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Consciousness

Discussions related to the physiological and psychological effects of peak oil on our members and future generations.

Consciousness

Unread postby Gvil » Mon 07 Apr 2008, 07:36:58

The real crisis we are facing is not an environmental crisis, a population crisis, economic crisis, a social crisis, or a political crisis. It is, at its root, a crisis of consciousness.

link
http://www.peterrussell.com/Speaker/Talks/WBA.php

I think it is worth reading. Peak Oil is just a symptom of something going bad with our way of thinking, with our consciousness. I would like to hear your opinions. 8)
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Re: Consciousness

Unread postby TheHorrorTheHorror » Mon 07 Apr 2008, 11:38:27

Agreed; our only hope is by using our brains, but our emotionally-driven social behavior evolved for primitive living. IMHO we can't overcome all that reptile brain, built-in xenophobia, drive to dominate, etc. stuff quickly enough to deal with our overshoot.
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Re: Consciousness

Unread postby steam_cannon » Mon 07 Apr 2008, 11:57:22

It looks like a nice article and the seizure inducing background is
certainly amusing (only noticeable on flat screen monitors).

But I just want to mention, the problem is not simply awareness
or consciousness of the problem, not at all. It's that they desire
environmental destruction
.

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('', '.')..told the U.S. Congress that protecting natural resources was
unimportant in light of the imminent return of Jesus Christ. In public
testimony he said, "after the last tree is felled, Christ will come back."

A 2002 TIME/CNN poll found that 59 percent of Americans believe that
the prophecies found in the book of Revelations are going to come true.


http://www.alternet.org/story/20666/

When I was living down south, it took me a while to figure out what
the hell was wrong with these people. They are the chosen people
and they think they can destroy everything because they expect to
be carried away and to abandon the earth, so they can shit on it all
they want! Most Americans don't view the earth as a legacy, they
view it as a toilet until are freed to be their angelic selves and play
X-box in the clouds.

These people will respond to shortages when their god fails to
provide, but don't expect them to do anything proactive. These
people all expect to be provided for and believe the earth is their
toilet paper. You can't change that without changing their religion,
so basically you can't change that.

Sure you can reach people in areas where less of the population
thinks they will be a "rapture". But in parts of the country where
people ask you if you are "rapture ready?", you don't stand a
snowballs chance in hell of convincing these people of anything.
Their god doesn't live on earth and so the earth is not their home or
important to them. There is no future, no legacy, no consequences
to these people. There concern is "the rapture".

Fuck the earth, lets party at Jesus's place!
Image
http://www.raptureready.com/

Rapture
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rapture
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Re: Consciousness

Unread postby steam_cannon » Mon 07 Apr 2008, 12:01:08

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('TheHorrorTheHorror', 'A')greed; our only hope is by using our brains, but our
emotionally-driven social behavior evolved for primitive living. IMHO we
can't overcome all that reptile brain, built-in xenophobia, drive to
dominate, etc. stuff quickly enough to deal with our overshoot.

Yeah and in addition to religion encouraging destruction, we have ancient
animal brains that haven't had time to evolve to live peacefully with the world.
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Re: Consciousness

Unread postby BigTex » Mon 07 Apr 2008, 12:20:03

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('steam_cannon', '[')b]Most Americans don't view the earth as a legacy, they view it as a toilet until they are freed to be their angelic selves and play X-box in the clouds.


Beautiful.
:)
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Re: Consciousness

Unread postby Revi » Mon 07 Apr 2008, 13:43:59

Sustainabiity is a choice. It is a very hard thing to do. We are tapping our maple trees with smaller "ecolo" taps and not using vacuum. If we used bigger taps and vacuum we could double our production from the same trees. We choose to tap lightly so that the maples can grow, therefore produce more maple syrup in the future. It is a choice. Fortunately we can make that choice since we are not that dependent on the income from that piece of land yet. If things get much worse we may be tempted to borrow from the future.

www.msad54.org/sahs/appliedarts/artlofv ... /index.htm

We have all been borrowing from the future for many years now. Unfortunately the future we were borrowing from is now. I don't see how the next few years are going to work out, let alone the next decade.

Sustainability to me isn't some religious dogma, but a way of living. I agree with the rapture theory. I try to talk to most people, but they are living in some strange alternate reality. We are going to have to get back to what is reality, and re-learn sustainability. Unfortunately, I don't think most people are going to like it.
Deep in the mud and slime of things, even there, something sings.
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Re: Consciousness

Unread postby Ludi » Mon 07 Apr 2008, 14:08:49

Don't you like it, Revi?
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Re: Consciousness

Unread postby bobcousins » Mon 07 Apr 2008, 17:59:50

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('steam_cannon', 'M')ost Americans don't view the earth as a legacy, they view it as a toilet until are freed to be their angelic selves and play X-box in the clouds.


Heh, great quote.

Not just Americans, the legacy of Christianity is the tragedy. While other (pagan) religions viewed the Earth as part of the spiritual world (pantheism), there was a greater respect for Nature. As you say, the Christian view is that the Earth is merely a material plaything to be used and discarded, with Heaven being a place separate from Earth.

The pagan view of life being a cycle of birth and death was in tune with Nature. The Christian view is more of a one-shot affair. Christ came and went.

It's also worth noting that the Western tradition of science and technology that has lead to more effective exploitation of the planet did not originate in Christianity, but was largely fostered by Christianity, despite what happened to those like Galileo. It may be more of a coincidence than a deliberate aim, but once technology was there the Christian ethos has been to exploit it.

(Christian) Europeans did a pretty good job of exploiting the planet, the Americans took up the mantle.
It's all downhill from here
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Re: Consciousness

Unread postby evilgenius » Mon 07 Apr 2008, 21:29:00

It's funny because Christianity contains scriptures like, 'time for destroying the destroyers of the earth'. The problem isn't the religion, but the imbeciles that want it to say what makes them happy. Religion isn't all about happiness and it isn't all about sacrifice either.
When it comes down to it, the people will always shout, "Free Barabbas." They love Barabbas. He's one of them. He has the same dreams. He does what they wish they could do. That other guy is more removed, more inscrutable. He makes them think. "Crucify him."
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Re: Consciousness

Unread postby POAlex » Tue 08 Apr 2008, 23:34:01

For he who has ears to hear.

"If the world hate you, ye know that it hated me before it hated you." [John 15:18]

Sadly, that's our Creator speaking.

Alex
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Re: Consciousness

Unread postby BigTex » Wed 09 Apr 2008, 00:39:54

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('POAlex', 'F')or he who has ears to hear.

"If the world hate you, ye know that it hated me before it hated you." [John 15:18]

Sadly, that's our Creator speaking.

Alex


I have no harsh words or thoughts regarding Jesus.

It's the hypocrites and phonies who profess to follow him and yet do none of the things that he taught who bug me.

Sort of like Jesus got upset with the money changers in the temple.

There is a place for identifying hypocrisy when you see it. Otherwise, believers don't know the difference between those who are sincerely seeking an understanding of Jesus and his message, and those who just like seeing their buds and business associates on Sunday morning.

I have a kind spirit about these things, but I have seen some behavior in the church that is just exceptionally uninspiring. Some of your posts appear to defend ANYONE who goes through the motions of Christianity. I would like to see you slice it a little more finely sometimes.
:)
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Re: Consciousness

Unread postby FreakOil » Wed 09 Apr 2008, 02:33:30

According to a Chinese creation myth that is also common in parts of Southeast Asia, the universe was formed when the god Pangu broke apart his egg. He then grew and grew until the heaven and earth were separated. Pangu then fall apart, each part of his body becoming a part of the earth. Humans were the lice in his hair. Compare that to the Bible, where man was created in god's image.

It was a nice creation myth for a nation of organic farmers. Then Mao came along and said man could control the earth, and Deng came along and told everyone to get rich.
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Re: Consciousness

Unread postby Revi » Wed 09 Apr 2008, 13:03:43

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('Ludi', 'D')on't you like it, Revi?


Yes, I like it. We are able to hold it together financially because of sustainability.

Here is what we did to our house and cars:

http://www.msad54.org/sahs/appliedarts/ ... /index.htm
Deep in the mud and slime of things, even there, something sings.
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Re: Consciousness

Unread postby Ludi » Wed 09 Apr 2008, 13:22:45

I think if some people (like you Revi) are able to like sustainability, and model it for others as an enjoyable thing, then others will like it too. Obviously it is hard for these examples to compete with advertising in the consumer world, but it is a start.
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Re: Consciousness

Unread postby Fredrik » Wed 09 Apr 2008, 18:02:15

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('steam_cannon', 'T')hese people will respond to shortages when their god fails to provide, but don't expect them to do anything proactive. These
people all expect to be provided for and believe the earth is their
toilet paper. You can't change that without changing their religion,
so basically you can't change that.

Sure you can reach people in areas where less of the population
thinks they will be a "rapture". But in parts of the country where
people ask you if you are "rapture ready?", you don't stand a
snowballs chance in hell of convincing these people of anything.
Their god doesn't live on earth and so the earth is not their home or
important to them. There is no future, no legacy, no consequences
to these people. There concern is "the rapture".


One could point out to them that global climate change is already about to kill millions of people, and if there's something we can do about it, it's our simple moral duty to do so. The golden rule applies also for Bangladeshis about to be submerged. Global warming won't kill all humanity or cause "the end of the world", but it will certainly cause massive suffering and death, and American Christians themselves will experience it too.
"Only scarcity and effort make life worth living."
"A fundamental, devastating error is to set up a political system based on [individual] desires." -Pentti Linkola
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Re: Consciousness

Unread postby Ludi » Wed 09 Apr 2008, 18:40:27

I don't think simple moral arguments work with a certain mentality.

"It is God's will for them to die" they could easily respond. "This is God's judgment."
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Re: Consciousness

Unread postby Zardoz » Thu 10 Apr 2008, 03:48:46

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('POAlex', '"')If the world hate you, ye know that it hated me before it hated you." [John 15:18]

Sadly, that's our Creator speaking.

No, that's the guy who sat down at a table with a quill pen speaking.
"Thank you for attending the oil age. We're going to scrape what we can out of these tar pits in Alberta and then shut down the machines and turn out the lights. Goodnight." - seldom_seen
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Re: Consciousness

Unread postby FreakOil » Thu 10 Apr 2008, 03:56:59

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('Ludi', 'I') don't think simple moral arguments work with a certain mentality.

"It is God's will for them to die" they could easily respond. "This is God's judgment."


I wish I could use "God's will" as a reason for things. I could saunter up to young ladies at the bar and say, "Excuse me miss, you're going to have to come home with me. It's God's will."
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Re: Consciousness

Unread postby Fredrik » Thu 10 Apr 2008, 10:19:15

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('Ludi', 'I') don't think simple moral arguments work with a certain mentality.

"It is God's will for them to die" they could easily respond. "This is God's judgment."


I'd respond by asking if they would just lay down and die if they lost their food supply because of persistent drought. Would they assume that God wants them and their children to die? Would they reject food aid as interference with a divine plan that requires them to starve? I think it's utterly un-Christian to demand special treatment (on earth) just because you're a Christian.

I agree that the problem is a certain mentality, universal in its roots. Me and mine above and before everyone else. I though the parable of the Samaritan was intended to refute all that.
"Only scarcity and effort make life worth living."
"A fundamental, devastating error is to set up a political system based on [individual] desires." -Pentti Linkola
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Re: Consciousness

Unread postby Fredrik » Thu 10 Apr 2008, 10:19:48

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('Ludi', 'I') don't think simple moral arguments work with a certain mentality.

"It is God's will for them to die" they could easily respond. "This is God's judgment."


I'd respond by asking if they would just lay down and die if they lost their food supply because of persistent drought. Would they assume that God wants them and their children to die? Would they reject food aid as interference with a divine plan that requires them to starve? I think it's utterly un-Christian to demand special treatment (on earth) just because you're a Christian.

I agree that the problem is a certain mentality, universal in its roots. Me and mine above and before everyone else. I though the parable of the Samaritan was intended to refute all that.
"Only scarcity and effort make life worth living."
"A fundamental, devastating error is to set up a political system based on [individual] desires." -Pentti Linkola
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