Degrowth could bring a higher quality of life, better mental health and long denied equality to the global south. Consuming the planet is unsustainable, the economy must be reimagined within its confines. Billionaires need to be dismantled, they have far too much power in deciding our futures, which are bleak on the current path. The sixth extinction should get more attention. https://geoffreydeihl.substack.com/p/degrowth-the-vision-we-must-demand
Max, i have to disagree with you on this opening line. " I think President Joe Biden’s climate change and infrastructure plan is a mistake. The problem is that Biden’s plans are aimed at the wrong target.The Biden administration aims to replace fossil fuels with wind and solar power, while maintaining consumerism. He aims to replace gasoline cars with electric cars (EVs), while not challenging car culture."
It's not at all a mistake. It is deliberate obfuscation. The aim is to keep industry humming, because the president of the US is the chief executive of the enforcement agency of the ruling class. His/her chief goal is to ensure the continued operation of the growth machine, come hell or high water or both. Keep the car industry going. Finance expansion of the energy industry's "alternative" affiliate. And even more (and this is a chief aim of the Green New Deal) facilitate the 4th Industrial Revolution, use "environmental degradation" as an excuse to drive us into a global digital panopticon. This will be a data prison based on global Blockchain and used to turn each of us into an investment opportunity, a financial instrument which grows or shrinks depending upon our adherence to set "environmental" goals. Digital IDs needed to function within this society. Our behavior will be rewarded with tokens allowing us something more than the meager Universal Basic Income which will keep us barely alive.
Jeffrey, you wrote "It's not at all a mistake... His/her chief goal is to ensure the continued operation of the growth machine, come hell or high water..."
I completely agree with that. This op-ed was written for a mainstream audience (readers of an major circulation newspapers in the U.S.), and word counts make it hard to make any complex or multi-faceted arguments in these type of pieces, so I necessarily took a lot of shortcuts in the writing. I know the readers here, like yourself, are quite a bit more educated on these issues.
Got you, Max. I missed that you posted this *as was/is*, and didn't revise it for blog readers. Thanks for the clarification. And like others say, it's quite something that no "green" mainstream media wanted to touch it.
Thank you for sharing! I watched this video as a part of the Climate Week NYC festivities (not sure if you are familiar), and I think you would appreciate it. Would love to hear what you think: https://vimeo.com/787697660/ae23f05c42?share=copy. By the way, I'm not affiliated with this film in any way, just thought I would take advantage of the serendipity :)
Yes, we need to get back to basics on what we value. This crazy consumption has only happened in the last few hundred years, enabled by fossil fuels. Civilization began 6000 years ago. Homo sapiens appeared 300,000 years ago. This world we have created so recently and rapidly is a mirage. https://geoffreydeihl.substack.com/p/idiots-elect-idiots
Sorry to hear about your father, Will. I hope it comes out OK. Great piece, and a real statement that the "green" press wasn't willing to publish it.
Thank you, Rob.
Degrowth could bring a higher quality of life, better mental health and long denied equality to the global south. Consuming the planet is unsustainable, the economy must be reimagined within its confines. Billionaires need to be dismantled, they have far too much power in deciding our futures, which are bleak on the current path. The sixth extinction should get more attention. https://geoffreydeihl.substack.com/p/degrowth-the-vision-we-must-demand
If we define quality of life as something different than consumption — which of course we should, and I know you do — then I completely agree.
Max, i have to disagree with you on this opening line. " I think President Joe Biden’s climate change and infrastructure plan is a mistake. The problem is that Biden’s plans are aimed at the wrong target.The Biden administration aims to replace fossil fuels with wind and solar power, while maintaining consumerism. He aims to replace gasoline cars with electric cars (EVs), while not challenging car culture."
It's not at all a mistake. It is deliberate obfuscation. The aim is to keep industry humming, because the president of the US is the chief executive of the enforcement agency of the ruling class. His/her chief goal is to ensure the continued operation of the growth machine, come hell or high water or both. Keep the car industry going. Finance expansion of the energy industry's "alternative" affiliate. And even more (and this is a chief aim of the Green New Deal) facilitate the 4th Industrial Revolution, use "environmental degradation" as an excuse to drive us into a global digital panopticon. This will be a data prison based on global Blockchain and used to turn each of us into an investment opportunity, a financial instrument which grows or shrinks depending upon our adherence to set "environmental" goals. Digital IDs needed to function within this society. Our behavior will be rewarded with tokens allowing us something more than the meager Universal Basic Income which will keep us barely alive.
Jeffrey, you wrote "It's not at all a mistake... His/her chief goal is to ensure the continued operation of the growth machine, come hell or high water..."
I completely agree with that. This op-ed was written for a mainstream audience (readers of an major circulation newspapers in the U.S.), and word counts make it hard to make any complex or multi-faceted arguments in these type of pieces, so I necessarily took a lot of shortcuts in the writing. I know the readers here, like yourself, are quite a bit more educated on these issues.
Got you, Max. I missed that you posted this *as was/is*, and didn't revise it for blog readers. Thanks for the clarification. And like others say, it's quite something that no "green" mainstream media wanted to touch it.
IRA seemed as much a Biden reelection gambit as anything. Same with Ukraine. Pretty disgusting stuff.
Thank you for sharing! I watched this video as a part of the Climate Week NYC festivities (not sure if you are familiar), and I think you would appreciate it. Would love to hear what you think: https://vimeo.com/787697660/ae23f05c42?share=copy. By the way, I'm not affiliated with this film in any way, just thought I would take advantage of the serendipity :)
Alexa, thank you for reading. I don't have time to watch that film at the moment, can you summarize what it's about?
Yes, we need to get back to basics on what we value. This crazy consumption has only happened in the last few hundred years, enabled by fossil fuels. Civilization began 6000 years ago. Homo sapiens appeared 300,000 years ago. This world we have created so recently and rapidly is a mirage. https://geoffreydeihl.substack.com/p/idiots-elect-idiots