We need to stop this culture before it kills the planet: Conversation with Derrick Jensen (Mickey Z)

[Tace]

Mickey Z. and Derrick Jensen

Mickey Z. -- World News Trust

Jan. 23, 2011 -- As you begin reading this interview, take a look at the nearest clock. Now, dig this: Since yesterday at the same exact time, 200,000 acres of rainforest have been destroyed, more than 100 plant and animal species have gone extinct, 13 million tons of toxic chemicals were released across the globe, and 29,158 children under the age of five died from preventable causes.

Worst of all, there's nothing unique about the past 24 hours. It's business as usual, a daily reality -- and no amount of CFL bulbs, recycled toilet paper, or Sierra Club donations will change it even a tiny bit.

As you do your best to convince yourself of the vast chasm between the two wings of America's single corporate party, I suggest you listen carefully to hear if even one of the politicians mentions any of the following:

· Every square mile of ocean hosts 46,000 pieces of floating plastic.

· Eighty-one tons of mercury is emitted into the atmosphere each year as a result of electric power generation.

· Every second, 10,000 gallons of gasoline are burned in the United States.

· Each year, Americans use 2.2 billion pounds of pesticides.

· Ninety percent of the large fish in the ocean and 80 percent of the world's forests are gone.

· Every two seconds, a human being starves to death.

This is just a minute sampling, folks, and sorry, but your hybrid ain't helping. That reusable shopping bag you bring to the market has zero impact. Your home composting kit is not gonna start a revolution.

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[ananda]

1. He is so right.

Our world will not support our lifeforms for that much longer with
those kinds of stressors.

[villager]

2. Great analysis of the DADT "win" here:

"It's a testament to the power of propaganda how even well-meaning folks will choose the options -- both public and private -- that work against their own interests. Gay rights activists are currently applauding the alleged repeal of "don't ask, don't tell." In the name of promoting diversity and inclusion, they are celebrating the ability to volunteer for an institution that exists to violently crush all diversity and inclusion."

The King quote about "extremism" was also pretty revelatory.

Thanks for posting.

[Gregorian]

3. Almost word for word what I've posted just this week.

Sorry for tooting my own horn. It's just that I don't see many threads posted like this. And I have been so pissed off about the lack of understanding of the situation. We cannot engineer our way out of this mess. And even though they don't mention population, it is the factor driving this. Even if we improve efficiency by 100%, with only small percentage growth of the planet, we will completely wipe out any gains in just a matter of a couple of decades. And we cannot survive at present levels of overuse, so staying the same isn't a solution. We must slow down, decrease in size.

Recommending.

[DeSwiss]

4. The only way out is in......

"America Y UR Peeps B So Dum?"

So if we are talking change through revolt, we're necessarily talking about deconditioning because the thing we fear already has a life deep in our own consciousness. Deconditioning from cultural ignorance is at the heart of any insurrectionary politics. Deconditioning also involves risk and suffering. But it is transformative, freeing the self from helplessness and fear. It unleashes the fifth freedom, the right to an autonomous consciousness. That makes deconditioning about as individual and personal act as is possible. Maybe the only genuine individual act.

Once unencumbered by self-induced and manufactured cultural ignorance, it becomes clear that politics worldwide is entirely about money, power and national mythology, with or without some degree of human rights. America still has all of the above to one degree or another. Yet for all practical purposes, such as advancing the freedom and the well being of its own people, the American republic has collapsed. Of course, there is still money to be made by the already rich. So the million or so people who own the country and the government use their control to convince us that there is no collapse, just economic and political problems that need to be solved.

Naturally, they are willing to do that for us. Consequently, the economy is discussed in political terms, because the government is the only body with the power to legislate, and therefore render the will of the owning class into law. But politics and money are never going to fill what is essentially a public vacuum that is moral, philosophical and spiritual. (The latter was instantly recognized by fundamentalist Christians, disfigured by cultural ignorance, as they may be.) Not many ordinary Americans talk about this vacuum. The required spiritual and philosophical language has been successfully purged by newspeak, popular culture, a human regimentation process masquerading as a national educational system, and the ruthlessness of everyday competition, which leaves no time to contemplate anything.

Still, the void, the meaninglessness of ordinary work and the emptiness of daily life scares thinking citizens shitless, with its many unspeakables, spy cams, security state pronouncements, citizens being economically disappeared, and general back-of-the-mind unease. Capitalism's faceless machinery has colonized our very souls. If the political was not personal to begin with, it's personal now. Some Americans believe we can collectively triumph over the monolith we presently fear and worship. Others believe the best we can do is to find the personal strength to endure and go forward on lonely inner plains of the self.

Doing either will take inner moral, spiritual and intellectual liberation. It all depends on where you choose to fight your battle. Or if you even choose to fight it. But one thing is certain. The only way out is in.

http://www.joebageant.com/joe/2010/12/america-y-ur-peeps-b-so-dum.html">~Joe Bageant

- Everyday, try to take one step away from the grid......

K&R

[snagglepuss]

11. + 10000

This speaks to me on a very personal level. Thanks for posting.

[Catherina]

5. Totally agree. Rec'd. We fiddle while earth burns. n/t

[rhett o rick]

6. The planet will not be killed. It is just the end for humans and whatever species we take down with

us. But there will be species that survive and the planet will go on.

[RKP5637]

8. Yeah, sadly I think that's a distinct possibility. I think we're reaching a point where

the downside momentum is too great. There is sooooo much greed and selfishness that I have a bit of difficulty expecting major turnarounds. Just listening to many of the politicians and their supporters in the US today is one huge WTF. Even in the face of hard evidence some of these folks just have no interest in turning things around. The ignorance is so great today it will take a generation or two to turn things around, even if we started right now. And there are sharks in the water of all political persuasions that have no interest ...

Hopefully it will turn around, but we need a hell of a lot more capable and thoughtful politicians across the world than we have today.

[rhett o rick]

10. There will be no turn around. The price is more than anyone will pay. They will choose denial. nm

[Lorien]

12. Actually, it can be killed (atmosphere burned off). And why would anyone say that

*just* killing off humans and nearly all other life forms on earth is an acceptable alternative? I've heard this misanthropic argument so many times use by people here on this board, and I have to wonder: if you really think that inaction is fine and dandy because it will result in mass suffering, war and death, then why bother with spending any time at all on a Democratic discussion board?

[rhett o rick]

16. If you are aiming that at me you are arguing with the choir. I intend to fight to the end.

Just saying that the earth has been around for a long time and most likely be around for a lot longer. I dont see a scenario where humans will be. Doesnt mean I am giving up. And we already have mass suffering. According to Wiki about 36 million people die either directly or indirectly from hunger.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Starvation

This is a huge problem that doesnt get much attention.

But again, as bad as I think the future looks, I will never give up fighting.

[Stuckinthebush]

15. Intelligent life...a danger for any planet

This planet was an oasis for life for millions of years before humans. In just a blip on the time map we have turned it into a rather crappy place. I guess we are parasites. Destroy the host without thought.

[RKP5637]

7. Adherence to an unbridled capitalistic model will take us well down this path IMO.

[Lorien]

13. Yep. The revolution can't come soon enough. It will happen in other Nations

but we'll have to stop sucking on the plasma and LCD teat long enough to take action for any change to occur here.

[rhett o rick]

18. ...

[glinda]

9. The only way is for there to be a new Group on the planet formed from

people of every Country that are of like minds and with ideas and solutions. They must be political and band together in a large voice and work together all at once to stop the devastation and the Corporations and leaders that are allowing this to happen. They must not only petition but demand removal of leaders and cronies by forcing massive voting or actions in unison.
There is power in numbers.

[RKP5637]

14. If one looks across the countries, there are many that think like us. Right now the

entire planet is in a race to the bottom and the greedy could care about the end result of the decimation of human life on the planet. In the big picture it's disgusting what is going on. The planet will eventually purge itself and we will become yet another extinct species. It's happened for eons.

[BakedAtAMileHigh]

17. with all due respect, Jensen is an apocalyptic fanatic

Who has repeatedly stated that the best possible thing that could occur would be for millions of humans to die.

And by the way: we are NOT destroying the planet Earth. The planet is just fine, thanks, and will continue along without us for hundreds of millions of years after we finish slaughtering each other. We may be ruining our chances for survival but the idea that we are "killing the planet" is just absolute hogwash.

[stuntcat]

19. golly, that's the first time anyone's ever said "we can't kill the planet"!!

omg what a sage you are, thanks for solving it all for us.


A few of us humans are horrified by all of the LIFE on the little planet that our species will be wiping out, all the beautiful forests lost and mountains leveled and oceans trashed. Hey but long as my species can't destroy the entire planet I feel fine!!!