Eating our own tail...

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pink_trike
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Eating our own tail...

Post by pink_trike »

Interesting...it seems that what we imagine to be "happiness" and the particular ways that we extend "life expectancy" lead to ecological deficit and bankruptcy. Looks to me like both pursuits are really just ill-considered short-term solutions with disasterous long-term consequences - solutions and pursuits that mask but yet reflect our voracious hunger and fear.

http://www.happyplanetindex.org/explore ... print.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
Vision is Mind
Mind is Empty
Emptiness is Clear Light
Clear Light is Union
Union is Great Bliss

- Dawa Gyaltsen

---

Disclaimer: I'm a non-religious practitioner of Theravada, Mahayana/Vajrayana, and Tibetan Bon Dzogchen mind-training.
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christopher:::
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Re: Eating our own tail...

Post by christopher::: »

It looked like the least satisfied nations were leaving smaller ecological footprints... so... it does make one wonder if there's even a remote possiblity for a "happy" ending to this story....

Satisfaction needs to be radically redefined, and quickly...

:thinking:
"As Buddhists, we should aim to develop relationships that are not predominated by grasping and clinging. Our relationships should be characterised by the brahmaviharas of metta (loving kindness), mudita (sympathetic joy), karuna (compassion), and upekkha (equanimity)."
~post by Ben, Jul 02, 2009
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pink_trike
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Re: Eating our own tail...

Post by pink_trike »

yup. The cost of "satisfaction" in the blood red zones is running a deficit of 3 Earths. Yet the whole world aspires to have our level of "satisfaction". I can't even do the math to figure out how many Earths that would take. And there is only one...
Vision is Mind
Mind is Empty
Emptiness is Clear Light
Clear Light is Union
Union is Great Bliss

- Dawa Gyaltsen

---

Disclaimer: I'm a non-religious practitioner of Theravada, Mahayana/Vajrayana, and Tibetan Bon Dzogchen mind-training.
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poto
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Re: Eating our own tail...

Post by poto »

What the Malthusian doomers fail to point out is that our technology is constantly evolving. If our technology, industry and "ecological footprint" was static and never changing, then I would be concerned. However, this is not the case, as those things are dynamic and ever-changing. Just in the last 30 years, computers and household appliances have grown more powerful and more energy efficient. Recycling is much more widespread than it was 30 years ago. Perhaps more importantly, our industrial and manufacturing processes are many times cleaner and more efficient.

I live in Ohio, the heart of industrial production here in the states. I've worked at a number of large factories and several fortune 500 companies. I've been able to see how things are made and watch the entire process from start to finish. I've also seen the waste and pollution of these companies get cleaned up and drastically improved over the years. 30-40 years ago the rivers around here were so polluted due to industrial runoff that the bald eagles and great blue herons had all died out in this region. Today the rivers have been cleaned up enough for them to come back. I've seen a number of bald eagles and great blue herons, something my parent's generation had never seen before. Due to improved technology, smarter industrial practices and better environmental regulations the local ecosystem is recovering.

I'm more concerned about countries like China, where they lack the environmental controls we have here, and are now repeating some of the same mistakes we made in decades past. Of course, this doesn't mean the end of the world, merely that it will take some time and effort to clean it up.

Also, the 3 or 4 earths is highly suspect. According to the Kardashev scale our entire civilization has not even used 1 earth worth of energy yet. And before somebody mentions finite resources, yes I understand there are limited resources here on earth. What I also understand is that humans have an amazing capacity to adapt, create new resources and evolve our civilization further.
"Of all tyrannies, a tyranny exercised for the good of its victims may be the most oppressive. It may be better to live under robber barons than under omnipotent moral busybodies. The robber baron's cruelty may sometimes sleep, his cupidity may at some point be satiated; but those who torment us for our own good will torment us without end, for they do so with the approval of their own conscience." -- C. S. Lewis
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pink_trike
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Re: Eating our own tail...

Post by pink_trike »

http://www.storyofstuff.com/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

...and let's not forget that human population is estimated to increase by 3 billion in the next approx. 45 years.
Vision is Mind
Mind is Empty
Emptiness is Clear Light
Clear Light is Union
Union is Great Bliss

- Dawa Gyaltsen

---

Disclaimer: I'm a non-religious practitioner of Theravada, Mahayana/Vajrayana, and Tibetan Bon Dzogchen mind-training.
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