Re: NANFA-- "Ugliest fish in North America"

Todd Crail (farmertodd_at_buckeye-express.com)
Tue, 6 Jan 2004 12:58:33 -0500

The lunchtime rant... ;)

I agree Steffen... For a global change, it would have to be something of a
spiritual reawakening where people cast aside the major ideologies and
distractions of consumerism and begin living in the now so the future
becomes much more clear to each individual. That's not to say they start
living less comfortably... But more so that they stop believing the lie that
"things" and products should make them happy. An entire transformation
occurrs when a person comes upon that epiphany.

Their dislocation from nature (if you can get them out in it) is a wonderful
vector for that epiphany. It is my ambition to help lead as many people as
possible _comfortably_ into this world I understand and know so well, that
they can also.

I also think the divorce of consumerism is a core tenant to all major
religions (theistic and non-theistic alike) and I would argue that with so
many people finding themselves fortunate enough to get solid educations (A
conundrum for sure! Had to get money to not lust for money!), that the
dogma and extremism that have plagued our spiritual outlets can be stripped
away, and people will begin discovering their spiritual selves.
Economically, I see a similar pattern where Executives can not hide behind
their accountants or interests any longer. Politically, I can't wait to see
what this next election brings. Hopefully not apathy because "the votes
didn't count". In any case, it seems that a growing minority are beginning
to understand enough about their world that they're ready to account for
themselves, and not get led around like a flock of sheep.

And those same kids that were distracted with toys and tech as
babysitters... They aren't as a whole buying it like generations past.
They're more educated as a group than any other generation (which hopefully
continues its accumulating pattern), acknowledge what's happened (listen to
the current "alternative music" lyrics, 'Linkin Park' for example), and they
are pissssed off about it. They're the easy targets :)

Their parents... _Much_ more like what you describe, but I haven't given
hope up on them yet. I've seen so many examples of small changes that I
don't feel so hopeless that they aren't accumulating into bigger changes.
In any case, I'm not going to stop providing the "local" with my "global".

Certainly, this is an American perspective on American logistics and
culture... Unfortunately, I do not feel I have enough breadth in my World
scope to say how it is elsewhere. I would say in the "developing" world,
tho, that the people are still close enough with the Earth that they can be
steered away from what has taken a near century for the Industrialized West
to understand. I have hope that this is true.

With that all in mind... Today is a good day to go take a walk at the park.

Todd

----- Original Message -----
From: "Steffen Hellner" <steffen_at_hellner.biz>
To: <nanfa_at_aquaria.net>
Sent: Tuesday, January 06, 2004 3:39 AM
Subject: Re: NANFA-- "Ugliest fish in North America"

> Nicely argumented. But I tend to see and treat things more simple after
> having thought about it again and again for two decades:
>
> 1st: The majority of people all around the world generally looks at nature
> conservation not as protecting our natural basis but as an "extra" we can
> afford as long as economy is well off. If not so, then it is obsolet.
Money
> comes first. Or did I misunderstand you, Mr. Bush? Or Mr.
> President/Chancellor of most countries and most firms around the globe?
>
> 2nd: Idiots of all kind and groups have trained the younger generations to
> play Gameboy, Playstation, be interested in fancy cars, cloths, fashion,
> money, career and whatever is profitable for industry and trade. Not
> reading, learning, thinking, not at least caring seriously for environment
> and our future. The big play must go on. It4s enough to have some tigers,
> crocs, and Pandas in the zoos.
>
> 3rd: People tend to take the smooth way. Opportunism rules everywhere. And
> mediocracy. And the majority is either too dumn, too lazy or too much
bound
> to particular interests to be able or willing to change something. This
> could mean to get problems. Very few people are willing to take that risk.
> Still, if one is really active in doing something he is widely seen and
> treated as an "ecological nuts".
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