Hello Everyone!
Welcome to our Blogspot were we
will share our observations about the readings for this semester as well as
share thoughts about what these readings mean to us in the context of holistic
sustainability.
Following are Blog Post Project instructions that can also
be found in the syllabus that can be found in our class CANVAS page.
Blog Posts Project: Instructions
You will write to this Blogspot weekly for 14 weeks
(1-September – 1-December). For the first part of your contribution, you
will write a short quotation from the week’s reading, or from the book on which
you are writing your report, and include with the quotation the page number
indicated or in the case of a video, include the minute/second point at which
the quote can be found. Along with your quote, pose a question, comment, or
challenge pertaining to the quotation.
For the
second part of your blog contribution you will respond to another student’s
question, comment, or challenge about the quote that they posted. Your response
to another’s question, comment, or challenge must be a minimum of 100
words.
Students
are strongly encouraged to read and respond to other students’ submissions in a
timely manner. Late submissions, submissions less than 100 words or lacking
substance, and submissions not appropriately submitted (for example sent to
CANVAS rather than to the Blogspot) will not receive credit.
There are no make-ups for online submissions, so submit yours early to ensure that a late developing event (e.g. illness, family emergency, etc.) does not prevent you from receiving credit.
Your initial post as well as your 100-plus word response to
a fellow student’s question, comment, or challenge is due each
Thursday by 12-noon, September 1-December 1. Your blog
posts, initial and response, are worth 5 points each for a total of 70 points.
Readings for Week 3
Lappe (2013) “Scarcity-mind or Eco-mind?” Find the link to this document in CANVAS
Read the Earth Charter Preamble at http://www.earthcharterinaction.org/content/pages/Read-the-Charter.html.
Norman Uphoff quote: Find a link to this document in CANVAS
Naim Conrad Vilabrera:
ReplyDeletehttp://www.earthcharterinaction.org/content/pages/Read-the-Charter.html
"We stand at a critical moment in Earth's history, a time when humanity must choose its future."
AND
"To realize these aspirations, we must decide to live with a sense of universal responsibility, identifying ourselves with the whole Earth community as well as our local communities."
Under the premises, the future is only one decision away and to think globally, act locally, what have you done recently to impact the future in a way that added resilience in your community? Why do you think your actions added resilience?
I'm going to give you an idea of the response I'm trying to evoke, but since I do not have to write 100 words, I'll keep it short.
I recently began to volunteer as gallery guide at the Harn Museum of Art despite my heavy schedule and growing professional obligations. I choose to add this mandatory 5-hour per week workload, because I find a greater peace of mind when I round my interests of science, philanthropy, and the arts.
I think I add resilience to the community with this act, because I believe I help to build an appreciation for the arts in the Gainesville community. Art is a great communicator, which may help an individual to make it in the nature and solve problems that are troubling the mind. Art helps to build human solidarity.
I have recently sent my application for the Freshman Leadership Council, a Student Government agency comprised of 50 select freshmen who are interested in involvement and leadership at the University of Florida. Even though I am not a part of the agency, officially, my desire to guide others into their ultimate role of leadership. I am a advocate of leadership, and have struggled with calling myself a leader for quite some time. However, I have passed that stage in my life, and now would like to assist others in finding their place in this world, as well as help sharpen their leadership skills. That way, once they enter the workforce in their career of choice, they will strongly influence the people around them and work towards the greater good of society.
Delete“The nature of reality is not the above three S’s (separateness, stasis, and scarcity) but rather three C’s (connection, continuous change, co-creation)” Pg. 58 Lappe (2013) “Scarcity-mind or Eco-mind?” I agree whole heartedly, people need to stop just seeing the world as if it revolves around them and if everyone else is just in their way (separateness), they need to understand that everything they do, even if they choose to do nothing affects nature and people around the world (connection). I’m tired of the excuse “that’s the way it’s always been” or “back in my day” (stasis). No, the past is the past things are going to change rather you like it or not (continuous change), and even though new issues have come to light today that were less evident yesterday that doesn’t mean yesterday was better. People need to learn how to become content, nothing is ever enough to most people, they always want more, more money, or food, or speed, or space (scarcity) this has led to extreme wealth inequalities, record obesity rates, millions of car and boat fatalities, and wasted resources used to build large extravagant mansions.
ReplyDeleteSo which concept scares people the most; that things will always change, or that we are all just waves in a much bigger ocean, or that enough is enough?
I think that the idea that "we are all just waves in a much bigger ocean" scares people the most. From a personal perspective, I often, albeit less presently, irked sharing responsibility with other for tasks; I used conformation bias, a great concept for the definition of the scarcity-mind, to validate the experiences which a group member failed their responsibilities. However, I forwent remembering the experiences in which co-responsibility resulted in the greatest foreseeable outcomes.
DeleteWe're surrounded daily by the news of negatives. We think about what we are not doing in relation to those negatives, feel guilt, and assign blame to ourselves. We forgot the great power we all have. We forget the greater power we all have as community.
We confirm and root ourselves in thoughts of lack: lack agency, lack of a community to share responsibility, lack of a great, expansive home to love indefinitely, lack of purpose, and lack of wonder for how diverse the future can be! However, personally, since attending this school, meeting a diversity of people, and hearing a diversity of common purpose, my scarcity-mind has continuously changed towards a mind that I believe will change the misconceptions of the human condition on Earth.
https://youtu.be/GWvqkDvv4mE
To me, the concept that scares me the most, is that things are constantly changing; how can we reach sustainability if things do not stay the same and things are constantly changing? However, I think the concept that scares people the most is that we are all waves in a much bigger ocean. I think this concept scares people the most because they think of themselves of one person in a world of 7 billion others. When thinking of yourself this way, it is easy to think "oh, I am one person, how will *I* make a difference?" To me, that is why people are afraid to reach for sustainability.
DeleteFirst of all those are intriguing questions that you pose. As far as fear goes I believe that people absolutely fear change. Because it is unknown what that change will be and we as humans always fear the unknown. That however gives more reason than any that people should embrace change and try to mold it themselves. Our decisions now are what determines the change that happens. The world is a big place and often as one of seven billion people we don't feel as if anything we do really matters but thats simply a fallacy. The bright side of this is that one individual has the potential to change the views and empower thousands and thats basically what it will take to make the societal change needed for people to understand the longterm effects of their actions. However insignificant one persons poor choices may be, multiply that by millions and you got a problem and thats sort of where we are at now. Millions of people making poor small decisions that are collectively damaging to our future. In short I believe that people are scared of the constant change have a feeling of powerlessness.
DeleteChange is something that I, like many others, have struggles with my whole life. I feel as if every step I take is a battle between wanting adventure/variety and feeling comfort in the static of the same. I think the reason that people have such a hard time adopting the principles of sustainability is because humans are creatures of habit. We are drawn to the safety and comfort of the familiar. But now that our familiar habits have become unsafe for the planet; are they worth the empty comfort? The reckless habits we facilitate in our society jeopardize our planet’s future, so why don’t we implement change? Change isn’t simply about embracing the unknown, but about letting go of some of the old. Because of this overall resistance to change, I believe that the best way to implement sustainability in our society is to start small. As we encourage these seemingly small acts of conscious sustainability, we pave the way for larger, more impactful initiatives to take root in the future.
DeleteAndree,
DeleteChange, uncertainty, the Unknown are all centers of stress and trigger alarm within the individual. I completely agree that the three S's (separateness, stasis, scarcity) should transform into the three C's, but realistically this would require a long-process of education and reform; a process that if started today would not even be tangible to the public before the end of our lifetime. Therefore, even though reform is an endeavor we must undertake for a sustainable future, patience must also come hand in hand with the process.
Even the sibilance (literary device usually Signifying Something Sinister) used to describe the low salience of mortality of the general public in regard to sustainability (the three S’s) show that we create negative frames of mind out of fear of the Unknown.
Although both concepts are definitely alarming to people, I believe the idea that things will always change is more disconcerting. In terms of opportunity and economics, the higher on the spectrum people are, I believe the more fearful they are of change. This fear drives their decision making in everything that they do from everyday decisions to political party affiliation. These people believe that the status quo is what is most beneficial to them personally and disregard the position of others in that stagnation. They believe that everyone else is only looking out for themselves and this is how they reason being some brutal in their decision making when it comes to how their actions affect the environment. The characteristics of scarcity-mind describe their outlook on life as a whole.
Delete"To move forward we must recognize that in the midst of a magnificent diversity of cultures and life forms we are one human family and one Earth community with a common destiny. We must join together to bring forth a sustainable global society founded on respect for nature, universal human rights, economic justice, and a culture of peace." Earth Charter Preamble
ReplyDeleteJoining together as a global society is just the frontal view of a much deeper explanation: we must form a collective intelligence. We must have cities with different forms of functionality so that our society can have a better well-being. Peter Senge, the Founder Chair of the Society for Organizational Learning, provided this notion of a sustainable global society. We cannot just ask the smart individuals to answer our biggest problems; we a part of the problem, we, collectively, have caused the problem that we face. No matter what race, gender, society, or educational standpoint you are placed in, it is our responsibility to work together in order to solve it. The earth has profoundly provided for us in terms of agriculture, living space, and most importantly, life. We should save this earth, as a whole.
I agree with your comment. I think people need to stop seeing earth and all its resources as something provided for the sake of society. People take water and fresh air for granted but if we continue with our excessive pollution and wasting of resources we will continue to strip the earth of everything. I also think you were right in saying we need a collective intelligence. If and when we all work together to find better ways to do things everyone will benefit. If people worried more about their cities and even households being more sustainable society as a whole would be better functioning. These problems we are facing, we created, and only we can fix them and until everyone realizes that we will continue to steadily decline as a community.
DeleteI think you make an important point about establishing collective intelligence and recognizing that we are all contributors to the sustainability crisis. I recently completed a research paper on The Green Belt Movement, which was an organization that encouraged women in Kenya to plant trees. When the British colonized Kenya, they cut down much of the extensive forests to make room for tea plantations and brought Christianity, discouraging the practice of the Kenyans’ “heathen” religions. As a result, the people forgot about their duty to protect and respect the land, and Kenya experienced 98% deforestation in a mere half century. The GBM was created by Wangari Maathai, who kept hearing the complaints of women who lacked clean water and firewood, which was leading to malnutrition in children. Maathai came up with the idea of encouraging women to plant trees. She also encouraged the communities to admit that they were a part of the problem, and they had to recognize that before becoming a part of the solution. The movement succeeded in planting 30 million trees, as well as encouraging social and economic empowerment for women. Although the movement took place in Kenya, it garnered international attention (Maathai won the Nobel Peace Prize in 2004) and proved that the sustainability crisis is directly related to issues of democracy, human rights, and gender equality. This Charter attempts to give all of us the responsibility to promote sustainable development, for many people don’t realize that saving our environment also means improving the quality of life for people across the globe.
Delete-Hali McKinley Lester
I agree that inorder to combat all of the sustainability issues that our world faces, it is necessary for a major adjustment in social values. Rather than working in the best interest of ones self, we must learn to consider how our actions effect society as a whole. We must not simply do what is most convinient, but consider the long term repurcussions of our actions. While it is not easy to adjust so many peoples basic principals and values, with proper education it can be done.
DeleteThis comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDelete"We stand at a critical moment in Earth's history, a time when humanity must choose its future. As the world becomes increasingly interdependent and fragile, the future at once holds great peril and great promise. To move forward we must recognize that in the midst of a magnificent diversity of cultures and life forms we are one human family and one Earth community with a common destiny. We must join together to bring forth a sustainable global society founded on respect for nature, universal human rights, economic justice, and a culture of peace. Towards this end, it is imperative that we, the peoples of Earth, declare our responsibility to one another, to the greater community of life, and to future generations. " (Earth Charter Preamble, Introduction/Paragraph 1)
ReplyDeleteThe reason I had decided to include the whole section of the first paragraph is simple, it clearly sums up what is needed of the citizens of our world in order to reach social, economic, and environmental sustainability. The charter begins dimly, it says that we are in a moment of time where dire action is needed. In order to proceed as citizens on this Earth, we must first recognize the woes of our ways. To me, the first sentence begins as a cry for help. It states that there is indeed damage done to our world and we have reached a point in which a decision must be made. Almost, it is as if the Earth is giving us an ultimatum. Moreover, the charter explains that we must work together as a community if we would like to bring about change to our world. Reading on, towards the end of the charter, it says that we must all work with the United Nations in order to reach a social, economic, and environmental balance. Moreover, we must make small decisions that impact the big decisions, and vice versa. To be honest, when reading this Preamble, I connected with everything that was presented in the article. The sub-sections in this article clearly articulate what is needed of each citizen in order to fix the problems that our world face. To me, when reading I noticed that it did not only state that there was a problem our world faces, but it tells us *how* we can fix these problems. Moreover, when connecting the information presented in the Preamble to what we have learned in class, it is apparent to me that there are similar problems discussed on all platforms that we must work to diminish. Thinking back to class, the first thing I remember in which Dr. Chandler talked about is that everything is first a social problem- well how does that connect with what is presented in this article? Well, not to mention that this charter describes what social problems our society faces. But everything is a social problem because it affects US- the citizens of this world.
Overall, when reading this charter, I realized that there is much work to be done in order to reach sustainability. However, if there are organizations and charters and countless of other efforts to help bring awareness to the problems we are facing, what are some of the reasons in which nothing has been done to reach these goals? Why is our future pushed aside when it should be a front runner of things that must be given our full attention to?
Nada, I agree with your statement that there are a lot of problems and solutions to environmental problems, but not much being done about it. I feel that, for some, a problem doesn't hurt or exist for them because it does not directly affect them. When a problem isn't recognized, nothing is done about it. The many organizations that exist also serve to bring awareness of the current problems. However, without that social problem to directly affect people and call their previously held ideas into question, there will not be much change. A similar issue occurred years ago in Vietnam. The problems and atrocities of war were never believed by a portion of the population. The term "Living Room Wars" refers to when these issues were brought home as parts of the war were televised. Only when the problem could be seen by the eyes, did some people react and take action. I feel that if a similar course of actions were taken to bring the environmental problems into the light, our attention would focus on solving them at all cost.
DeleteI think that this quote contains many truths about Earth. First it states that Earth is made to have the presence of humans there doing whatever they please, even if that means hurting the environment. After that it states that Earth has provided the proper conditions essential to life’s evolution. Earth is loaded with resources and tools that can help us with our sustainability search and also help freshen up the Earth’s atmosphere. Although the Earth has been greatly damaged by humans, which was almost unenviable, there is still time and resources left to hopefully right the wrongs brought to Earth and get it cleaned up as soon as possible with the resources that the Earth has provided.
DeleteScarcity-mind or Eco-mind, Frances Moore Lappe. pg.58 second paragraph. "And extreme, chronic undernourishment harms 868 million people today, even as food production per person has increased 30 percent since the 1960s—now supplying more than 2,800 calories for each of us daily."
ReplyDeleteThis quote emphasizes how skewed todays world is. The inequality is so widespread with the wealthy taking more than their fair share and leaving less for others. My biggest question is when will people stop continuing to take and wanting more. When will less fortunate people and the earth be thought of?
Kelly,
DeleteYou make a very valid point, today's world is focused on capitalism which although stimulates the economy, can leave the rich, richer and the poor, poorer. We do not live in a perfect world, nor can we hope to live in a perfect world in years to come. What we can hope for is an improvement in our world as a whole regarding poverty, malnourishment, and sustainability. In order to better the world we live in, I believe that we must begin adapting to the changes in our world starting with malnourishment. In a world of excess, we should be able to donate food and non-perishables to low income communities. We need to educate people on how many children are left hungry at night with no hope of a healthier life because they know nothing is going to change for them. We can then begin implementing different programs in order to properly solve this problem.
I think poor people are thought of, just not by most of the powerful people in our world, and to the ones who do care don't know how to help them solve their problems. Like for example food aid, or aid in general, only treat the symptoms of wealth inequality and poverty, it also creates a very strong dependence that if broken can harm more people than it helped since food aid hurts farmers by greatly lowering food prices when the markets are flooded with free food, farmers lose their lands then when aid leaves their are less farmers producing. You give a man a fish you feed him for a day, you teach that man how to fish you feed him for a lifetime. We can just keep handing out fish its unsustainable, giving them the tools they need to be successful is a much better solution. Those tools can include education, tools, livestock, low interest loans, seeds, volunteers, etc.
DeleteKelly,
DeleteI really like the point made about individuals taking much more than needed. Within the Western consumerism culture, we have become so accustomed to buying, using, or eating anything we desire. This immediately reminded me of our class discussion about the term Fear Master, the conscious state of our own personal mortality. We have become afraid of not having enough. If we don’t have enough, we may suffer. So, this has led us to consume so much to the point that we deprive the needs of others. Unequal distribution of wealth has become a dangerous trend in our world and it will take serious reevaluation on consumer’s part before we can make a change.
“Thinking like an ecosystem, we see that, since we are all connected, we are all implicated in every social outcome. We can therefore forego preaching and pleading, as we realize that much of the terrible dysfunction evident today—from random violence to persistent, massive hunger—is the result of social systems perversely aligned with our nature” (Lappe 61).
ReplyDeleteI think this quote is really important because Lappe encourages people to see their inherent connection. Rather than blaming people themselves for the problems of the world, Lappe blames the system for being contradictory to human nature. Therefore, he provides an explanation for our problems that does not induce fear and defensiveness. I have always thought there are flaws in our social/political system, but this article provides an important analysis of the specific problems and how they need to be changed. Do you think if people were exposed to this knowledge of our system being contradictory to human nature they would be more open to Living Democracy?
-Hali McKinley Lester
"We stand at a critical moment in Earth's history, a time when humanity must choose its future. As the world becomes increasingly interdependent and fragile, the future at once holds great peril and great promise". (Earth Chapter, Preamble/Chapter 1)
ReplyDeleteThis quote grasps everything that I believe is about to happen in years to come. From changes in climate and weather patterns, it is evident that we must do something as a society in order to change our habits and behaviors of the past. My question to you is what should we begin doing as a society to slowly make a change in the right direction?
I agree with your feelings that this quote is very important. The time is now for humanity to make a change, and if we wait any longer, it might be too late. As the world is indeed becoming more and more fragile, every action that takes place has more consequence than it did in the past. As a society, we must first become educated in the ways that we are damaging the Earth. The public must understand that climate change is not just a myth and is indeed, fact. When we achieve this education, we as humans will be more eager to band together and make the changes that desperately need to occur.
DeletePaxton, I agree this quote is very important. I believe changing our habits and behaviors in the past to slowly change for the future begins with education. Our ignorance on the sustainability of our planet stems from the lack of education about it. If people do not understand the problem, they fear it and tend to ignore the problem. However, if people were educated on the issue and pushed to collectively solve the problem, I think there would be a start of a change. Educating children in the field of environmental sustainability, and teaching them about social, economic and other values of sustainability as they get older will encourage parents to follow the same values. It will also change the world generation by generation. I was first truly exposed to sustainability while studying abroad. It has completely changed my views on sustainability, businesses, and the world. I believe educating people on sustainability like I was is the best first step towards a better future.
Delete“To borrow a metaphor that I associate with Buddhism, we experience ourselves as distinct waves, unable to see the ocean of which we are part.” (Lappé, page 57)
ReplyDeleteIn my opinion, this quote captures the essence of the scarcity mind because it highlights the fact that we don’t really view ourselves as being connected to other humans and the environment. It is this disconnect that leads to our selfish attitudes and actions that result in negative outcomes for nature and humanity. Thinking about how we view resources it is clear to see that this quote applies to humans today. Despite many of our resources being finite, we continue to use them at an alarming rate and don’t often think of how it will affect others or the environment. If we recognized the connectivity of everything, perhaps we would have a more sustainable way of life. Although we have the mindset based on lack and fear, the author wants us to have more of an eco-mind, in which, we would think in a more holistic way. Would it be possible for us to have this kind of mental map in the future? Or, is it just an ideal goal that is unattainable?
I agree that the overwhelming individualistic spirit of people today leads to a massive depletion of resources as well as a society where inequality and socio-economic gaps are all too common. I think with all of the technological advancements of today's modern world, it is almost impossible to ignore a sense of global interconnectedness. In relation to if such a connection can be translated into our mental maps, I think it depends on each individual. Whether someone chooses to open their eyes and accept how our consumption impacts the environment, or if we continue to follow a path of ignorance until our planet cannot sustain us, is up to each individual.
DeleteI think this is such an important goal that we should not stop until it is attained. Right now, our culture is dominated by economics and money and advertising and the media. I believe the solution for this disconnect is to refocus all of these forces toward the urgent issue of sustainability. We should work to make it a trend that all businesses follow, or a theme in all the newscasts and social media updates and commercials. We should find ways to encourage businesses and industries and government to adopt more sustainable practices, whether it be via financial encouragement or moral pressure. Right now people do not see recycling and reducing carbon footprints as interesting or important, so I believe we should throw those ideas into the things people do pay attention to. We are Neutral does this with Bonarroo, and makes things more relatable by working with individual families. We need more innovative movements like these to sneak sustainable thinking into people’s everyday lives until it is engrained into our culture, and thus becomes a forefront in our peoples’ minds, and eventually just second nature.
DeleteThe quote you chose to elaborate on is beautiful and concisely captures the egotistical thoughts of many humans. Yes, many humans are ruining the environment. Yes, many humans fail to see the connectivity of the universe. However, many humans, including ourselves, see these issues happening right before our eyes. We must see the humans making these mistakes as mirrors. To achieve the mental map catering to holistic sustainability that you speak of, we have to identify with the humans that are making these mistakes. We are just as much of the problem as they are. We all shine with the same light of life, and to help others remember and recognize that is our responsibility. Their selfish way of thinking is simply habitual, and habits can be broken. Deep down, all living beings know what is right and true. We must help others strip away their patterned thoughts and actions and expose them to the inner light of guidance and trust. I have faith in our generation!
Delete"We must join together to bring forth a sustainable global society founded on respect for nature, universal human rights, economic justice, and a culture of peace." (The Earth Charter Preamble)
ReplyDeleteOne of the most important aspects of human nature is our ability to work together. When humans come together for a common goal, we can achieve things that were previously believed to be unattainable. The only way that we as humans can form a more efficient, sustainable world is for us to band together so that we may make the necessary changes. This cannot be achieved by an individual, and it will take all of our collective effort to achieve this change we need to survive. How might we convince our neighbors around us that this banding together is truly necessary?
Hi Zack!
DeleteI think the first step to promoting sustainability is education. From the time we are born, the values that shape our behavior are instilled in us. Because our capitalistic economic structure relies on consumption, many students are entrenched in the mindset that big business and industry promotes “growth” and are simply unaware of the deleterious effects of disrespecting our environment. I believe that the best way to unite our citizens in an effort to be socially and environmentally responsible is to teach children from a young age how they individually can contribute to a healthier world, as well as encouraging them to take action in their schools and communities to ensure sound environmental practices in both the public and private spheres. Your question reminds me of the documentary “I Am” by Tom Shadyac, in which Shadyac conducts interviews with prominent scientists, religious leaders, environmentalists, and philosophers. The central questions addressed in these interviews are “What’s wrong with the world?” and “What can we do about it?” Shadyac drives home the point that “I am” the answer to both of those questions. We must take personal responsibility for our actions and strive toward human connectedness and happiness.
I think treating others with love and kindness is always the first step to making connections. If we respect and value other members of the society, maybe then we can see the importance of the connections we have with others. We need more diverse connections with people from all different cultures and perspectives involved in order to solve our problems in a way that benefits everyone. I also think that if people became more educated about the problems we are facing in our natural world they might also be more inclined to do what it takes to fix it. I think a lot of individuals in our society have turned a blind eye to what is going on and have chosen to have a very selfish mentality about life. Many people purposely avoid learning about the problems that are happening because they do not think these issues are relevant to their own lives. From a young age, we need to encourage teamwork and teach students that they are part of a larger ecosystem. I also believe that if more people went out and experienced the beauty of nature, or even just thought about how much our natural surroundings give to us, mentalities might begin to change.
DeleteThis comment has been removed by the author.
Deletewell...i wrote a really long reply and then deleted it by accident -_- so here it goes again.
DeleteI completely agree with you, I believe that in order to be sustainable as a world, we must work together, but as others said, it would be extremely hard due to the cultural differences and etc between everyone. I believe in order to band together to make a difference, we must originally change and start to make a difference by ourselves. As individuals start caring, then eventually we can work together easier. I believe that we first need motivation and education. Education of the importance of living sustainably is crucial. As said in The Lorax, Dr. Seuss, "UNLESS, Someone like you cares a whole awful lot, nothing will get better, it will not."
"We must realize that when basic needs have been met, human development is primarily about being more, not having more." (Earth Charter Preamble)
ReplyDeleteIn today's modern context, it is almost impossible not to get caught up in the destructive, wasteful ideal of consumerism. There is a common idea that self-worth is based off of how much stuff you buy and own. The clique goes, "money can't buy happiness." However, there is a certain amount of material required for one's well-being in order for people to live happily, including food, water, shelter, among other things. Once we have these basic needs met, the preamble points out that we need to be more focused on more important matters such as develop, and obsess less over materialistic worth. This shift in thinking will bring us closer to a sustainable future.
Abby,
DeleteI completely agree with your point about how we as humans should meet the threshold of our basic needs and then focus on how to live sustainably. Although one may have money or vast resources, it is not always the sustainable choice to continue to purchase new things. If one has the wealth to endlessly buy more new things, he or she should aim to invest some of those funds into programs or initiatives that will make for a more secure future for the next generation. We cannot simply continue destroying our planet but must instead consider how we are affecting the people who will live here next and the ways in which we can give them "more." Money cannot buy happiness but continuing to exploit our resources in the way in which we are currently proceeding will certainly not result in happiness either.
Hey Abby,
DeleteI also loved this quote! It really gets down to the cold hard truth about how people are generally "selfish, materialistic, and competitive" (Scarcity Mind & Eco Mind by Lappe page 2) in a society in which satisfying the wants of the individual is deemed more appropriate than the needs of the community. Understandably we must all first meet our basic needs, but after that, why not do something to help the planet and humanity itself? Lappe also mentions how "cultures today increasingly seem to whittle human nature down to 'selfish sinners and shoppers,' we come to distrust our capacity for common problem solving." (page 2) If we lose our capacity to solve problems due to our society's emphasis on consumerism and status, how can we ever come up with ways of being sustainable if we don’t work together and change this mindset of satisfying perpetual wants, not needs? It's become almost a disease, an epidemic for first world countries like the United States. An incessant thirst for unnecessary materials that we don't need. We have soft minds, molded easily by our surroundings. What we see on TV, what we hear on the radio, or come across on the internet. We live in a society where people would rather get the newest version of an Iphone than to donate some time or money to an organization that is actually doing something about the unsustainable issues around the world (access to clean water, hunger, excessive waste that can be recycled and repurposed, polluted air and rivers, etc). The media and society influence our minds to buy and buy and buy, when maybe what should be on TV, radio, or the internet are things that encourage change of habits to live more sustainably. There is a disconnect between what we see and what we believe. Or perhaps I should say what we DON’T see. We don't see right away the consequences of our ways, which we've done for years, so we don't believe there is much wrong with the way we do things. And that's the problem. Do we need there to be a huge natural disaster to tell us we need to change before we actually decide to do something about it?
I agree with you especially when you mentioned that we tend to obsess over materialistic worth. As human beings, we limit ourselves into merely meeting our own needs rather than thinking in much more broader terms in terms of for the community and even for the world. I really like this quote about being more rather than possessing more, and it reminds me to be selfless and to acquire that human dignity to serve others besides ourselves. I feel like especially since we live in a community where we maintain an individualistic culture it becomes harder to broaden our perspective to not only enhance ourselves but also for the society,
DeleteI was also very intrigued in this quote. It reminded me of Francis Moore Lappe’s idea of the “scarcity-mind” in which most human beings are “selfish, materialistic, and competitive.” This concept was something I had not really thought of before, but now that I have heard it defined I can apply it to a majority of all aspects in our modern society. We see selfishness and competitiveness in businesses, for example, and this plays a role in everyone’s daily lives. Our obsession with material goods and purchasing feeds into that cycle of competitiveness and the scarcity mindset. Unfortunately, I believe that we have all become accustomed to this idea that materials are what we need for happiness, and we unknowingly support the very system that is degrading our planet.
Delete"The choice is ours: form a global partnership to care for Earth and one another or risk the destruction of ourselves and the diversity of life. Fundamental changes are needed in our values, institutions, and ways of living. We must realize that when basic needs have been met, human development is primarily about being more, not having more. We have the knowledge and technology to provide for all and to reduce our impacts on the environment. The emergence of a global civil society is creating new opportunities to build a democratic and humane world. Our environmental, economic, political, social, and spiritual challenges are interconnected, and together we can forge inclusive solutions." – The Earth Charter.
ReplyDeleteI think this quote is supposed to help people understand their full level of blame on environmental issues. It says that our environmental, economic, political, social, and spiritual challenges are interconnected, so by causing more social issues
(which the USA seems to love having) we are actually harming every other aspect of our world. So your actions are your input, if you choose to side against everyone working together and giving Earth a better chance at striving because of a social or political difference with a neighbor, then you are the reason the world is being destroyed. If you cannot mend broken bridges to work and fix the only thing that is actually vital to our survival then you are the issue. We get so focused in on being the best, and winning, that we forget what we are trying to win. If the greater powers of the world could come together then like the quote says we could reduce our terrible impact on the environment, but most people are honestly too caught up on themselves to see the picture. It may have been a harsh way to say all of this, but what’s more important to you, Self pride because you can say you were too good to cooperate with everyone else, because you value being on top, or life, because lets face it, if we don’t change our ways eventually there wont be any life, we’re killing the Earth, and you don’t have anywhere else to live but here, your home. So which one do you choose, which seems like a better fit for everyone?
Hello Courtney!
DeleteI think that the better fit for society is to work together and strive to complete common goals because ultimately, our actions will determine the fate of the world. If humans continue to disregard the greater good and only pursue self interests, the world will become increasingly more unstable in areas such as the economy, environment, politics, spirituality, and social issues due to the fact that everything is interconnected. One cannot pick one issue to focus on without delving into the others. This however, is not a bad thing. The only problem is getting people to realize that each issue is interconnected and that one decision or action in a certain area will spill into the others as well. By becoming more aware of how dependent each aspect of our society is on each other, people will realize that humanity is the same way. We are in fact all connected, and should work together to better the world.
"we must decide to live with a sense of universal responsibility" (The Earth Charter, paragraph 5)
ReplyDeleteI believe it is important to note the concept of universal responsibility. Our culture often places emphasis on looking out for oneself above all and a degree of selfishness or self-centeredness. However, if we make ourselves the priority, we are doomed to destroy the world in which we live. We all carry the burden and responsibility to take care of our environment. We cannot simply fail to take a sustainable measure because we believe someone else will pick up our slack. Every little action can have a significant positive or negative impact. As discussed in class as Jacob mentioned the little things he did to promote carbon offsets, even the smallest measure can go a long way. What are some of the ways in which our culture tends to act selfishly with respect to the environment/sustainability?
Hello Natalie! I really liked the question that you posed because I feel like there are many ways that as a society we act selfishly and put the environment last. Not only are we hurting the environment when we act selfishly but we are also disabling future generations. This is because we are destroying the environment quicker, leaving less for generations to come.
DeleteThe first example of humans acting selfishly that comes to mind is the building of the new Butler Plaza mall. This is humans acting purely on there own interest, they want to make more money by opening new stores. The people building this new shopping mall probably did not even give a second thought to all of the beautiful, old trees they chopped down or all of the families they had to move out of their homes.
Natalie,
DeleteI feel as though our biggest hurdle in dealing with sustainability is our society's inability to give up the luxury goods. Our society is based so much on consumerism that we have gotten used to living comfortably with more than we need, rather than simply living with only the things we need to survive. Cars and dishwashers, for instance, are one such example. We don't necessarily need them to survive, but they make our lives easier and more convenient.
Additionally, a problem I've seen in regards to the human aspect of sustainability is the inequality seen not only within our own country between rich and poor, but also between developed and developing states. Despite many people's conclusion that we just need to produce more, however, the answer lies in the way goods and resources are distributed. For instance, there is plenty of manufactured food to feed all the people of the world. However, so much of that food is just thrown away by businesses when it goes bad. Therefore, I think in order to begin our journey towards living sustainably, I think that people need to learn to live without so many luxuries while the governments and businesses need to figure how to more evenly distribute goods and resources.
”Affirm that with increased freedom, knowledge, and power comes increased responsibility to promote the common good.” – The Earth Charter
ReplyDeleteOne of the biggest issues with solving a problem is knowledge about the issue. When knowledge is limited, informed decisions are limited and solutions that are created may cause more problems than solving them. I agree with this principle and feel that once we understand and are able to think as a whole for the better of mankind, we can promote standards for a common good. I feel that this is one of the most important principles. Besides knowledge, what other virtue do you think would be beneficial in promoting the best standards for improving our world?
Acceptance is definitely a big virtue that is a must have in sustainability. People need to be willing to hear out others' opinions so they can have a more informed discussion. If one doesn't accept the material or information that another one is opening themselves up to, it'll just be senseless word jumble. It should be more "that's an interesting thought, but what about..." instead of "no, that's wrong you're dumb." Knowledge is such a vital thing to have when people talk about how we can build cleaner cities and more efficient energy systems that it goes hand-in-hand with cooperation. How else will people lose their ignorance? We can't be the ones making them more ignorant by depriving their curiosities through rejection. Everyone has ideas, just some of them aren't that great, but that's okay. This is why we have discussions to build constructive criticism in order to get somewhere. But if we just shut people down when something is on their mind, we become stagnant.
Delete"This requires a change of mind and heart. It requires a new sense of global interdependence and universal responsibility. We must imaginatively develop and apply the vision of a sustainable way of life locally, nationally, regionally, and globally. Our cultural diversity is a precious heritage and different cultures will find their own distinctive ways to realize the vision." -earthcharterinaction.org I think the future i now and everything we do from now on well actuality since the beginning has effected us. This charter requires that the whole world must change their perspective and way of thinking. Do you think it is too late? will everyone be able to commit? Will the groups that do not have that big of an effect or will they be the reason for our end? I know I will do all I can in my power to sway people into a sustainable thinking but what will it take for the whole world to change? has not enough already happened we cant ignore the data forever!
ReplyDeleteSo hey Tyler,
DeleteI totally agree with your flow here. We do need a change of heart, mind, and pride. The future is nothing more than a decision today, so its just time to reevaluate the decisions of our people as a whole and lead toward decisions that will build us up instead of tearing us down. Its not too late, its never too late. It is just going to take a lot of dedication and a lot of peer support so that everyone can commit. We can't ignore data forever, but we can't make people understand data either. Not everyone sees the big picture which is probably why so many bad choices are made.
"Thinking like an ecosystem, we see that, since we are all connected, we are all implicated in every social outcome. " (Lappe, pg 61)
ReplyDeleteThe problem with being able to think like an ecosystem is that many people don't think this way. We hear the idea of "every man for himself" too many times that we forget it should really be something like, "every man for all or we will all die" or not exactly because I can't word it correctly. Every global function in our modern world has a direct impact on our society, thus the world around us. It take a whole society to rebuild themselves up, but it takes one person who made the wrong decision to tear it all back down. Thus, we need to think in a more cooperative way, rather than what we can individually get out it.
I totally agree with you here, Wei. The United States especially is a very individualistic nation, and we often prize the accomplishments of a single person over the good of the group. We encourage competition. However, in the realm of sustainability and in bettering society in general, we have to work together, like an ecosystem. It's an ideal, not quite reality - I definitely see your point there. With small changes we might be able to adjust our way of thinking to a more group-centered approach to resource conservation, especially if we start, help, and fund non-profit organizations like We Are Neutral that promote community work.
DeleteSo True! SO ironic that we are in this setting at the University of Florida where there is such competition. We walk into preview and they drop the bomb on us with brute force saying " look around you, every individual is now your opponent and this is your time to show why an employer is going to choose you over the other." Too often do I feel like our sense of community is diminishing. People will point fingers at anything to try and figure out the culprit, but who or what it is does not matter. I may sound drastic but for humanity to live on as a whole we must take a step back from the worldly life and take a step forward into thinking as a collective to fight a common goal.
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ReplyDelete“2. Care for the community of life with understanding, compassion, and love
ReplyDeletea. Accept that with the right to own, manage, and use natural resources comes the duty to prevent environmental harm and to protect the rights of people.
b. Affirm that with increased freedom, knowledge, and power comes increased responsibility to promote the common good.” (Earth Charter Preamble, I, 2)
This responsibility to acknowledge that we are part of a bigger community and have a greater good to look out for has relevance in today’s talk by We are Neutral’s Jacob Cravey as well as in the facet of human dignity. We are Neutral addresses this principle by educating as many leaders of as many different industries as possible, and by reaching out and educating those low-income families who otherwise do not have access to the information or technology. I also believe that this is the best way to reach people, as it is inclusive and unthreatening and deals directly with the central facet of sustainability: human dignity. Making people feel that they are being educated rather than being sold something lowers their guards, and makes them feel more inclined to do their part, because it is wholesome and dignified. Do you agree that this is the most effective way of making a difference? If not, what is the best way in your opinion?
"To move forward we must recognize that in the midst of a magnificent diversity of cultures and life forms we are one human family and one Earth community with a common destiny."
ReplyDeleteThis excerpt from the preamble to The Earth Charter very simply (yet eloquently) describes the solution to the problem of Earth's increasing fragility and exploitation.I agree that the best way to do this will involve coming together as a global community, but this is still a very general ideal. My question for anyone potentially commenting on this post is this: What are some good ways or examples that we can recognize a global, international community and come together in the name of sustainability? My immediate thought was of the United Nations, but someone else might have a different idea.
"We humans see the world through culturally formed filters, what I call our mental maps. They determine what we see, what we cannot see,and therefore what we believe to be possible." What are some culturally formed filters that have impacted you the most? How do they impact your views on sustainability? If there a way to break away from the paths of our mental maps?
ReplyDeleteIn the western world, the United States especially, there is a really over the top consumer culture--which is touched on in the Lappe article. we produce more and more but also feel the need to consume more. This isn't just a theory, it's something that I can see in other people and in myself. Just one purse/car/home isn't enough and there's always encouragement to acquire more and more stuff. This clearly is the wrong path and is the reason why I think the core 'facets' of sustainability need to be more widely known and implemented. The only way to do this is through widespread awareness and the switch away from the scarcity-mind and to the more eco-system based mind that was mentioned in the article.
DeleteI think an unfortunate filter found in our cultural specifically, is a self-centered focus. This is mentioned extensively in Lappe's article. Our culture is based on the values of individualism, which has proven beneficial for some, but truly destructive for those less fortunate or lucky. One method to break off our "mental maps" is through mindful meditation. Its a secular technique which has been around for centuries, but has taken on a trendy status lately due to the abundant studies which have proven stress relieving benefits and increased concentration. However, a less talked about effect of mindfulness, and perhaps the most important, is the gradual loss of the ego. People tend to think of their brain as a sort of control center, where they peer out of their eyes, and their body is nothing more than a vehicle to move around. As though your brain is in the driver and your body is the car. But when people analyze their own thoughts and feelings through meditation. They can better understand their thoughts and feelings, including their biases and blind spots.
Delete“As users of material in our daily lives, attention expands beyond quantities to questions like: What is the item made of, where is it produced, and under what conditions? …Applying such judgements to daily choices... I’m enlarging y world and experiencing more meaning – maybe experiencing less connection through common purchases and enjoying more connection through common purposes.” (Scarcity-Mind or Eco-Mind by Lappe; page 7)
ReplyDeleteThis quote made me think back to the “Fair Tomatoes” food justice documentary and how we can capture that human element, that human labor put into the food we eat by asking ourselves where it came from, how it was produced, etc. By doing so we create a connection to others through our purchases, we can then give them purposes and start “thinking like an ecosystem” (Lappe, page 4) because in an ecosystem, every member has a function that is dependent on all others for the system to work. Lappe mentions that an “eco-mind” understands connection in which “all exists in relationship to all else” (Lappe, page 3) and continuous change. I feel like this is the most important aspect for achieving sustainability: understanding that we are all interconnected in this complex web of life, interdependent creatures habiting the same planet and that in order to sustain its life and diversity, change must take place. But change is sometimes linked to fear, which is why it is difficult to get people to change their unsustainable habits. Earlier on, Professor Chandler spoke about fear in psychology of sustainability and how fear comes from vulnerability which makes us realize how we’re all connected and dependent on nature. However, will this fear be enough to strike change in our ways, or will the fear of change itself be too great for us to commit to sustainable living, thus leaving us in a state of separateness, stasis, and scarcity-mindedness? Where do you think the problem lies?
Laura, this is a great post!
DeleteI believe that the problem now lies on the fear of change being too great for significant progress to be made, but i truly believe that we are trending in the right direction and that the future is ours to create. The future is nothing more, nothing less than a decision today. I believe the youth of society is more aware of this and starting to implement more sustainable actions than ever before. Recognizing that everything in life is interconnected is the first step to understanding our world and thinking sustainably. We create meaning in this materialistic world by thinking of the many human elements involved in the processes that allow us to use these materials and understanding how we are connected to each step of the process.
"There isn't enough of anything- neither enough goods nor enough goodness. Lack characterizes everything from food to energy. And, within human beings, love itself is scarce- for, while we do have the obvious capacity for compassion, all one can truly count on is that humans are selfish, materialistic, and competitive (Scarcity-mind or Eco-mind: Where Do They Lead by Lappè, page 57).”
ReplyDeleteHello everyone, hope you are having a good week! I felt this article really resonated with me. The study of eco-mind and scarcity-mind was quite intriguing; this digs deeper into the study of the human mind and why we interact the way we do. After only several weeks of studying sustainability I realized that more important than interacting with the outside environment, we have to learn to live in harmony with our fellow humans to become a truly sustainable community.
This quotation from the article makes it seem like humans are just selfish creatures that have no compassion for their fellow beings. Are we all really born selfish, only caring about are own interest and gain? Is empathy and kindness something we have to learn over time? Or do we have more of an "eco-mind" that relies heavily on connection and co-creation?
You make an interesting point. However, I believe that empathy and kindness are entities that can be a result of Living Democracy. A Living Democracy is one that enjoys dignity because no one is a mere instrument of another and thus trust, the foundation of social well-being spreads and fear recedes. In a society, where individuals aren't giving up their fate to a more powerful government or person, one might feel more inclined to be kind and even love his equal if they are both working together toward bettering the earth, its inhabitants, and solving problems that could potentially inhibit that.
Delete"We humans see the world through culturally formed filters, what I call our mental maps. They determine what we see, what we cannot see, and therefore what we believe to be possible." (Scarcity-mind or Eco-mind: Where Do They Lead by Lappe, page 57)
ReplyDeleteI agree with this quotation and truly believe that for greatness to be achieved, one must be able to eliminate these culturally formed filters and open their mind to the endless possibilities we as humans can achieve. How can we get more people to step outside their comfort zone and see the bigger picture?
I completely agree with the quotation; however, in response to your question, my first thought was can our "culturally formed filters" ever be truly eliminated? Anthropologists strive to achieve a culturally unfiltered world view to be able to fully understand cultures across time and space. Despite their efforts, they once went through enculturation themselves, meaning that they were taught directly by instruction and indirectly by example to learn the culture that they are now a part of forever. Through socialization, an individual can learn culture, however, they are unable to completely eliminate it. Simply "stepping out of [one's] comfort zone" will not dismiss the culture that that individual was brought up in since that is their life. Anthropologists struggle with the question of whether an outsider to a culture can ever truly understand another without being raised in it: this is the debate of emic (viewpoint from within a culture) vs. etic (viewpoint from outside a culture) viewpoints.
DeleteWhile I agree with the quotation, I also agree with what Taylor said. I don't think it is truly possible to eliminate our "culturally formed filters". Our own mental maps are a part of us, and I don't think we can ever actually eliminate them, nor should we want to. The experiences I've had growing up, although undoubtedly privileged, have also shaped me to see the world in a certain light, and I don't necessarily think that's a bad thing- I see the magnificent and the terrible, the struggles and the comforts, and I am able to acknowledge the very best and the very worst of humanity. While I do believe that it is necessary to step outside your comfort zone and see the way other people live (or, more, experience the way other people live), I think that in some way, you will always be a visitor to that way of life. You will always have your own upbringing to compare it to, your own memories surrounding what you see.
DeleteI agree with the quote as well as the two previous comments, however there is a way to lessen the effects of "culturally formed filters" and that is through education. It is a shame that many people in the world are uneducated or their education systems failed them because it really opens your mind to things you would have never thought about. It is entirely too easy to get sucked into your own culture and view everyone else's way of life as wrong. My two years in college have opened my mind more than I could have ever imagined just because you are able to learn about the world and I think if everyone had the same opportunity as me (and all of you) we would be able to seriously lessen the effects of culturally formed filters. Would it solve the problem entirely? I do not think so and of course it may not even be possible to give everyone in the world equal educational opportunities, but it would help immensely in opening people's minds and creating respect between cultures. After all, we are all humans.
DeleteI also completely agree with this quote. In today's day and age, it is becoming increasingly difficult to change people from their set, preconceived mindsets; what Doctor Chandler referred to as Motivated Reasoning. Each person will always have some sort of a "culturally formed filter," but I believe that the best way to break down these walls is to simply make people more aware; talk to people, help them to understand, and don't force information down their throat. The more people are convinced, the more of a ripple effect it will be to others. The key to this success, however, is an extreme amount of patience and diligence.
Delete"The analysis delineates two main categories of social capital: structural (roles, rules, procedures, and processes), and cognitive (norms, values, attitudes, and beliefs)." -Norman Uphoff
ReplyDeleteWhen thinking about the environment you live in, it's obvious that your community has an impact on it as well as the environment having an impact on your community whether it be food resources or local jobs. With these two basic categories of social capital presented above, how do you think the environment can influence or have an impact on them as well as vice versa?
as a human population we live off of our environment, many people took it into account to take the structural role and capitalize and structure the land and make a use off of it. our environment is thus seen as an item for our disposal to use and abuse in hopes of self prosperity. The opposite being a life of cognitive being where you realize the importance of respecting and sustaining our environment. Joint social efforts to preserve and conserve the environment around us building values that cherish the delicate resource we were given.
DeleteIn Uphoff's quote, he states "Farmer organizations established under a donor project in the early 1980s produced unexpected and otherwise unobtainable rice production results in an acutely water-short season (1997) when government engineers had figured that no rice could or should be grown. By effective cooperation and by equitable sharing of scarce water, farmers achieved a better than normal crop worth some $20 million". This fact reinforces the importance of community ideals to face the growing destruction/lack of concern for our environment. What can we do in our own communities to encourage a group 'think' so to speak, which supports and strives for sustainability?
ReplyDeleteI believe that developing relationships within communities and fostering community involvement are beneficial ways to combat the environmental challenges that we are faced with today. As you mentioned, the community played a major role in the example given in the quote. As a result of their efforts, the farmers in the community were able to produce a crop better than what they had before. I think that one of the things we can do to encourage a “group think” that is receptive of the ideas of sustainability would be to inform the public on why there is a need for sustainability. Many people are unaware of what sustainability entails and how they can contribute to making a more sustainable society. With education on the issues, it would be easier to encourage people in the community to be supportive and advocate for sustainability. Simply talking to people that you know about environmental concerns would be a step in the right direction because although it may seem insignificant, it encourages more people to strive for sustainability.
DeleteI think that’s a great question to be asking because it’s often so overlooked for more complex questions in hopes to get more complex answers. A major thing we can do is just that: ask how we can work together as a community to create a more sustainable world. Once this question is posed the seed is planted, people can begin to think about it. The answer starts with one person, for that person must demonstrate a sustainable lifestyle and be “practicing what they preach.” Then comes the importance of educating the community and further educating them on the importance of working together for this common goal. Providing them with examples such as this one would likely be very successful, for until a real-life scenario is placed in front of people the cause remains distant. In terms of creating a stronger sense of “groupthink,” communication is the best way to maintain this ideal. Being transparent with goals and issues that arise will provide people with more knowledge and build their passion for a cause that they feel connected with. The farmers in this quote proved the success that can come from working as a team and the impact they made demonstrated the successful sustainable impact that can be achieved.
Delete“Psychologists also tell us that fear often makes humans more self-interested, blaming, materialistic, and stuck. These findings suggest that it’s worth our care and effort to deflect incoming fear stimuli and replace them with positive stimuli.” – Lappe (62)
ReplyDeleteThis quote reminded me of Dr. Chandler’s lecture on Ernest Becker’s terror management theory and how there is an ever-present tension resulting from our fear of our own mortality. Becker suggests that positive behavior results from shifting from a fear-based worldview to a fear-conscious one. Rank, Adler, and Young’s Wellness Model also emphasizes the necessity of alliance, abundance, infiniteness, and invulnerability in a productive and sustainable society. How are these models related to Lappe’s conditions for an eco-minded world?
I think this is quite an interesting premise that I must say I have never thought of before. However, when Dr. Chandler introduced me to the idea for the first time in class I was quite intrigued. I had never considered such a thing but once I did it seemed so obvious! The idea has really stuck with me. Now here we see the same propsal again and I find it to be quite relevant! People are driven by fear. We see this in their habits, decisions, lifestyles, etc. Fear largely affects people's decision making process. If we altered this state as a whole, having humans become more unified and less self-centered, we would actually create a society that is stronger. Creating this unity and alliance would create a sense of safety and strength so that humans would not make so many fear based decisions.
Delete"Farmer organizations established under a donor project in the early 1980s produced unexpected and otherwise unobtainable rice production results in an acutely water-short season (1997) when government engineers had figured that no rice could or should be grown. By effective cooperation and by equitable sharing of scarce water, farmers achieved a better than normal crop worth some $20 million.” (Norman Uphoff)
ReplyDeleteThis outcome of an above-average harvest was not thought to be feasible that year in Sri Lanka. It was the combination of both kinds of social capital described earlier in the quote- structural (roles and procedures) and cognitive (attitudes and beliefs)- that allowed the crop to reach the level that it did in spite of the water shortage, and contrary to the beliefs of government engineers that growing rice that season was implausible.
Do you think this would have been possible without the combination of both kinds of social capital- structural without cognitive or cognitive without structural? Why?
I as well found this to be an interesting article, and despite all the negative facts Sri Lanka was able to yield a large harvest. In my opinion I do not think it would have been possible for Sri Lanka to harvest that much without the combination of both kinds of social capital structures. From simply living day to day we can as a society see the importance of roles, rules, procedures, and processes. Without theses important aspects our way of life would have no structure. However, without norms, values, attitudes, and beliefs we couldn’t really have procedures. What I mean by this is that our values shape our decisions that create our procedures, and I think these two categories play hand in hand in the success of a nations resource use.
Delete"We can imagine, really envision, societies in which we really enjoy dignity because no one is a mere instrument of another. Trust - the foundation of social well-being - spreads and fear recedes" This quote taken from page 62, of Lappe's Scarcity-Mind or Eco-Mind emphasizes the need for the three components that make up the "Eco-Mind" - Connection, which helps eliminate distrust by enabling a "there are no parts, only participants." type mind-set in which each person is accountable for one another in order to fuel the transition from the depletion and destruction of our natural resources to transforming our culturally formed mental maps to see and act on possible solutions and move toward a Eco-mindset. Continuous change, another important component of the Eco-mind; exemplifies the importance of our world/society to always becoming better and stronger. The battle to align our social, economic, and moral values with nature is a battle easily lost - but never finally won. Thus we must continue to ever change ourselves and adapt our societies to natures necessary demands. The last component of the Eco-Mind is Co-creation which comes as a result of connection and continuous change. Co-creation is the ripple effect of good ideas and solutions to problems that arises as a result of holding each other in society accountable for aligning our values to wider nature and always being on our toes trying to better our world. Do you think any of the components of the Eco-Mind can exist without the other, or must it take all three in effect to be effective.
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ReplyDelete"To move forward we must recognize that in the midst of a magnificent diversity of cultures and life forms we are one human family and one Earth community with a common destiny....To realize these aspirations, we must decide to live with a sense of universal responsibility, identifying ourselves with the whole Earth community as well as our local communities." -Earth Carter Preamble
ReplyDeleteWith so much diversity in our expansive world, it can be easy to forget that we all are ultimately interdependent. I feel as though we all have a tendency to get wrapped up in our own busy schedules without giving much thought as to how our actions affect those sitting next to us as well as those over in SE Asia. For example, it seemed as though none of us really thought about where our fresh food came from until we watched the video on the conditions of tomato farmers in Immockalee, FL. Likewise, it is not common for our society to stop and consider the conditions of the sweatshop worker who made the jeans we are about to purchase. These two examples in particular illustrate just how interconnected our world truly is and how just one individual decision we make can affect the life of someone halfway across the world as well as the person living a few doors down. I think it will take years before societies truly understand how connected we all are and begin to care for one another. However, at an individual level, showing concern for someone or the environment can be as simple as saying hi to a stranger in passing or picking up a piece of trash on the way to class.
"Care for the community of life with understanding, compassion, and love."
ReplyDeleteUnder Principles in the Earth Charter
This is one of the biggest issues I have come to see when dealing with the environment, specifically for the conservation of animals. As humans, we set ourselves above the natural world making our lives more valuable than that of an insect or a fish. Most people do not really think twice about killing a bug or fish but in reality all life is equal and has the same right to exist as we do. Just because humans are smarter and are conscious of our existence does not make all other life irrelevant or invaluable. As of right now, this is the only place in the universe we know of that holds life, therefore every single species of plants, animals, and even bacteria are only found here. From a universal point of view this adds tremendous value to all life because of its scarcity; once a species is killed off earth, it is erased from the universe as well. All life should be treated with respect; we teach our doctors "First, do no harm" so why can't that be applied to all life rather than just us?
Trevor -
DeleteI agree with your statement about the quotation above about animal cruelty! You could even take this farther and say that not all humans feel this love and compassion for the community of life. This mistreat of our own species is incredible and mind-blowing. Civil rights are not only a national issue, but have now become a global concern. The only way our planet will be successful at caring for it is if we are all together.
“These assumptions make up what I call scarcity-mind. Through it, we see ourselves in perpetual competition with other selfish creatures over scarce goods. The consequences are profound: Within cultures that today increasingly seem to whittle human nature down to “selfish sinners and shoppers,” we come to distrust our capacity for common problem solving.” (Lappe, pg. 57)
ReplyDeleteMany people have the mentality that they are on their own and should focus on just fending for themselves in this world. Industrialization and advancement through technology has disconnected us further from each other and from the natural world around us. This has led to our society being “perversely aligned with nature” and has brought out scarcity-minded qualities in many individuals. Fear leads many of us to think and act selfishly, for example, not worrying about the problems of the world because they do not directly affect us in the present. However, the sustainability of the world is pertinent to all of us and is an issue we need to address right away. People need to realize that it is actually safer and more stable to work with others and have other people to rely on in times of need. We are social creatures that work better in groups. I think that if we can become more loving and accepting of one another we can form better connections. These connections are needed to solve complex problems that the world faces today.
Haley, I agree with you on several points. Studies have shown that we do, indeed, work better when we cooperate with others. Connection was even something that Lappe mentioned as being one of the essential emotional needs. I also agree that fear often causes people to act selfishly, because I have witnessed it in people I know, and even in myself. When we are scared, it's instinct to protect ourselves, and most often times forget about the rest. It is possible that because people have mindset to fend only for themselves in a world that needs helps, they blind themselves to the world's issues, and what ignoring them actually means for future generations, and even people today. I found that your comment which reads, "industrialization and advancement through technology has disconnected us further from each other and from the natural world around us," especially stood out to me. Most people view industrialization and technological advancements key in connecting people around the world, so I find your take interesting. I can see, in retrospect, how both are true. We may have the ability to connect with people around the world, but sometimes, we choose not to for the sake of maintaining the life we live. Ignoring the problems, instead of learning about them. All in all, I enjoyed your post, and agree that people realizing the benefits from cooperation and collaboration in this time of need is key to reaching holistic sustainability.
Delete"The resilience of the community of life and the well-being of humanity depend upon preserving a healthy biosphere with all its ecological systems, a rich variety of plants and animals, fertile soils, pure waters, and clean air. The global environment with its finite resources is a common concern of all peoples. The protection of Earth's vitality, diversity, and beauty is a sacred trust." (Earth Charter Preamble)
ReplyDeleteI couldn't have said it better myself. Humans have the responsibility to take care of the planet we live on. I believe that we must protect and preserve the Earth because we are a part of this planet and its ecosystems. We must respect it becuase it does not belong to us. We must love and appreciate the Earth and all its entities, for we are simply one of these many parts. However, I chose this quote because it made me think of those people who do not think like me. There are many people who feel that they are superior to any other integral part on this planet. They believe that the Earth can be treated how they see fit and may be exploited for their needs. This quote explains to these people perhaps something they haven't thought before, and while it is still a more selfish approach it is one that may make those who do not care about the Earth more aware. I would say to them what this quote explains. We must protect the Earth for the sake of humans and our well-being. While it is more self-centered, it can still have the positive impact we want it to.
“Here, let me underscore, these conditions are shown to bring out the worst, not in a few “evil” among us but in most of us.” “Scarcity-Mind of Eco-Mind?” page 3, paragraph 2
ReplyDeleteAlthough he goes further into the piece with evidence that this might not be true, it got me thinking about the inherent qualities of man. I understand that at the core of holistic sustainability is human dignity, but what about when holistic sustainability is not a focus? Is human dignity at the core of humanity or do you believe the true core of humanity is evil? What factors make you think this way and do you think your personal experiences have affected this view or are you being unbiased?
Concepts such as "evil" and "good" are difficult to both qualify and quantify. I don't think that humans are inherently either, I think they just are almost always motivated by self-interest. When you increase someone's human dignity and quality of life, I think those self-interests are less at odds with that of others. There are very few people, I think, that actively seek to bring some sort of harm to others when it poses no benefit to themselves. When you look at cases like the Stanford Prison experiment, I think it becomes evident that even the best of people can be corrupted by poor conditions/environments.
Delete"With an eco-mind, economic life is no longer bound up by the fiction of a “free market,” so it is possible to create values boundaries around the market to keep it fair, open, and aligned with nature’s laws". In this quote Lappe, envisions an economic system, and really a society, in which self-centered and fear derived consumerism and greed, are no longer rewarded by economic and societal gains. This is the revolution we need in the United States. We need to create a system which encourages income equality, and community. One that limits the excess that many of us have grown used to and taken for granted. There's no good or moral reason as to why, there are hundreds of billionaires, who continue to keep adding wealth, while millions of people in the country work full-time and are living below the poverty line.
ReplyDeleteI disagree with your statement about revolutionizing a system which encourages income equality. We have different classes in the United States for a reason and it balances out between the rich and the poor. It is very unfortunate for those people who live below the poverty line and yes we need to support those who are. I don't believe income equality is the way to go.
Delete“A case study from Sri Lanka shows how the two forms of social capital can produce substantial material benefits. Farmer organizations established under a donor project in the early 1980s produced unexpected and otherwise unobtainable rice production results in an acutely water-short season (1997) when government engineers had figured that no rice could or should be grown. By effective cooperation and by equitable sharing of scarce water, farmers achieved a better than normal crop worth some $20 million.” (Norman Uphoff in Social Capital by Serageldin & Dasgupita (1998).)
ReplyDeleteI really enjoyed this example because it relates back to what Frances Moore Lappé was explaining in “Scarcity-mind or Eco-mind?” Uphoff’s quote clearly depicts issues of separateness and scarcity but then shows that through community collaboration they were able to overcome their issue and even benefit in the process. To me it raises the question of why, as humans, are we so apprehensive to work together despite having such a large capacity for interaction? I believe this is an issue as a society that needs answering in order to further sustainability.
"The choice is ours: form a global partnership to care for Earth and one another or risk the destruction of ourselves and the diversity of life." Earth Charter Preamble, first sentence under the heading "The Challenges Ahead."
ReplyDeleteSeveral thoughts and questions formed in my mind after reading this excerpt from the Preamble. At first, I was in complete agreement with the author, because I feel that what was said is true. It is necessary for a global partnership and the recognition that we are all interconnected as a part of one world. I began to wonder, and pose the following questions to my fellow classmates, if this kind of direct statement is truly the best way to get people to understand and encourage them to contribute to the effort. Is scaring people our best chance at igniting change in the world? If it is, I stand on the idea that this type of communication is only there to get attention, and afterwards, reach people on an educational level. I found the quotation inspirational, but what would be the impact on someone set in their ways, ignorant to the studies and statistics involved with the ideal of holistic sustainability?
I would also like to discuss another thought that came about in reading this quote, as more than one was brought on in reading it. Even if we do get across to people who do not know much about the state of the world, and the efforts of sustainability, will forming a global partnership be enough to avoid the destruction of ourselves and the diversity of life? According to Lappe's "Scarcity or Eco-Mind," even though things are improving in effort to improve human life, it still is not enough. I will use his example of food production: despite the increase in food production, there are still a myriad of people suffering from hunger. Would problems such as these be solved with the formation of global partnerships, or would it fall short in its efforts? Surely, a global partnership would be beneficial, and is an inspirational and empowering thought, but is it all we need?
You ask really weighty but thought-provoking questions. In answer to the first part of your post, I also share your ambivalence on scaring people to get them care about issues concerning the environment. On one hand, due to our current situation and lack of overall response to the environmental crisis, a desperate measure does seem appropriate. But if we're not careful, and keep on touting the end of the world as we know it, eventually people become desensitized to even that message as well, resulting in a truly numb and inactive society. In the end, I believe education is the best way to get through to people, because if they know of all the facts and ways that they can make a difference, then they will act for the betterment of society.
Delete“Human development is primarily about being more, not having more” (The Earth Charter: The Challenges Ahead).
ReplyDeleteAfter reading this article, my first thoughts went straight to my developmental sustainability leadership project this past summer in Haiti. The Haitians are not only the most kind people I personally have ever met, but they are the most passionate and hardworking people. Yes, Haiti is the poorest country in the Western Hemisphere, but a country is strong in its people not what it has. Being able to produce goods and provide services on a global scale is great but these ‘things’ will not show the value within the people of that particular nation. That’s what makes Haiti so intriguing; the fewer things they have makes them so much more valuable in people. Not only is sustainability seen in the environment, but it is also seen in the individuals around the world.
"From these assumptions of scarcity-mind flow economic and political systems characterized by three features: 1. Concentrated power 2. Lack of transparency, and 3. A culture of blame (“othering” as the cultural norm.)" (Lappe, Pg.57)
ReplyDeleteI liked this article because it coincided with a lot of what we've been talking about in class, particularly Professor Chandler's lecture of the Psychology of Sustainability. Lappe addresses how our current society is mostly scarcity-minded which results in a society characterized by the above listed three traits, and our need to develop an eco-mind that can create a Living Democracy. The three results of scarcity-mind can be connected to the aforementioned theory that we tend to ignore topics related to the environment because it reminds us of our mortality. Reminding us of our mortality creates a sense of powerlessness within in us (1.concentration of power comes at the price of disenfranchising citizens and placing power in government and corporations, as stated in Lappe), causing us to look the other way and blame others to deflect our guilt as bystanders (3. culture of blame).
Scarcity--Mind or Eco-mind
ReplyDeleteThis resource talks mostly about the psychology behind what people believe and how it effects their actions towards the environment and sustainable usage. It also mentions how we are competitive with other individuals which can lead to us overusing resources or taking away resources from others. I thought that this was interesting since most people would want to believe that humans try to help eachother out and make sure everyone has everything necessary to survive. "Through an ecological lens, however, we can move toward defining the problem as mal-alignment with nature—producing waste, destruction, widespread deprivation, and feelings of powerlessness". I think this quote is quite powerful because I agree with the article because we need to establish our boundaries with nature and use it but also need to make sure that nature is being replaced and replenished in its own undisturbed processes. It will be interesting to see how this article affects others and what they understand from it because the psychology behind using resources is so vast and can lead to many different ideas. I think article does a good job of pointing out the competitiveness rather than compassionate mind that most humans may have.
I totally agree with what you are saying. Throughout each week, the idea of unity or togetherness is what seems to be reappearing and for good reason. We are all a part of this natural world that is in need of saving and I think that each and every one of us needs to realize that the decisions we make today as humans are constantly having an effect on the entire planet. We all need to be willing to work together, to use our diverse views and strengths to make the positive change that holistic sustainability is all about. We need to look through the “ecological lens”, to take our perspective away from one of an “outside looking in” mentality and into one that brings us right into the equation. It is when we form this connection with the natural world, and each other, that we can truly empathize with it and help it thrive into an abundant future. We need to be willing to work together and grow in unity.
DeleteThere are two quotes I thought were worth sharing, one from Lappe, “This evidence-based mental map I call the eco-mind, hoping to suggest “thinking like an ecosystem.”” (4) As well, a quote from Uphoff, “when government engineers had figured that no rice could or should be grown. By effective cooperation and by equitable sharing of scarce water, farmers achieved a better than normal crop worth some $20 million.” (1) I found these two quotes to be linked regarding the eco-mind concept. Engineers and cooperations of the future will need to start “thinking like an ecosystem” in order to make up for the scarcity of natural resources. With all the different views in the world do you think its possible for every nation to start “thinking like an ecosystem?”
ReplyDeleteThe second quote you chose also really stood out to me. I really enjoyed this example because of the connection back to what Lappé was explaining in “Scarcity-mind or Eco-mind?”. Uphoff’s quote clearly depicts issues of separateness and scarcity but then shows that through community collaboration they were able to overcome their issue and even benefit in the process. To me it raises the question of why, as humans, are we so apprehensive to work together despite having such a large capacity for interaction? In today’s world I do not yet think we have reached a universal understanding which would allow for us to start “thinking like an ecosystem”. I believe that the problem is not only the large diversity of viewpoints but also the reluctance of nations to forfeit their independence. The Earth Charter had this really good point on how this is an issue that must be addressed.
Delete16. Promote a culture of tolerance, nonviolence, and peace.
a. Encourage and support mutual understanding, solidarity, and cooperation among all peoples and within and among nations.
”We humans see the world through culturally formed filters, what I call our mental maps. They determine what we see, what we cannot see, and therefore what we believe to be possible.1,2” (Frances Moore Lappé, Scarcity Mind, 57).
ReplyDeleteLappé introduces the idea of scarcity mind by delineating the limit of thought due to “culturally formed filters” (Scarcity Mind, 57). The perception of reality is always thwarted and never truly in tune with our surroundings. This concept reminded me of the linguistic Sapir-Whorf theory that states that language, as useful a tool as it is, is also a limit of thought because it predisposes patterns of thought within the speaker. William Lutz expands the idea of Sapir-Whorf theory in his essay Doublespeak; Lutz describes that “language…reflects our perception of reality, which in turn influences and shapes our reactions to people, events, and ideas…language is a kind of conceptual blueprint used to organize our thoughts” (Doublespeak, 25).
Both Lutz and Lappé both recognize that our perception of reality has its limits based on our culture and hence create preconceptions or notions that don’t always align with sustainable mental maps. I very much enjoyed how Lappé provides insight into the “Eco-Mind” in an effort to efface “Scarcity Mind” and how it would work into our daily lives (Scarcity Mind, 58). However, Lappé mentions that “fair production suggests opportunities for people to participate in coproduction via cooperatives,” but I’m not sure how that could work on a large-scale business (Scarcity Mind, 60).
"To move forward we must recognize that in the midst of a magnificent diversity of cultures and life forms we are one human family and one Earth community with a common destiny" the Earth Charter Preamble (http://www.earthcharterinaction.org/content/pages/Read-the-Charter.html)
ReplyDeleteLearning and taking the Sustainability course, I've learned to realized that cooperation is vital for advancement in the society. The Preamble tied this necessity throughout. I feel like this is one essential factor we, as humans, tend to neglect to work in unison and with others, rather than individually. In addition, because there is a wide range of diversity in Earth, it is difficult to grasp that we work as one, and we can effectively and positively influence this world by working together. As "one human family" we need to recognize that "Injustice, poverty, ignorance, and violent conflict are widespread" and put an end to it in order for "the greater community". As we learned in class, any service to Common Good can open up to the Greatest Opportunity.
I really like this quote because it calls all people of different backgrounds to one group, the human race. It is a nice and simple massage stating that we are all humans and we are all in this together. I agree with you that people can be ignorant, selfish, and blind to the facts that in order to save the Earth we must work together in order to make any sort of impact and real change. I also really like how you tied it back to the concept that we learned in class "any service to the common good can open up to the greatest opportunity." This works together because a key part of the common good is working together.
DeleteSeoyoung,
DeleteI agree with you wholeheartedly in regards to the comments that you made about cooperation. I too believe that in order to prosper as a species, we must all learn to work together and must come to acknowledge that while alone, we can make great strides towards bettering the world, together, the sheer magnitude of what can be accomplished is infinite. I also like that you mentioned how working towards “the Common Good” can help us realize the “Greatest Opportunity”, because I believe that conceptualizing ideas can make them much simpler to grasp, and understanding these concepts is the first step towards achieving the beliefs that they embody.
“By effective cooperation and by equitable sharing of scarce water, farmers achieved a better than normal crop worth some $20 million.”- Norman Uphoff in Social Capital by Serageldin & Dasgupita (1998). This quote is in reference to a case study in Sri Lanka, and I find it incredible that by banning together, the farmers were able to achieve such a high crop yield. This study ties in well to the idea that cooperation is a major tenet of sustainability. When people realize that while it is possible to make major strides and accomplish much alone, the sheer amount of things that can be accomplished with the help of a few collective minds is innumerable. This study parallels the successes that any group of people can accomplish by working together to further each other’s interests. We seem, as a generation, to be beginning to grasp the concept of cooperation and realizing how powerful such cooperation can be, but I think that this concept needs to be more widely acknowledged in order for accomplishments to be as profound as that of the farmers.
ReplyDeleteJulia,
DeleteI completely agree with your idea that as a generation we are beginning to realize the concept and importance of cooperation on today's society, but it till needs to become more acknowledged so that results similar to those of these farmers can be achieved. Now, how can we make this concept more knowledgeable? What is there to do to make people understand that when we work united towards a goal, we ( as a group) can achieve it more proficiently? I think we should deliver more on how to make this more knowledgeable, at the end, it really has a positive impact on everyone, so it shouldn't be that hard to integrate into common thinking among today's society.
"We can then imagine, really envision, societies in which we each enjoy dignity because no one is a mere instrument of another. In such societies, trust—the foundation of social well-being—spreads, and fear recedes." (Lappe pg.62) I like this quote because it connects back with two core ideas of holistic sustainability. One, that everything stems from that base of human dignity and two, that fear of death or mortality is what holds people in. Lappe is saying that if we can trust one another, the level of human dignity is raised and the fears we have begin to disappear. The question is how can today's society turn this vision into reality?
ReplyDeleteThis connects to my post I did just below from the Earth Charter which notes that development is not being shared equally. Our population is over populating the earth, and many people look toward survival of the fittest. If everyone was viewed as an equal people would have trust in one another and maybe be more selfless when it comes to helping others for not just their own good but for the good of the world.
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DeleteThe comment above perfectly depicts the "eco-minded" way of thinking from Lappe's article. We are all part of a whole and should work together for the common good instead of for individual self-interest. The quote shows how damaging our current economic structure is to human dignity. People are viewed as labor and subjects to others who are deemed more important. This creates an extreme disconnect and trust between individuals, reinforcing the idea to only work towards benefiting yourself. This is a destructive cycle that will only end when we break down the current economic system and put an end to political corruption and undistributed power. There should be an overwhelming feeling of equality across the globe that allows us to work together as a unified system instead of against one another. Imagine how much more we could advance as a species.
Deletefrom: The Earth Charter
ReplyDelete“ The benefits of development are not shared equitably and the gap between rich and poor is widening. Injustice, poverty, ignorance, and violent conflict are widespread and the cause of great suffering. An unprecedented rise in human population has overburdened ecological and social systems. The foundations of global security are threatened”
This is our current global situation and Its sad to think that not everybody in the world believes or is able to understand the complexity of a problem. The main problem being that humans have over populated the planet, has only multiplied the destruction we cause with our resource use and abuse. Our systems are boiling over the edge from the stress our population has put on it. Mainly because our population also doesn’t use the proper responsible means to live off the land. When inequality arises and the best is only used on the few wealthy we leave tarnished remains and a poor working system for the rest to use. Our earth is getting to the point of exhaustion. What will happen when we don’t responsibly replenish those, even the rich will suffer. Only now that the rich are realizing the sever situation we can see changes occurring before we are really screwed. The benefits of sustainability and healthy growth of our planet should not be profited but instead spread equally to ensure longevity of our species.
Yeah I agree Zoe, we suffer as humans will continue to suffer because of our actions of upsetting the balance that’s made by nature. According to Lappe 2013, that in global suicide alone, takes more lives annually than homicide and war combined with a rising numbers yearly, actually a 60 percent increase since 1945. We seem to over step our boundaries and deplete our resources such Eutrophication which is the enrichment of an ecosystem with chemical nutrients becoming a form of water pollution such as when excessive fertilizers run into lakes and rivers, this encourages the growth of algae and soon becomes a dead zone for fish. Like you said, the rich people don’t think they will suffer because of the money spent to compensate for their usage and lack of sustainable efforts while the poor people to put in more effort to make up for the damage done to the ecological and social systems.
Delete“Rendering of our communication, is the finding of neuroscience that fear easily trumps other emotions in our brains. Psychologists also tell us that fear often makes humans more self-interested, blaming, materialistic, and stuck.”
ReplyDelete(Lappe 2013 pg. 62)
I believe we do fundamentally understand this but due to how our society is design, we are molded by these fears from propaganda, social media, news, cultures, even religion contributes to these fears we have that prohibits many people from making an sustainable effort. I would say one of the most common phrases people say to those who educate about sustainable awareness is “how much of a difference can only one person make?”
I think if we look in the grand scheme, one person doesn't make much of a difference. But then again, the greatest moments of history were not because the actions of one man or one woman. History was made by groups, by communities, and by people united for one cause. The Crusades were carried out by passionate and religious men, not a man. The Magna Carta was signed by a group of men who approached and spoke against the monarchy. The American Revolution, The Civil War, The Civil Rights Movement; all of these were carried out by people who worked together. I think that as an individual, we don't have that much power; however, as an individual who represents and supports and is supported by a group, we have great power. I'd like to think that this is our purpose for taking this class, learning this material and asking ourselves these questions, so we can understand each other better and act as a community for change.
Deleteyeah i agree, and thats the point i was tring to make, i was also trying to point out how its a lousy excuse to give up.
DeleteI believe that the most powerful statement of the three readings was just a small part of a sentence I found on the 4th page of the Eco-mind PDF, the very last sentence of the first column: "...we humans thrive when we work together, not under the thumb of one strong man." I believe this is such a strong statement because throughout history, it has been a proven statement. Under the rule of one or the few, when the people rise up, when they work for a common goal, there's no stronger force. This statement really explains what it means to be human and what it means to live sustainably. I think this statement is the key to solving the world's issues and its precisely what this course means to teach us. The emphasis that this class puts on the social aspect of environmental issues and the amount of time spent to ensure that we understand the interrelatedness and connection that everything in nature and human societies is captured by this statement. I'm curious as to what what we can do, as individuals, as class participants, as members of this school, the community and in the broad spectrum of things, to transition us back to this egalitarian society we once had. Do any of you have any ideas?
ReplyDeleteLappe has really interesting things to say about our current economic system. She says, “our economic system is not designed for growth in wealth, even narrowly defined. More centrally, today’s economies are built for wealth accumulation by those already well-placed.” The alternative, more positive, economy that would exist in a Living Democracy would have a more community based economy that provided for all. This ideal economy would not propound the idea that the acquisition of wealth is life’s purpose. In order to achieve this economy, our current economic system would have to change, or even be eliminated. The few people who benefit the most from our current economy are likely to reject any changes.
ReplyDeleteHow can we encourage wealthy people to support a movement seeking to get rid of the system that they have been so successful in? Do you think extremely wealthy people will be able to see beyond the comfort and pleasure their money provides, to see the harm that our current economic system has on the world?
Lappe’s view on politics is also remarkable. She says, “Living Democracy suggests, for example, rules that prevent the influence of concentrated private wealth and corporations in campaigns and legislative decisions, along with election rules barring advertising and ensuring candidates’ fair access to media and other public forums.” These are changes that would positively affect our political system. Theoretically these changes to the law could be made with our current democratic system, but it is unclear what their impact would be. Is it possible to instill these changes into our current system in a meaningful way? Or, do we need an entirely new political system?
I think it’s difficult to determine whether or not our political system is capable of making changes that hold positive outcomes for all. Like you and Lappe said, our economic system tends to ensure that wealth accumulates, making the rich richer. This being said, the key for sustainability is human dignity; from an economic standpoint, this means that everyone is treated equally under the law and is given fair opportunities to improve their own circumstances. Of course there will always be poverty, crime, and other issues, but the important part is that the community is making a conscious effort to resolve these problems. Therefore, the only way we can really solve this issue is by being knowledgeable of our political leaders, and of course, voting for the candidates who will fight for the rights all people and for the environment.
DeleteLappe manages to criticize a lot in this paper without providing much in the way of solutions. I agree with you, I think her criticisms of the economy are valid, but for different reasons. We have a system of perpetual growth that is wholly unsustainable. Stagnation is a dirty word that that's synonymous with disaster because our population is growing and our economy is constantly just playing catch-up. This system of growth and expansion cannot continue forever and we as a society have to deal with the fact our planet can only support so much. Like you said, Lappe's view of economics is based on an idyllic view of communism. While it may be nice on paper, it is naive to think it could work without the complete rewiring of human nature. Evolutionary instinct forces us to compete and provide for ourselves, and developing an "eco-mind" would be nice but hardly feasible on a large scale. Communal economies would eventually devolve into competition. People's greed will always be there and people will always strive to be more efficient. A person who does something better will naturally want more for their work. Speaking of human nature, her view that our social systems are the cause of the Holocaust and every other terrible thing is more or less accurate only because the term "social system" is about as general and noncommittal as you can be. Lappe finishes her intro by offhandedly admitting she may be mischaracterizing, as if that excuses her of all the inflammatory things she just wrote.
DeleteLappe's idea of a "living democracy" has no real meaning apart from being the ideal version of a democracy. Again, all of the things she says would be nice but are ultimately pretty naive. Also, when Lappe casually asserts that money in politics causes the high solar power use in Germany, that is her simply being misleading. At this point she is just making implications throwing out made-up facts and because her paper is so theoretical nobody can dispute it.
"Humanity is part of a vast evolving universe. Earth, our home, is alive with a unique community of life. The forces of nature make existence a demanding and uncertain adventure, but Earth has provided the conditions essential to life's evolution." (The Earth Charter: Earth Our Home)
ReplyDeleteThis quote caught my attention because it reminds me of a few key points that humanity does not reflect upon very often. One of these points is that while Earth is our home, it is also "alive with a unique community of life". Every living thing is connected because we share a common home. The later half of the quote declares that this planet provides conditions necessary for evolution, an event that has taken place since the first organism. I interpreted this as a reminder that humans are not the only species to have inherited Earth. Every single living thing has fought for survival and for a spot on this planet. Do you think if all of humanity was raised on this ideas
that we would inevitably stray from them, or do you believe that we can pass them down throughout the generations?
This excerpt from the Earth Charter reminded me of Lappe saying that we must learn to live in alignment with the environment. The society we live in is almost entirely focused on how to acquire more material things, despite the environmental, global cost at which these things may come. We need to seek ways in which to meet our needs without being destructive to the environment.
DeleteI agree with you that humans tend to ignore the fact that we are one of many organisms living on earth. The planet was not created solely for human disposal and it is essential that we begin to acknowledge this. I think if our education system evolves to include these ideals in its core curriculum then it definitely is possible to pass them down through generations. The education system should not teach kids to pass on the blame to other people, but rather to feel a moral responsibility to recognize their place in the problem and fix it.
"It was alignment: the joy of realizing that eating what is also best for my body is best for the earth and is best for all of us. Over the years, I’ve felt that readers have received the book’s philosophy as less about restricting choices and more about enhancing meaning and a sense of agency in our daily lives." (Lappe, 62)
ReplyDeleteHumans are naturally pleasure seeking creatures, especially in a scarcity state of mind. With this we make decisions according to what will bring the most pleasure, with the great struggle being short-term versus long-term. What we don't realize is that there is a great satisfaction achieved through responsible decision making, so although some may see it as limiting our choices, we are in fact enlightening ourselves. Enlightenment and awareness are two essential facets of living a responsible and happy life. Lappe is expressing what many of us don't realize.
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ReplyDelete"Life often involves tensions between important values. This can mean difficult choices. However, we must find ways to harmonize diversity with unity, the exercise of freedom with the common good, short-term objectives with long-term goals."
ReplyDeleteThis quote from the Earth Charter illustrates a very real issue we have been trying to reconcile for a long time now. What can we do to long-term problems like climate change and decreasing biodiversity while also meeting short term goals that may contradict our long term solutions?
I feel that in order to take two steps forward in this world, you need to take one step back first. This can be related to trying to solve long-term issues like the global climate change and decreasing biodiversity. New technology has been created so quickly over the past decade or two that the world has not been able to focus on making existing technologies better for us and for the environment. It has taken car companies quite a while to be able to create a decent electric car that can easily be incorporated into everyday life. First came the gas guzzling motor vehicles of the 20th century, and then came the improvement close to 100 years later. The world’s short-term goals, like improving transportations, are achieved with new inventions and technologies coming out every day. It isn’t until later on that the long-term goals of sustaining this earth will be relevant and making improvements upon existing technologies to do things like reduce their carbon footprint will occur.
Delete“We move from narrowly applying our energies to the design and creation of life-promoting policies. We also embrace the challenge of transforming our failing decision-making structures” (Lappe, pg 61).
ReplyDeleteI chose this quote because it both perfectly sums up Lappe’s introduction of how we can all make conscious, collective changes to help positively impact the world, and it also relates to Jacob Cravey’s speech from this past Tuesday. After reading this chapter, it seems that the only true way to actually make an influence is by altering our perspective, specifically from a “scarcity-mind to an eco-friendly mind.” This shift in attitude can range from how our country treats education to a much broader sense, like how we solve problems as a community. Although it may sound repetitive, we are all interdependent, and so it is essential that our decisions are for the common good. This is why I think that Jacob’s work with carbon offsets is so important. Although his work with planting trees and making homes more energy efficient is obviously very beneficial, it is his efforts to shift the attitude of an entire community to be more conscious and eco-friendly that will have lasting effects. Like Jacob said, a football game gives him a chance to spread his message to 90,000 people. The real question then is, as a society, what can we do to maintain this collective, eco-friendly conscious rather than make the same mistakes of the past again?
“To realize these aspirations, we must decide to live with a sense of universal responsibility, identifying ourselves with the whole Earth community as well as our local communities. We are at once citizens of different nations and of one world in which the local and global are linked.” People are constantly placing the blame on other people, or countries, or ignoring the fact that we are destroying our earth. As Peter Senge explained in Navigating the Webs of Interdependence, we need to join together to create a cognitive intelligence. A few very intelligent people will not protect the earth’s community. In order to obtain a cognitive intelligence and protect this planet, we must integrate sustainability as a way of life into our formal education. My question is, is by the time we reach the goal of and create a cognitive intelligence, will the damage done be irreversible to our planet?
ReplyDeleteHi Hannah,
DeleteUnfortunately, there are some scientists that say that the damage done is already irreversible. We are already seeing some of the negative effects of climate change such as the presence of super storms, unnaturally long droughts, and more drastic El Nino effects. The lack of response on behalf of our policy makers is something that will lead to catastrophic problems in the future, but hopefully we will be able to mitigate some of the more devastating effects if we act soon. President Obama has recently been pushing for more climate change action, but then approved plans for oil drilling in the Arctic Ocean. We as a society need to reform our policy implementation first before we can look to see change in sustainable practices.
I am not quite sure if believe the damage that the earth has already sustained due to human overconsumption, pollution, and other irresponsible behavior has the possibility to be overturned in the short run, as much as I would love too. In the last century, humans have done more harm to the planet than any generation before, and with the newly evolving globalization of the world economy I sometimes feel that the realistic intervention capabilities have been taken out of the general populations hands and placed in that of the cooperations. In an attempt to avoid straying to pessimistic mentality of reaching the "point of no return" with mother earth, I do not feel the human race has created irreversible damage;however, I believe it will take a massive shift in the way habitats and populations of low-income people are exploited by cooperations. While making day-to-day local effort will be a part of this change, I think It will ultimately stem from the publics ability to demand change from our leaders, and instilling a belief system that the reward is going green, rather than making green.
DeleteAt first, I didn’t’ quite understand the core message of this excerpt. However, the sentence, “… The two forms of social capital can produce substantial material benefits,” seems to capture Uphoff’s main idea (Uphoff, Social Capital. 1998). In essence, Uphoff argues that those whom effectively cooperate can acquire tangible assets. More specifically, these individuals should construct and follow efficient processes, guided by ethical values, in order to yield the greatest outcome, often monetary. This idea relies heavily on the notion of collective action. Without people working together on tasks, they would come nowhere close to the outcome that they reach when collaborating thoughts and ideas.
ReplyDelete"We have the knowledge and technology to provide for all and to reduce our impacts on the environment." (The Earth Charter). Although a very succinct and basic statement, it is extremely true and profound. Each person on this planet has the potential to better our world and, if together as a society we can come together, we can make a huge difference. Our world has become so advanced; we just need to find those who will lead in the the right, sustainable direction. This reminded me a lot of what Jacob was talking about yesterday during his talk about having a main person/group to lead everyone else and point them in the right direction. If we can have this type of cooperation among people, along with what this quote states about our advancing technology, great things will come.
ReplyDeleteHello Leanna,
DeleteI agree completely with your ideas that the Earth Charter had succinct statements that definitely packed a punch. I really enjoyed your ideas in connecting the reading with what Jacob, this weeks lecturer, had to say about his company. I believe that he follows the Earth Charter's main aims by creating relationships amongst people and allowing unity amongst the community. I feel that the Earth Charter was very inspiring and highlighted the impact of the individual, which coincided with the work that Jacob has done over his lifetime. I like how you also tied in the ideas of technology that Jacob highlighted. Sustainability will only become more attainable as technology progresses and and people like Jacob continue to creatively share their knowledge with as many people as possible.
This is a great quote. I totally agree with what you said about how each of us has the potential to make an impact. Even something small like only using a reusable water bottle or taking public transportation can make a difference in the long run. One quote that I grew up hearing is "If you have the ability, you have the responsibility". I think this applies here pretty well. Our country has the ability to be an example of a country that is moving towards sustainable and eco friendly lifestyles. And because of that, I think we have the responsibility to do so. We know what damages our environment, but yet we continue to do these things, and on massive scales. What does it take to change the priority from making as much money as possible to investing in the future of our planet? I think it starts with the people who, like you pointed out, have the potential to better our world.
Delete"In so doing, we focus attention on the need to remake the ground rules of our economies and begin to see how our economies, and our daily choices, can align with nature’s generative power. We can tap the commonly understood truth that it’s a whole lot easier to swim (or float!) with the current than fight against it. This is alignment."
ReplyDelete'Scarcity-Mind or Eco-Mind: Where Do They Lead?' Frances Lappe. (page 62, paragraph 5)
As a species, we have grown accustom to the system of living that we are currently experiencing. From birth, we accept our current and past global circumstances as concrete reality, which is where the feeling of fear and powerlessness take root and begin to manifest. These cultural lenses have distorted our human perception on how the world truly works. Few have thought to branch out beyond our current situation to advance as a species and develop a new economic structure that can reconstruct our global systems. We have been evolving further and further away from our true nature with our ever increasing disconnect to the environment. It is key to keep in mind, that not all expansion is progression and that maybe the solution does not lie in technological advances, but with simply following the flow of nature, including human nature.
"The dominant patterns of production and “The choice is ours: form a global partnership to care for Earth and one another or risk the destruction of ourselves and the diversity of life. Fundamental changes are needed in our values, institutions, and ways of living. We must realize that when basic needs have been met, human development is primarily about being more, not having more.” (Earth Charter Preamble)
ReplyDeleteWhile the Earth Charter does a good job of identifying what the various problems that plague the Earth are, it seems naïve in expecting human cooperation. Forming a global partnership is something that requires an international liberal approach, in which diplomacy is necessary for anything to be done. However, this sort of global partnership never works because every country just looks out for its own interests. How can we expect countries who are more in need of unsustainable development to comply with this and how can we assist their transition? Furthermore, what is the solution if a country defies the partnership? Should they be punished for their lack of cooperation?
"Let ours be a time remembered for the awakening of a new reverence for life, the firm resolve to achieve sustainability, the quickening of the struggle for justice and peace, and the joyful celebration of life." The Earth Charter.
ReplyDeleteThis statement concluding the Earth Charter really stuck with me throughout the readings for this week. The idea is to focus on the long term commitment to sustainability and the benefits that will come from sacrificing today for the future generations. I like the idea that, although sustainability is founded on the idea of continuous progression, there are many steps we can take now in order to become the time remembered for the awakening of a new reverence for life. In order to do this the steps towards educating and raising awareness is necessary. Like many other points in the Earth Charter, I thought that this quote allows the reader to remember the true motives for sustainability.
"Recognize the importance of moral and spiritual education for sustainable living." Earth Charter, VI 14) d.
ReplyDeleteOf course this is absolutely vital in restoring peace and prosperity on Earth. The importance of deep reflection and self-recognition is highlighted within yogic philosophies. Often, the way people treat others and their environment is a reflection of their thoughts of themselves. When people eat sugary junk foods regularly, they may not care about how they treat other forms of life since they don't treat their own direct connection to the earth with care. When people are obsessed with wealth and only focus on short term growth without regards to the future, they may be attached to their ego, trying to find security, and fail to see themselves as mirroring images of all forms of life. Personally, I think meditation will help humans move past the attachment to all things tangible, and see this life as a finite playground for our souls. Recognizing this inner light will allow the willingness to preserve this precious place we call home to happen naturally.
Do you think a spiritual education is necessary for us to move forward?
I really like your question Abby; and I think the answer is yes, we need some sort of spiritual education. For me, spiritual does not necessarily mean religious though. I think the more important thing is recognizing our individual connections to each other and the world as a whole (and even what is beyond our planet). Spiritual education could include bringing children out into nature to teach them about the ecosystems that work and live around them, and how they are connected to them. It could be going out into a forest and just sitting amongst the trees. It’s about fostering relationships. Some people find spirituality in a church or other place of worship; others find it in meditation. The important thing is that people find it. Those relationships (or lack of them) help govern the way people interact with others and world around them, and spirituality is a useful tool for building them.
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ReplyDelete“We humans see the world through culturally formatted filters, what I call our mental maps. They determine what we see, what we cannot see, and therefore what we believe to be possible.”
ReplyDeleteAs I began reading Frances Moore Lappe’s “Scarcity-Mind or Eco-Mind: Where do they Lead?” I was instantly drawn to this quote, because it addressed a reoccurring theme that I have noticed throughout my previous readings about sustainable activities. Whether the topic is about a social issue, or new environmental discovery, I have become aware that a majority of us are unaware of the real issues that society is facing. We each decide what we pay attention to and choose what we will investigate, but more often than not we would rather focus on what is convenient for us. For example, when we watched the documentary “Fair Tomatoes,” numerous people commented that they were completely unaware of this issue. I myself was appalled by the injustice that the farmworkers faced, however, that is something that I believe was filtered out of our mental map. We don’t put an item into our cart and instantly think about how it got there. Nevertheless, it is important to make sure that our actions have a purpose and are thought through. It is up to us to expand our mental maps and become aware of the issues that our society is facing in order to make an impact. My question to you all is: what are other examples of issues that we unknowingly filter out of our mental maps? How can we become more aware of these issues?
file:///C:/Users/Destiny/Downloads/Lappe_ScarcityMind-EcoMind_2013.pdf
(Paragraph 3)
In addition to unknowingly filtering out issues about sustainability and global concern over the environment, humans also filter out issues pertaining to other societies or other groups of people. For example, whenever there is conflict in the Middle East or in a different country, certain people advocate not helping and staying within our borders. Simply because these people live in a different geological location and a different mental map, they think that it is not necessary to treat them as equal human beings, and that it is not our responsibility to do the right thing and help them. This also happens when people who are part of the majority do not sympathize with the issues the minority faces, simply because in their mental map they are separated from these human beings and do not need to help or cater to their needs.
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ReplyDelete"By effective cooperation and by equitable sharing of scarce water, farmers achieved a better than normal crop worth some $20 million" (2nd Paragraph 3rd and last sentence)- Norman Uphoff in Social Capital by Serageldin & Dasgupita (1998).
ReplyDeleteOn this excerpt of Uphoff's quote, the idea of sustainable food can be observed as these farmers shared resources equitably, enabling them to achieve something that was thought to be unachievable and that brought more products and income. The idea I commented about on last week's journal that for food to be considered "sustainably produced" everyone must be part of the equation is again present on these words by Norman Uphoff. In addition, in one of our first readings for this course we emphasized the idea of the Fresnel Lens and how when we all work united, we generate sustainable results, but if only one person is subtracted from the equation, results won't be the same. On this case, even though government engineers stated that under those conditions back in 1997 no rice should or could be grown, due to team work and finding ways to incorporate everyone, rice production was achieved to unbelievable portions. Do you think that we should go beyond what experts state to try to find other solutions? Do you agree with the idea that even when it seems that things are impossible, if we work together and unite resources, we can find new ways to solve life changing issues?
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DeleteI believe that if it is for the good of us all, sometimes it is necessary for people to overlook what experts say and take matters into their own hands. As with the situation with these farmers, they realized that they can make a change for the better, regardless of what officials say. However, this rebellion was only a success because people decided to work together. It would be greatly more difficult if one of the farmers had tried this on their own. Therefore, we achieve positive results more efficiently if people are willing to cooperate with one another and have a common goal of solving the issue at hand. In other words, yes, I do agree that when obstacles seem inevitable, the best way to overcome them is by working together.
DeleteJaneshly Algarin
"By effective cooperation and by equitable sharing of scare water, farmers achieved a better than normal crop worth some $20 million."
ReplyDeleteThis fact was really amazing to see. In our world, many countries and even some places in our country are suffering because they lack sufficient water. The need for water causes people to walk miles a day just to find water that may or may not be clean in many impoverished countries. To me, seeing that by working out how to share what we have and how people can work together even in times of hardship is very inspiring. It gives me hope that with more efficient ways of farming and sharing resources we can make a huge impact in the world! In what ways can we continue working towards a more cooperative society, both internally and externally?
Emily,
DeleteI love the quote you chose and your analysis on it. I completely agree with you that this was amazing to see. I think it's genuinely difficult to be in this field sometimes, because yes, we are all passionate about the environment and environmental justice however, there are clearly people who are not on that same page. Especially with farming, many companies and people are more concerned about profit for themselves instead of profit for all. It is always so nice to hear how people are coming up with solutions and working together in these hard times. To answer your question, I believe that simply educating people about how helping each other is eventually going to help long-term is very important. It is our responsibility to show that helping the environment can be as simple as helping each other. Some people just don't understand the importance of the environment yet.
Colette Spieler
I would agree with you Emily, I too think that it is wonderful we can communicate and work cooperatively in order to better society as a whole, especially in times of hardship. One other way that I believe we can as a society come closer and work better with each other internally and externally in my opinion is to do two things. I feel that as a society we tend to bash other culture ideas or beliefs causing separation. I also feel that people take way too much offense to what a minority of people feel or say. Personally I feel that if we learned how to become more tolerant to what some say that we disagree with and if we work on accepting what others who aren't like us do, we can again become a closer more unified society bettering everyone.
Delete“Democracy as a distant political structure, fixed and finished, cannot work because it allows the entrenchment of the very conditions known to bring out our worst and fails to meet the human need for power, meaning, and connection. We realize that what best reflects and meets human needs is instead democracy understood as a way of life—not something we inherit, or build once and for all, but what we continuously create together” (Lappe, 59). As someone who has been studying how people organize, this quote really stood out to me. This country’s insistence that a small group of all-knowing and wise men came together and bequeathed to all generations this great system of democracy that we operate in once every four years during the presidential election is a fallacy. Like any other system it takes work and effort to be maintained, and it will change over time. On the following page Lappe writes, “The term Living Democracy suggests democracy as both a lived experience and an evolving, organic reality itself— “easily lost but never finally won,” in the words of the first African-American federal judge William Hastie” (60). I think Lappe’s ideas are intriguing, that viewing the world with an eco-mind would dramatically change the world and people on it for the better; the issue is how to encourage people to look at the world this way. How does one foster this eco-mind in themselves, and others? How do we reach his ideal?
ReplyDeleteDavid,
DeleteFirst off I really like how you found a section of the reading that applies directly to your personal studies, as making "real world" connection truly allows materials to resonate with you. Secondly, great question! I think the greatest challenge in sustainability is how to inspire the masses to be eco-minded. Personally I think we need to decrease conflict within and in between the political bodies and organizations dealing in sustainability. For example great thinkers put so much time into arguing for or against GMOs when if the problem of 2050 (how to feed the world's population) was put above (in importance) who is wrong or right in the GMO debate we cold find faster and better solutions. I think we need to globally unite the great thinkers of today and put our pride aside to tackle sustainability. A secondary way to create eco-mindedness I derived from Jacob (from We Are Neutral). Jacob said that his company focuses on creating industry leaders in sustainability that would in turn serve as a positive example for other large companies and for its employees. By sometimes concentrating our efforts into few efforts that hold great impact, we can cause trickle down effects and inspire others to become eco-leaders.
ReplyDeleteIn reading Lappe's (2013) “Scarcity-mind or Eco-mind?” I was struck by the quote: "Humans see the world through culturally formed filters that determine what we can and cannot see and what we believe is possible" (57). This took me back to a TV special I watched this summer about Zambia's extreme hostility towards gay and LGBT individuals. Negative views of these individuals were so culturally rooted that the citizens of Zambia could not see through their own eyes and make determinations based on personal values. These political and social problems relate directly to Lappe's quotation in that aspects of culture can cause individuals to lose critical thinking and openness to new practices in sustainability. An example seen in the US and many other nations is a consumer shift to high input meats from low input vegetables when economic class increases. This cultural shift decreases the amount of individuals that may otherwise enjoy aiding the environment by consuming low input foods such as vegetables and even new foods (to the US at least) like insects. Even though Lappe asserts we are guided by culture he also believes "we experience ourselves as distinct waves, unable to see the ocean of which we are a part" (57). I believe this is an important point to combat the sometimes negative consequence of our respective cultures. If we all realize that we are a part of a greater whole, we can direct our thinking towards common dignity (human dignity as well as new found responsibility for the environments and ecosystems which we are also a part of). This thought process will help see problems and solutions clearly and transcend closed mindedness.
The Earth Charter: Universal Responsibility
ReplyDelete"To realize these aspirations, we must decide to live with a sense of universal responsibility, identifying ourselves with the whole Earth community as well as our local communities. We are at once citizens of different nations and of one world in which the local and global are linked."
Oftentimes, we as Americans identify ourselves as individuals, and pride ourselves in accomplishing things independently, thus achieving personal success. We sometimes lose ourselves in these ideals and fail to realize that we are a part of something much larger than just the individual or what we see directly before us. Some are just lazy or see themselves as too small to make an impact beyond their humble lives, but what they don’t understand is that even the smallest deed towards creating a more sustainable community is one step closer to having everyone participate in environmental responsibility. Each and every day we speak to or indirectly influence someone beyond ourselves. We are all interconnected, and a problem on one side of the world could very well affect the other. For example, if overfishing persisted in East Asia and no one did anything about it on a local basis, then if the United states depended on their catches, not only would their fish source would be eliminated, but also the biodiversity of the region would be lost, which could throw their whole environment out of whack, therefore affecting others. I like how this preamble addresses how we must realize that we are all one and all must help one another.
Janeshly Algarin
I completely agree, and I feel like this ties in well with the other reading on “Scarcity-mind or Eco-mind”. Americans have definitely visibly embraced the value of separateness that Moore Lappe warns of, as we don’t necessarily put ourselves (as a culture) into the larger ecosystem of the world to see what effects our actions cause. Individualistic needs should be put in the perspective of the global community, starting at local levels—a recurring theme in our readings—showing just how important it is for everyone to begin to realize this interconnectedness. Since everyone is linked to eachother through the Earth, achieving success must be approached from a different angle, not at the cost of others, but for everyone, and even the smallest actions are a positive step towards this goal.
Delete"Five severed fingers, do not make a hand," or in other words, I agree that most people within our culture are acting as individuals and not members of a community. It is clear to see that the outcomes from this are those that hinder our societies ability to work together for a common goal, we are all so trained to be competitive and in it for ourselves that it becomes difficult to distinguish between our competitors and our friends. I agree that we must work to find our common link in order to right the wrongs we have done to our home. Embrace our mortality and open ourselves up to the connectedness of the world.
DeleteI liked how you pointed out the connection between America and the individual. Here in American society, the concept of individualism seems to be increasing prevalent; not only is it becoming more commonplace, it's becoming something that is encouraged. It tells us that a "good society" is one in where the individual pursues their private satisfactions independently of others. This template of thinking affirms self-fulfillment. The problem with individualism, is that is inhibits us to "take charge" in problems in our communities because we're too busy achieving things that are only gratifying to the self. I feel like we're all aware that this get us no where as a species - so why is this concept being shoved down our throats? The concept of individualism collides with democracy, another building block of America. How are these two contrasting ideas so prevalent in American society?
DeleteRather than focusing on the self, we need to demonstrate the will to develop institutions that recognize our interconnectedness; one that gives our democracy a good name. We need to focus on building a society that is in the best interest of the community, and when those needs are met first - we have all we truly needed.
I thought that this week’s readings really highlighted the importance of unity as it relates to making a difference in moving towards a holistic sustainable future. In “Scarcity-mind or Eco-mind: Where Do They Lead?”, by Frances Moore Lappe, it brings up this idea of Living Democracy, a togetherness that is essential for positive change. “We realize that what best reflects and meets human needs is instead democracy understood as a way of life—not something we inherit, or build once and for all, but what we continuously create together. Living Democracy suggests not a set system but a set of system values and conditions—the dispersion of power, transparency, and mutual accountability—that work across all dimensions of public life, from our workplaces to our schools.” (59). I thought that this was a very interesting view of democracy. I think that our society, and many others, values democracy greatly, however one of its core themes, unity, is often forgotten. Democracy should be about bringing everyone together to work towards a common goal that exemplifies the values, responsibility, and accountability that it deems important (Human dignity). It’s about bringing people from both the same and different backgrounds and cultures together in order to collect different interpretations or ideas that can lead to the positive change that our world so desperately needs. It’s interesting to think about what Lappe’s says next. “We [humans] see the world through culturally formed filters… They determine what we see, what we cannot see, and therefore what we believe to be possible (61). If we want to save the world, we have to be willing to open ourselves to these “filters”. Leading the world into a sustainable future is very much a team effort and when we decide to view the world through those different filters, we open ourselves to an endless amount of ideas, solutions, and possibilities.
ReplyDeleteLaura Melendez
This was very eloquently put. I agree wholeheartedly with Laura. What I think was missing was the answer to the question how. How do we create this paradigm shift? She clearly understands there is a need for change in the mindset of the global community, but how might we do that. I would argue that we have been taking steps toward this already. The world is a much smaller place now than it once was. We have internet, telephones, and satellites. I think the thing that with create that paradigm shift will be a annihilation of xenophobia and global economic barriers. The world is currently divided into the global north and global south. The north being wealthy and the south in poverty. There is civil conflict within the north due to xenophobia. I don't know exactly how to create the necessary paradigm shift, but I believe this is a great place to start.
Delete“Because every mental map is a culturally shaped filter, none can be complete. But that fact shouldn’t blind us from seeing that some are more life-serving than others…” (Scarcity-mind or Eco-mind, pg. 57) I thought this was a quite interesting concept, which I can definitely agree with for the most part. Mindsets are an important foundation for how we view the society, the world, and what is possible. With this concept of separation, fixedness, and scarcity running our ideologies today, it is no wonder that working together for a greater good can seem difficult to achieve. I think this pertains to holistic sustainability in that what Moore Lappe is saying pertains to approaching problems from their root, and from all directions.
ReplyDeleteIn response to: "With this concept of separation, fixedness, and scarcity running our ideologies today, it is no wonder that working together for a greater good can seem difficult to achieve."
DeleteI find this sentence to be a spot-on summary of Lappé's article. When reading this article I feel like Lappeé is trying to convince people to work together to achieve a common cause. While anyone can argue the benefits of teamwork, I really don't think it's as required as we think. I know separateness in this article is referring to an individual's selfless abilities but can't selflessness still be sustainable? Surely, people can make decisions for their own self-interest and still create positive effects somewhere down the line. The Buddhist quote Lappé uses on page 57 states, "we experience ourselves as distinct waves, unable to see the ocean of which we are part." It may be easy to observe issues in the entire ocean, but pinpointing that specific wave is a near impossible challenge. Separation makes it harder to find the "problem" waves. Therefore if humans are to continue acting out of their own self-interest, they should make decisions that have little to no negative impacts on them.
“We humans see the world through culturally formed filters, what I call our mental maps. They determine what we see, what we cannot see, and therefore what we believe to be possible.” – Scarcity-mind or Eco-mind: where do they lead? Pg. 57
ReplyDeleteAs discussed in our upcoming readings in Ishmael, this concept of “Mother Culture” whispering in our ears that which we shall believe about the world, has been very damaging to the ways we approach environmental issues. The select pair of goggles that we have chosen to view the world through have blinded us of the plight of our species and of our natural place on Earth. The Earth Charter clearly states that we must find “humility regarding the human place in nature.” We are not meant to rule our home as cruel dictators who take what they want from the land with complete disregard to how it effects those non-human organisms taking up residence here.
These types of articles always get me inspired to want to implement these ideas. Living democracy and this idea of a global responsibility to the land that sustains us, as an air of great possibility. However, I become discouraged when I think of the people who would have to completely snap their current beliefs in half in order to embody these plans. My burning question is, now that we have an idea of what needs to be done, how do we do it? Is this all for not if we are unable to get those currently in positions of power on board? Or should we take a similar approach to how Gator Neutral got started on campus and wedge our way in through the back door?
I really enjoyed this week's readings, particularly Lappe's "Scarcity-mind or Eco-mind: Where do they lead?" Although the whole article was fascinating, I'll narrow it down to this quote: "We humans see the world through culturally formed filters, what I call our mental maps. They determine what we see, what we cannot see, and therefore what we believe to be possible."
ReplyDeleteEveryone can agree that each of us have different ways of thinking, correct? This is obviously common knowledge; depending on how we were raised, what setting we were raised in - there are thousands of various factors that shape the way each of us think. This isn't so much a bad thing, as something we just need to be conscious of. Behind all these contrasting views, we're all the same. We're all human, we're all the same skin and bones. Behind trivial differences, deep down we all desire the same thing. It's so simplistic and when Lappe puts it in such layman's terms, it's truly eye opening. Nothing separates us from one another but ourselves. As Lappe also said, we don't have to transform human nature to harmonize our relationship with the earth. All we need to do is swap out our socially constructed filter with one that allows us to break past the barrier of fear, and this is done by identifying what human traits are most useful to us. Just choosing to look at the world differently, can actually change the world.
“Locked in scarcity-mind, we remain blind to our own power and end up creating together a world that none of us, as individuals, would choose. But humans can actu- ally change how we see, moving from a frame of lack and limits to one of alignment with nature. Based on research in neuroscience, psychology, and anthropology, this article explores a world seen with the emergent “eco-mind” in which possibility is all around us. Thinking like an ecosystem, no one is bereft of power” (Lappe 56). This eco-mind is what we are trying to get at as humans who focus on sustainability and protecting the Earth. There are 3 parts of the eco-mind: connection, continuous change, and co-creation. Connection allows the individual to connect and have a relationship with everything around them. Continuous change is the constant change that people count on that is always there helping the environment nay way it can. All is both shaped by and shaping all that emerges in ongoing co-creation. These are 3 simple things that lead to a healthier environment.
ReplyDeleteI really liked your presentation of the 3 facets of an eco-mind. I feel the most important aspect which was presented was the “connection” portion, because it is important for an individual to have empathy for other living things (the earth being alive), in order to justify sustaining a life beyond their own. An important transition for promoting an eco-mind would be to increase consumers’ interpretation of the intrinsic value of nature as equal to or greater than, material or liquid capital. Eco-tourism can play a part in increasing connectivity between consumers and the natural environment.
Delete“A continuum of social capital is presented in terms of people’s shared orientation toward positive-sum outcomes and toward positive interdependence of utility functions.” – Norman Uphoff in Social Capital by Serageldin & Dasgupita (1998)
ReplyDeleteWith an increase in the collective effort of a community, the opportunity for positive outcomes increases. This social capital is responsible for the allure of teamwork circumstances.
Brooke, I think you raise a god point. The higher the positive outlook for the group, the more likely people are to consider teamwork. All to often we get wrapped up in what would I do, or what could I do. Instead we need to focus on what could we do as a whole. When we all collectively work together as a team we think of things that we otherwise couldn’t have come up with. Take the rice collection in Uphoff’s statement as example. They worked together to gather a higher than usual yield instead of each saving the water resources for themselves.
Delete"To borrow a metaphor that I associate with Buddhism, we experience ourselves as distinct waves, unable to see the ocean of which we are part (Lappé, p.57)." If you know anything about evolution, you know that humans are animals too. Our natural tendencies to strive for greatness and be successful are highlighted by this Buddhist quote. The thousands of years spent perfecting human's genetic-code instills a sense of selfishness in each of us, in order to be successful. As a wave, humans act for sake of their own self-interest, usually without thinking about effects exerted on other waves - the ocean, if you will.
ReplyDeleteMy question is: How does selfishness and selflessness affect human interactions with one another and why is this something we decide rather than a natural tendency?
I believe you pose a great question here. To some extent I believe that this is a battle of nature vs. nurture. Evolutionarily speaking however, according to Darwin we are programmed for survival. Taking that into account, I believe we seek the option that better enables our survival. This certainly takes on different meaning in today’s word; survival doesn’t necessarily mean to stay alive, but perhaps means, to be successful, to get a job, to make money, to eat, I could go on and on and on. Henceforth, though we do “choose” so to speak, we often are choosing the option that benefits us most because of our innate need for survival.
Delete"We must join together to bring forth a sustainable global society founded on respect for nature, universal human rights, economic justice, and a culture of peace.” (The Earth Charter Preamble)
ReplyDeleteI chose to talk about the Earth Charter Preamble because it really stuck out to me. Like the majority of our class, we are all passionate about the environment and justice for the environment especially. So, this was really nice to read because it was great to see that there are other people with the same goals and aspirations regarding the environment as I do/the class. However, I know for a fact that the majority of the world does not think the way that we do which is hard to wrap my mind around. How could someone NOT want to sustain our one and only planet? This charter seems like common sense— protect ourselves, respect nature, save our world, yet in the back of my mind, I was pessimistic about it. This thinking led me to my question this week, are humans capable of following this charter or are humans just too self centered for this type of thinking? At the end of the day, humans do everything that benefits them and not the entire ecosystem. To me, it would be great to see this charter come into effect, but is that something we are going to be able to see in our lifetime?
Colette Spieler
I agree, The Earth Charter Preamble was very interesting to read. To me it also seemed like common sense and something that all humans should agree on and already be doing. However, as you wrote, not all people think the same way that we do. This also relates to Lappe’s text that discussed human’s selfishness and desire to gain wealth. So many people are focused on their selves and are not thinking ahead to future generations. They no longer care what the living conditions will be for their grandchildren and great grandchildren. Most have the outlook that as long as the plant is fine while they are here, then who cares what happens.
DeleteThe reading from Lappe’s Scarcity-mind or Eco-mind had the most impact on me because it addresses ideas of our culture that are often over looked or ignored. On page 57, in the third paragraph under the Scarcity subtitle, I found a quote that stuck out to me, “…we end up with a market that’s driven not by the collective power even of our short-term interests, but by one rule: whatever brings highest return to existing wealth.” I believe the major problem that is prohibiting us from moving forward is money. For the majority of businesses and individuals in America, their main goal is to acquire the most profit possible from every exchange they make. Large corporations that claim to be “green” or “eco-friendly” don’t focus their practices on making the world a better place or producing less waste, instead they hypothesis on what needs to be done in order to gain more wealth. This shows the “perpetual competition with other selfish creatures” that is destroying our values and morals.
ReplyDeleteI completely agree with your quote, in fact I had the same quote that I used for my original comment. The power that money has to influence people, and particularly politics, is amazing to me. I am all for making a decent amount of money so I don't have to stress constantly about where food is coming from, but I would not knowingly sacrifice the health of our environment and other humans to make a greater profit. What I want to know is if these powerful individuals are unaware of the consequences of their decisions or if they just don't care enough. Or if they think, much like what Dr. Chandler said about what happens in India with the brick industry, is if they feel like they have to because they might as well profit if the next guy will do the exact same thing.
DeleteThis article also talks about how selfish humans are. I agree with you that Americans and for the most part humans are only after their own selfish interests and that usually means money and profit at all costs. I think that when the environment starts adversely effecting cooperations and their profits is when they will start to care. A way to do this is have consumers demand more earth friendly and responsible products. If we chose not to buy products that weren't sustainably made, they wouldn't be produced because they wouldn't be making a profit. The burden is on us as consumers to care more and be more educated.
Delete“And, from this strong social nature, we have, as well, needs beyond the physical. I condense them to three essentials: Power(efficacy, agency) Meaning(purpose beyond survival) Connection(both to each other and wider nature). Note that these needs are pro- social, but are also amoral. Each can express positively, of course, but also negatively”.
ReplyDeleteLappe (2013) “Scarcity-mind or Eco-mind?” (pg. 59 in between 2nd and 3rd paragraph)
One of the biggest points that I took away from this quote that I believe most people might just gloss over is the fact that it can be expressed either positive or negatively. The author later explains of how this can come off as being negative with an example of a gangster. This made me think why it could go either way and how some people take it in a more positive sense versus a negative one. Leading me to wonder is it “Nature” or is it “Nurture” that has more of an influence on us and how we develop Power, Meaning, and Connection. In my mind I believe it is more “Nature” and the environment that we grow up and live in that influences this area more. Because it is or environment that we really feel the Meaning of who we are, Connection to others, and where we stand. What is your opinion on this debate? Do you agree, Disagree or have another opinion?
“What brings highest return to existing wealth.” (Lappe)
ReplyDeleteThis quote stuck out to me as it stung me like a bee could sting its prey. I despise the idea of our capitalistic society always focusing on continual profits and growth when that isn’t possible given limited resources. Even if we ignored the reality that our natural resources are limited, we must also remember that time is limited. If we really are trying to improve human dignity, then our society should be founded on every human living a life they should enjoy. We shouldn’t have jobs in our country in which parents cannot spend time with their children or stress overtakes all other emotions. Like Warren Buffett just said in an interview, we have an average capita of $50,000 and if he told that to his parents when he was young (which is 3x more if you adjust for inflation than when he was a child) his parents would balk at the idea of Americans living in poverty. We have millions of people who suffer because we ignore our limited resources. I think that the Earth Charter Preamble did a good job of discussing what is necessary to recalibrate not just our society, but our economy towards a sustainable system that includes human psychology. What would be the benefit of making millions of dollars if you are constantly miserable? I wish I knew the answer to that because I think many corporations (obviously without the human emotions) perpetuate this problem. Much like how Lappe mentions the Stanford Prison Study, our society functions very similar to a prison in that the super rich have so much power over everyone else that they start to abuse that power because they think everyone else deserves it. I am not entirely sure how it could change, but I think Lappe had many good suggestions, especially accounting for human psychology.
“Thinking like an ecosystem, no one is bereft of power.”(Scarcity Mind, last sentence, in brief)
ReplyDeleteThis quote brings me back to thinking like a mountain. It holds value in pushing us individuals to see beyond our horizons and understand the bigger picture. As I now understand this as a recurring theme to help “save the planet,” so to say, I am forced to contemplate a manner in which this type of thinking could be integrated into the learning process.
I made that connection too, Danielle! Before coming into this class, I was expecting a much more cut-and-dry problem solving type course. I was, of course very wrong, but in the best possible way. Our endangered Earth demands to be seen from all perspectives; from all cultural points of view, from the past, and the future. We cannot remain isolated in the present, geographically and communicatively, in the same way that we cannot limit our understanding of the problems we face and how to fix them, to just the short term. We aren't just trying to make the world better and greener for the sake of our great-grandkids, we're doing it out of respect and our of gratitude for all of the beauty and life this world has given us to this day.
Delete"...when government engineers had figured that no rice could or should be grown. By effective cooperation and by equitable sharing of scarce water, farmers achieved a better than normal crop worth some $20 million." (Uphill, Social Capital)
ReplyDeleteThis quote shows that when people cooperate with each other and learn how to make their resources last, they can achieve many great things. Even though they did not agree with the government, the farmers abided by the Earth Charter's principles and improved life for everyone while not harming the earth in any major way. The farmers got richer and the people of Sri Lanka were able to purchase rice during the dry season. Do you think that it was smart to not listen to government engineers even though everything worked out in the end?
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ReplyDeleteThis comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDelete"The choice is ours: form a global partnership to care for Earth and one another or risk the destruction of ourselves and the diversity of life." (the Earth Charter: the Challenges Ahead)
ReplyDeleteI feel like there are so many who are quick to argue that we, the human beings of planet Earth, aren't killing the actual planet. The Earth goes through natural changes like ice ages and species go extinct all the time; however, we don't want humans to be one of those species! When we say, "save the planet", what we mean is, "preserve the planet's current living conditions so that they can sustain human life for generations to come".
“2. Care for the community of life with understanding, compassion, and love.
ReplyDeletea. Accept that with the right to own, manage, and use natural resources comes the duty to prevent environmental harm and to protect the rights of people.
b. Affirm that with increased freedom, knowledge, and power comes increased responsibility to promote the common good.” (Read the Earth Charter Preamble, I.2.)
I highlighted this quote because I strongly believe saving the world and achieving sustainability are only possible when society as a collective whole are all educated and knowledgeable about the issue. To achieve sustainability, each person has to do their own part to reduce their ecological footprint, a feat that many people in our society do not pay attention to today. Only after respect and love for society will people begin to start compromising their lives by using and wasting less, as well as working to lower their ecological footprint. However, since many people do not feel connection to nature, nor do they love it and understand the importance of nature, they are able to guiltlessly use superfluous resources and really impact the environment in a negative and harmful way. In contrast, this quote clearly outlines how, as a powerful and knowledgeable species that controls Earth, it is our responsibility to promote the common good and do the right thing.
The question I pose is; “Is it possible to achieve sustainability and save the environment with the collective efforts of only a few people, or is it necessary for society as a whole to take up the initiative and work collectively to save the planet?”
"Thinking like an ecosystem, we see that, since we are all connected, we are all implicated in every social outcome." (Lappe, 61) I think that this quote is relevant in both a large scale and small scale. It is relevant to the world because certain nations like the US and some other wealthier nations should take more time to evaluate their role in other nations' crises. Thinking locally, how do you think that the University of Florida campus can be better integrated in and help better the community of Gainesville?
ReplyDelete“when government engineers had figured that no rice could or should be grown. By effective cooperation and by equitable sharing of scarce water, farmers achieved a better than normal crop worth some $20 million.” (Norman Uphoff)
ReplyDeleteI think that this goes to show that if we could just put aside our differences and learn to work together we could achieve holistic sustainability. All to often we get too caught up in our own selves to focus on what really matters.
Michael, I agree completely with what you said and this quote is very important in showing just what can be done if we stop looking at our differences or self-interest and begin to look out for everyone’s self-interest. I think when put in this situation, most people would look at what the government stated and realize there is no way to work together on this, there will probably not be enough water to even grow my own crops. But instead what was done was the people looked at the problem in terms that the community as whole had a problem and could the community as a whole work together to solve it. Many people wouldn’t think to share their resources in a time of scarcity but the actions taken proved that it was actually the working together as a community that was the most effective way of working with what they had. It is a very remarkable story and example.
DeleteYour comment makes me think back to the AGMIP lecture we had last week. I found it very interesting how the heart and soul of this project WAS the diversity of all the agricultural practices. Learning about the different agricultural yields and practices and unifying the data into one system made many future farming endeavors as well as studies much more efficient. The more differences there were in the farming practices and systems, the more all-encompassing the “master data” or “master system” was. As a result of this diversity, the understanding across the board became more holistic. Certain cultures paid more attention to certain details that another might have overlooked, thus making the collective pool of knowledge broader.
DeleteThe Earth Charter: Preamble "To move forward we must recognize that in the midst of a magnificent diversity of cultures and life forms we are one human family and one Earth community with a common destiny."
ReplyDeleteI absolutely love this quote and is something I try to talk with people or friends a lot but is something I think is usually looked down on or misunderstood, especially here in America. We tend to very much focus on our individual countries and the benefits that suit our own countries interests. As all citizens of this one planet, I feel we cannot continue to go on with this mentality and something drastic has to happen in the minds of the American people and the world if we are to continue to move forward in this common destiny. I would go so far as to say that we would be possibly better of with no countries in the sense that the ideas that pride for one country spawns the hate of another country or a rivalry. Us Americans know it no better then anyone else that we feel we are the best country in the world and many look down on others and immigrants simply because they were not born in the same country as us. This is something that must be addressed in the coming years and will be instrumental in getting closer to being a human family and working together to protect our planet and further everyone's needs. It is interesting to imagine a world where no single country existed but instead we all worked together to decide whats best for everyone and if this would even be plausible or possible in the future.
"The choice is ours: form a global partnership to care for Earth and one another or risk the destruction of ourselves and the diversity of life." (the Earth Charter: the Challenges Ahead)
ReplyDeleteI feel like there are so many who are quick to argue that we, the human beings of planet Earth, aren't killing the actual planet. The Earth goes through natural changes like ice ages and species go extinct all the time; however, we don't want humans to be one of those species! When we say, "save the planet", what we mean is, "preserve the planet's current living conditions so that they can sustain human life for generations to come".
“As the world becomes increasingly interdependent and fragile, the future at once holds great peril and great promise.” The Earth Charter preamble
ReplyDeleteUpon reading this quote, I felt an irony in the adjacent placement of the words ‘interdependent’ and ‘fragile.’ The first word reminded me of the book The World is Flat, in the sense that so few of the major economic power houses of the world today, particularly the U.S., would be able to function efficiently without resources and services from other countries. I find it ironic that these words were paired together because the interconnections between countries is so prevalent today, but as a result, we feel the effects of the old saying, “Out of sight, out of mind,” when it comes to these resources. One might think that so much solidarity would bring strength, but rather it makes us more fragile in the sense that if one link in the chain were to fall out say due to overfishing or exhaustion of farmland, the ripple effects would be devastating. The ‘flatter’ the world becomes, the less connected we feel to the earth and the more difficult it is to understand that our food and other necessities come from tangible places other than the shelf of a store.
Elizabeth "Rosy" Roberts
ReplyDelete"From these assumptions, however, we end up with a market that’s driven not by the collective power even of our short-term interests, but by one rule: whatever brings highest return to existing wealth." (Lappe, Scarcity Mind)
Lappe's attitude about the dichotomy of mindsets working together to produce the motivation and action needed really struck me. Although he momentarily seems to concern himself with sounding too cynical, his perspective on the nature of capitalistic influence on human nature and environmental concern was scathing and spot-on. People try to separate politics and economics from the discussion of implementation of clean energy, which seems so backwards to me. Lappe mentions the interconnectedness of politics and money, which reminded me of an Onion article published a year ago titled "Scientists Politely Remind World That Clean Energy Technology Ready To Go Whenever." While the Onion works in satire, what they're saying is based, of course, in sad truth. Documentarians, actors (Mark Ruffalo comes to mind), and countless activists have highlighted the personal investment so many politicians have in dirty energy practices, namely fracking, and have been silenced and ignored. I am all in favor of government doing its job, which should be to make the lives of its nation's citizens more safe, rewarding, healthy, etc. But, and not to sound too much like a wannabe anarchist, at what point will we stop blindly trusting power structures? When will we really start demanding answers to the dodged questions?
"We urgently need a shared vision of basic values to provide an ethical foundation for the emerging world community."(Earth Charter).
ReplyDeleteThis quote from the Earth Charter stood out to me because it is truly at the basis of progress in the world of holistic sustainability. I would like to speak on some things Jacob from We Are Neutral said. He spoke about the progress his company has made thus far and how enthusiastic he is to his cause. He wants to help people and help save the world by creating carbon reductions. He has a strong basis, but where he is mentally will hold him back. I have a different perspective; I believe that the more financial backing and over-arching influence you have in the corporate world as an organization, the more successful you will be in having a substantial impact on the world. Where We Are Neutral is and the cause they are supporting is great, but with a year or two of development in their business model they could grow to a very large organization. I am a strong believer that with money, power, knowledge, and the right intentions you can change the world for the better.
"It’s the GDP-obsessed growth
ReplyDeletemodel, many reformers argue,
that’s leading us to perdition"- Lappe(Pg.57) It was the opening sentence of the "Scarcity-mind or Eco-mind" article that I connect the most with.Throughout my college career, It seems to me that every issue that has been brought to light has stemmed from the same cause, and that cause is making money and turning profits.The GDP based model of success has the idea of consumption built into its foundation:Make more, sell more, use more, repeat. The current consumer culture of buying the newest gadget, or upgrading to the latest fashion necessity is the way to show the success of your country. Products in todays market are created to have low cost in production, and cheap labor. This ideology comes with the price of exploitation of natural resources that have no "cost" to cooperations when being destroyed. In the example used in class of the villages separated by a highway, the village with the industrialized town had a higher GDP and a lower overall happiness. The higher GDP corresponded with less sustainable and ethical practices. Do you think This was a Coincidence or does GDP and environmental negativity related? Other examples?
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ReplyDelete"Based on core assumptions of separateness,
ReplyDeletestasis, and scarcity, we see
ourselves in perpetual competition
with other selfish creatures."
from scariciy of mind or ec0-mind page 59
My question to the class is, if we are biologically programed to want more and compete with all other creatures for land and resources is a sustainable society really possible? Can we really fight against our biological nature?
I think that while this quote puts humans in a negative light and is harshly stated, it's truth can be thought of in a positive way, to help us grow. The three s's are assumptions of what humans create for themselves when left to deal with the society we created. We have no other predators than ourselves so we compete with each other because of our instinct to survive. The earth is limited and competition is natural, but our intelligence is beyond animalistic and if we think of ourselves as more than animals and use our ability to think beyond ourselves, we can collectively use our resources to benefit everyone. We can shift from a competitive scarcity mind that encourages separateness, stasis. and scarcity to an eco-mind that encourages connection, continuous change, and co-creation to fight against our primitive biological nature and transcend into a nature that works with all living things.
DeleteI think in a way this quote encompasses the reason that sustainability is such a challenge for society. Creatures, by nature, are selfish- humans or otherwise. But to answer your question, no, I do not think that this makes a sustainable society impossible and I do think we can fight against our biological nature. It surely won't be easy and will likely require a major shift in our thinking. In my opinion it will require a revolution similar to that of the industrial revolution or the agricultural revolution, a major shift, but a necessary one. Rather than continuing to rely on new technology, it's time we change our thinking to move forward into a more sustainable world.
DeleteWhat's interesting about competition and capitalism is that people cannot see the possibility of sustainability in a selfish world. Cooperation and equity sound so antithesis to our beliefs of separateness. If we acknowledge the need for sustainability, competition for sustainability instead of against it could drive further advances in conservation. We have to create models that work with the psychology of humankind because fighting against or denying our selfishness will never work. Selfishness doesn't have to be a bad thing, either; it could be selfish to acknowledge our desire to protect the things we value. I think what needs to shift is our understanding of what's valuable. We need sustainability because it protects what's important to us, but many people see sustainability as taking things or opportunities away.
Delete"Everyone shares responsibility for the present and future well-being of the human family and the larger living world." The Earth Charter: Universal Responsibility.
ReplyDeleteThis reminds me of what I think our purpose here on earth is. I believe that our duty on this planet is not just to live but also, to sustain life. I might've mentioned this in my last post, but I believe that we as humans must work together with each other and with nature to ensure a future for "our" future. Although there are different races, cultures and etc around the world, we in general are human and composed of the same thing. You can state all the differences between people, but in the end we are HUMAN, we are a FAMILY, and TOGETHER, we are sharing the earth. Everyone has an important role in the survival of our kind and planet. If people mindlessly contribute to the destruction of the earth and civilization on an everyday basis, we can definitely mindfully contribute to the growth of our "human family and to the larger living world."
When looking at the Scarcity Mind verses the Eco-Mind, Lappe explains that "human beings are 'soft wired' for profoundly social behavior" and have unconscious frames that determine what we believe our nature to be and what we believe to possible. This reminds me that we are a product of our environment. What do you believe to be the most conducive environment for learning and growth? Is it more beneficial to create a perfect environment that doesn't challenge our morality or live in a constant struggle that we work to fight and change?
ReplyDelete"We stand at a critical moment in Earth's history, a time when humanity must choose its future." -Preamble of the Earth Charter
ReplyDeletehttp://www.earthcharterinaction.org/content/pages/Read-the-Charter.html
The very first line of the Earth Charter brings up a vital point of reaching a more sustainable future. It points to the notion that we need a paradigm shift in our thinking to truly become a sustainable society. My question to you is do you think this is true? Do we need a shift in thinking similar to the agricultural or industrial revolution or can we just keep relying on changing technology to solve our problems?
"By effective cooperation and by equitable sharing of scarce water, farmers achieved a better than normal crop worth some $20 million.” (Norman Uphoff in Social Capital by Serageldin & Dasgupita (1998))
ReplyDeleteI thought it was interesting that the government had warned against growing rice. Sometimes, structure and organization is needed and can be highly effective; in this case, however, government engineers and scientists had miscalculated. The quote on social capital raised an interesting point: capital doesn't just mean money, at least not at first, but rather positive-sum outcomes. When the farmers organized themselves, utilizing cognitive social capital, and then organized their irrigation using structural social capital, they found success despite the warnings. To the government, structural social capital was gained through their bureaucracy and through individual farms, not in a collective organization. Cognitive social capital was through the society's expectations to follow the convention. The government was working towards the same goal as the farmers, one of success and happy and healthy people. How could the means to the same end differ so much?