly developping tech-sector (or other forms of innovation) will sort out the problems.

This fascist-nationalist group believes in centralised governmental intervention (top-down approach) may be important to you since you do not believe that people will actually do anything on their own. With this goes a rather negative opinion about humankind. Members of this group are most likely to fall victims to their own personal greed. This male-dominated group believes the masses need to be steered (as to population-controll, food-rationing), believe in a stiff class structure and are very resistant to change of any sort. This is also the group that is most likely to live in large metropolitan areas and holds the wealth which is why they are unwilling to share and will fight a fair distribution of just about anything. Think THE MATRIX.

Then we have the humanist or eco-rationalist. These folks understand that it is upon every individual to contribute to the change.  They believe in sharing and are willing to make sacrifices for the greater good of humanity. This is a balanced group with no dominance toward either male or female. The vision is to distribute needed items (be it food or energy) through a network. Because they believe in the good of humanity, they think educating people will make them choose to do the right thing. As humanitarians they are not victims to greed, and they will fight injustice. This group also is actively conserving energy and food. They may live in smaller (in tact) towns or rural areas, using public transportation or even the bike and are most likely to telecommute. A true gobal citizen with a small scale government. Think UNCONVENIENT TRUTH.

Of course then there are the earth stewards, people who actively get out of the rat race implementing the changes for a better tomorrow in more rural areas. This is a female-dominated and highly spiritual bunch, believing in fairness and bartering. Their believe is to create change through positive role models and they are trying to act as such.

This group of neo-feudalists will implement a bottom-up approach, i.e. salvaging forests (oppposed to exploitation) and agriculture through small-scale permaculture operations with animal husbandry based upon a decentralised local (if any) governing body where everyone votes on every issue. Their approach is intune with nature, for and not against Mother Earth. Think AVATAR.

Lastly, there is the a male-dominated warrior group who will use violence to get what they want or need. These folks will live in gated communities, ready to defend, potentially bartering with precious metals. Their main concern is physical survival and protecting of their own possessions. There is no true interest in sharing. The motto is: What's in it for me? They are more like the conservative bunch, except that they are armed, have no excess cash in the bank and are not in the power-seats. Those is power are already becoming increasingly wary of these guys; just think about all the new gun-laws. Think MAD MAX.

So, who you are depends upon what you are willing to do to save the beautiful blue. Or vice versa.


"Nature never says one thing and wisdom another." Decimus Junius Juvenalis

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