We’d like to show the side of the world you don’t normally see on television.
New Illusions
We are now facing a monumental challenge ahead of us. It isn’t a mountain or an ocean or even space travel. It is our own mindset.
At present, we are in a situation in which some reap huge rewards for relatively little input while others are bent in hard labour each and every waking hour in return for barely enough to feed their families.
This must be addressed.
The only predators we now have to face are our own species. The disempowered are exploited by the powerful. Each nation poses a potential threat to other nations who, in turn, are seen as a potential threat to them. Vast amounts of our resources are committed to the production of weapons and the maintenance of military power. We have become our own enemies.
This must be addressed.
Our progress and technological advancement is currently based on a monetary system, which can only operate by ensuring that the majority are enslaved by debt.
This must be addressed.
The exploitation of the Earth’s finite resources is taking us ever closer to irreparable damage to the environment on which we all depend.
This must be addressed.
We are caught up in a twilight world of avarice and acquisition dominated by stuff and objects we are hypnotised into believing we need.
This must be addressed.
That sounds like an awful lot of addressing; and it would be if we tried to address each element individually. However, each element is governed by one overall mindset:
It is the mindset that says: “I’m gonna screw you before you get a chance to screw me!”
It is the mindset that regards everyone as an enemy unless proven otherwise.
It is the mindset that says: I am the sum total of my stuff.
It is the mindset of an obsession with power and control.
That is what we have to address; this mindset that focuses on illusions.
It is an illusion that money is anything but a symbolic representation of an imagined unit of value. When money is released from the bank, it isn’t taken from anywhere. It is generated when the figures are entered into the computer. It then becomes a debt owed to the bank… with interest. Yet that money never existed in the first place because it is an illusion.
Our development and progress owes much to our capacity to imagine. When we work out complex mathematical calculations, we do so by converting the elements into imaginary symbols and then we imagine how they would interact with each other. Because this exercise of the imagination can lead us to a conclusion that can have a predictable impact on reality, we tend to think of mathematics as ‘reality’. It is not. It is an illusion we have learned to utilise.
A drawing of a buffalo is not a buffalo. It can be recognised as a buffalo by all who see it but it still is not a buffalo. It is an exercise of the imagination and the fact that the lines seem to suggest something we recognise as a buffalo is an illusion.
We utilise illusions all the time. We judge distance by the illusion that distant objects appear smaller than near objects. We judge time by the illusion that time is actually in motion, moving in measurable linear increments.
Much of what we accept as solid reality is simply illusion that we have learned to utilise. Concepts of wealth, poverty, power and so on are all illusions. This capacity for ‘imagineering’ (using imagination to bring about actual consequences) has been a vital element in our evolution to the beings we are.
Illusions are neither good nor bad; they simply are (or, to be more accurate: they simply are not). This capacity for illusion has enabled us to manifest a reality that otherwise would not be possible. There is no reason to believe that such a capacity would not continue to enable us to manifest impossible realities.
There is, however, an almost universally held view that our progress has somehow gone wrong. This, I feel, is largely due to the fact that many of the old illusions are no longer conducive to the overall concept of true progress.
The role of a leader in society is not simply to have power over others but to oversee and maintain the infrastructure and behavioural policies necessary to make a society work for the benefit of all. The fact that most leaders in our history have been, at least to some extent, despotic, megalomanic tyrants who were drawn to power by the prospect of personal gain and ego has clearly had an impact on our history. However, it has not prevented the progress towards better societies that improve the lives of the majority within them.
Until now.
The concept of power over others has now reached dangerous proportions. The damage caused by the illusion that a tiny few can hold absolute power over the masses is no longer ‘collateral damage’ along the path of improvement. It has become a threat to the course of progress itself.
We need new illusions. We need new tools for our future imagineering.
Whether it is a democracy or a dictatorship, power over others exists only by consent. It is not the illusion of one’s own power that makes it a reality; it is the consent of the masses to buy into that illusion that turns what would otherwise be delusions of grandeur into a position of actual power. Actual power is not in the head that wears the crown but in the hands that place the crown upon it.
Power only works if we buy into the illusion.
Money, as a material object has little value. Coins could be made into useful items but the intrinsic value is no more than the usefulness of the substance from which they are made. Paper money, despite being in higher denominations, has even less intrinsic value. It isn’t edible, it doesn’t burn too well and it’s not even absorbent enough to use as toilet paper.
Let’s imagine you have a large, plastic bag containing $100,000 and the freedom to do whatever you want with it. In the illusory world of society, that would enable you to equip yourself with lots of advantages and, when it was spent, the plastic bag would go in the trash.
Now let’s imagine that you are stranded on a desert island when a plastic bag containing $100,000 is washed ashore. The plastic bag becomes the object of desire, as there is nothing in nature that replicates its properties. It can hold water; it can keep food fresh; it can keep things dry. The 100,000 rectangles of useless paper becomes the trash.
Money only works if we buy into the illusion.
We must now devise the illusions that we are prepared to buy into and reject the illusions that are leading us away from our path of perpetual improvement.
At present, we are in a situation in which some reap huge rewards for relatively little input while others are bent in hard labour each and every waking hour in return for barely enough to feed their families.
This must be addressed.
The only predators we now have to face are our own species. The disempowered are exploited by the powerful. Each nation poses a potential threat to other nations who, in turn, are seen as a potential threat to them. Vast amounts of our resources are committed to the production of weapons and the maintenance of military power. We have become our own enemies.
This must be addressed.
Our progress and technological advancement is currently based on a monetary system, which can only operate by ensuring that the majority are enslaved by debt.
This must be addressed.
The exploitation of the Earth’s finite resources is taking us ever closer to irreparable damage to the environment on which we all depend.
This must be addressed.
We are caught up in a twilight world of avarice and acquisition dominated by stuff and objects we are hypnotised into believing we need.
This must be addressed.
That sounds like an awful lot of addressing; and it would be if we tried to address each element individually. However, each element is governed by one overall mindset:
It is the mindset that says: “I’m gonna screw you before you get a chance to screw me!”
It is the mindset that regards everyone as an enemy unless proven otherwise.
It is the mindset that says: I am the sum total of my stuff.
It is the mindset of an obsession with power and control.
That is what we have to address; this mindset that focuses on illusions.
It is an illusion that money is anything but a symbolic representation of an imagined unit of value. When money is released from the bank, it isn’t taken from anywhere. It is generated when the figures are entered into the computer. It then becomes a debt owed to the bank… with interest. Yet that money never existed in the first place because it is an illusion.
Our development and progress owes much to our capacity to imagine. When we work out complex mathematical calculations, we do so by converting the elements into imaginary symbols and then we imagine how they would interact with each other. Because this exercise of the imagination can lead us to a conclusion that can have a predictable impact on reality, we tend to think of mathematics as ‘reality’. It is not. It is an illusion we have learned to utilise.
A drawing of a buffalo is not a buffalo. It can be recognised as a buffalo by all who see it but it still is not a buffalo. It is an exercise of the imagination and the fact that the lines seem to suggest something we recognise as a buffalo is an illusion.
We utilise illusions all the time. We judge distance by the illusion that distant objects appear smaller than near objects. We judge time by the illusion that time is actually in motion, moving in measurable linear increments.
Much of what we accept as solid reality is simply illusion that we have learned to utilise. Concepts of wealth, poverty, power and so on are all illusions. This capacity for ‘imagineering’ (using imagination to bring about actual consequences) has been a vital element in our evolution to the beings we are.
Illusions are neither good nor bad; they simply are (or, to be more accurate: they simply are not). This capacity for illusion has enabled us to manifest a reality that otherwise would not be possible. There is no reason to believe that such a capacity would not continue to enable us to manifest impossible realities.
There is, however, an almost universally held view that our progress has somehow gone wrong. This, I feel, is largely due to the fact that many of the old illusions are no longer conducive to the overall concept of true progress.
The role of a leader in society is not simply to have power over others but to oversee and maintain the infrastructure and behavioural policies necessary to make a society work for the benefit of all. The fact that most leaders in our history have been, at least to some extent, despotic, megalomanic tyrants who were drawn to power by the prospect of personal gain and ego has clearly had an impact on our history. However, it has not prevented the progress towards better societies that improve the lives of the majority within them.
Until now.
The concept of power over others has now reached dangerous proportions. The damage caused by the illusion that a tiny few can hold absolute power over the masses is no longer ‘collateral damage’ along the path of improvement. It has become a threat to the course of progress itself.
We need new illusions. We need new tools for our future imagineering.
Whether it is a democracy or a dictatorship, power over others exists only by consent. It is not the illusion of one’s own power that makes it a reality; it is the consent of the masses to buy into that illusion that turns what would otherwise be delusions of grandeur into a position of actual power. Actual power is not in the head that wears the crown but in the hands that place the crown upon it.
Power only works if we buy into the illusion.
Money, as a material object has little value. Coins could be made into useful items but the intrinsic value is no more than the usefulness of the substance from which they are made. Paper money, despite being in higher denominations, has even less intrinsic value. It isn’t edible, it doesn’t burn too well and it’s not even absorbent enough to use as toilet paper.
Let’s imagine you have a large, plastic bag containing $100,000 and the freedom to do whatever you want with it. In the illusory world of society, that would enable you to equip yourself with lots of advantages and, when it was spent, the plastic bag would go in the trash.
Now let’s imagine that you are stranded on a desert island when a plastic bag containing $100,000 is washed ashore. The plastic bag becomes the object of desire, as there is nothing in nature that replicates its properties. It can hold water; it can keep food fresh; it can keep things dry. The 100,000 rectangles of useless paper becomes the trash.
Money only works if we buy into the illusion.
We must now devise the illusions that we are prepared to buy into and reject the illusions that are leading us away from our path of perpetual improvement.
Views: 139
Replies to This Discussion
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Permalink Reply by Peace Portal on
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You are so correct, and dead on target (dead as in debt/Debtor/Civilly Dead); what is needed is an information age economic model. Our explanation of one is at www.freedigitaluniverse.com, please take a look and let me know what you think. Here's a short video on the economic model that treats all users as Soules, and their currency is unencumbered.
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Permalink Reply by Ron Tocknell on
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Oh I don't doubt that the current crises facing us are making a powerful contribution to positive change. This is invariably the case.
What will bring about the changes in people's perception is the developing trend to adopt new concepts. I once read that a certain number of repetitions make a reality (I confess that I don't recall the book or the actual number of repetitions required). I would rather thinks that a certain percentage of the people buying into an illusion (or concept) is what makes it a reality. If I think I rule the world, it is a delusion and will remain a delusion no matter how many times I repeat this assertion. If the majority of the world's population decided that I rule the world, I would hold that position in reality (fortunately, the world's population has other things to think about).
Every day people are coming around to thinking 'out-of-the-box' and considering alternatives to the systems that currently govern our place in the world. As long as this continues, we will eventually reach that critical point at which the illusory ideals become the new reality.
The process is actually accelerated up by the crises that face us. It can be further accelerated by simply spreading our ideas. Communication is the key.
If people can buy into a mindset that makes them want to stick fridge magnets onto fridges, they can buy into a mindset that describes a better world.
Violette Ruffley said:In my perception, your awareness and clarity of issues facing mankind is impressive. However, I find myself wondering how willing the average person is to make changes. In general, despite how the yoke may chafe, people fear releasing that which is familiar.
What methodology will work to effect this change? Don't you think the present fiscal crisis coupled with joblessness isn't causing people to rethink what is of true value and worth? It may in the end have the greatest impact.
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I watched the video and visited the link so thank you for posting these. I think I would need to look at this more closely before I can respond in detail.
On the face of it, it looks as if it could provide some solutions but it does seem to be an extension of the current illusion of finances with similar potentials (both positive and negative).
I honestly feel we need to go further than that. We need to transcend this attachment to currency if we are to get past the present obstacles. Money talks, as they say. Money has been jabbering away like a chipmunk on cocaine since its inception. It's high time it shut up... or at least, high time we stopped listening to it.
Peace Portal said:You are so correct, and dead on target (dead as in debt/Debtor/Civilly Dead); what is needed is an information age economic model. Our explanation of one is at www.freedigitaluniverse.com, please take a look and let me know what you think. Here's a short video on the economic model that treats all users as Soules, and their currency is unencumbered.
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Permalink Reply by Erin Michelle on
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i just finished reading "The Power of Awareness" by Neville. very powerful and empowering. he addresses the illusions we create. also, "The Active Side of Infinity" by Carlos Casteneda has a lot of information and ideas that explain why we might be at the mercy of predators. both books relate to your insightful and timely post. thank you.
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I guess I need to catch up on my reading. I've not read The Power of Awareness (the title alone makes the heart skip a beat) and the last Casteneda books I read were the Don Juan books, which is going back a bit.
I think, in general, I feel that we have come to an impasse. We have turned so many surreal dreams into reality: Medicine, space exploration etc. Even domestic technology with advancements of the Internet, cell phones and so on has brought communication with the whole world to the fingertips of most people in the West and is spreading beyond to the Third World.
What we now have to decide is what are we going to do with it? What do we want? Do we want it to be just another corporate commodity? A sort of Macdonalds with whistles and bells attached?
Or do we want it to assist the passage beyond the drudgery of wage-slavery, exploitation and corruption?
Websites such as this are a fair indication of where we want to go with this. The barriers are not the governments, banks and corporate 'movers & shakers' but our own mindset that convinces us that we must confine ourselves within the boundaries that these illusionary forces have set.
If we believe that the horizon is the edge of the world, it might as well be so for we would never attempt to venture beyond it. Those 'in power' quite naturally want to hang on to the status quo. It's up to us to show that there are other ways that benefit all... including those who feel they must hang on to the illusion of power for their own security.
What we must not do is regard anyone -- even those who attempt to bar our way -- as 'the Enemy'. It's time to grit our teeth and move forward regardless.
At the moment, we seem to have those on one side squaring up to those on the other side saying: "Yeah?" "Yeah!" "Yeah?" "Yeah!". From my recollection of adolescence, this can go on indefinitely. It's time to abandon all that crap and go with the flow.
Erin Michelle said:i just finished reading "The Power of Awareness" by Neville. very powerful and empowering. he addresses the illusions we create. also, "The Active Side of Infinity" by Carlos Casteneda has a lot of information and ideas that explain why we might be at the mercy of predators. both books relate to your insightful and timely post. thank you.
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Permalink Reply by Deborah J. Boyd on
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I am going to enter this discussion but please don't think I am disagreeing with what you have said. We are in a Paradigm Shift. Many years ago the people in marketing discovered that consumers find it easier to accept gradual change over and above radical change. I am an organizational Architect. I thrive on change. This is the dilemma: If you feel secure in the status quo why change it. If you are suffering as a result of the status quo you can't wait for it to change.
The status quo of the USA has survived because in the beginning there was plenty of land to go around and if you didn't like it one place you could move. After WWII we had no economic competition from Europe because much of their infrastructure was destroyed in the War. The Federal government passed the GI bill and between that and the huge undertaking to build the Interstate Highway we were on a roll. Thanks to Unions, working class families had a chance to own a home and a car and live happily ever after. Oh yes and take the kids to Disneyland to celebrate.
Why was Jesus crucified? Change and threat to the status quo. At the start he was basically ignored by the Romans and the wealthy of the day. But his crowds kept getting larger. He posed a threat and had to be eliminated.
So change must be sold to people not forced on them. For at least 80% of any population the change needs to be gradual. Fear was and is used by many people to control others. Now you know the underpinnings of my formula = Education + Prosperity = Peace. Education needs to be done at the individual's speed. A genius can learn rapidly. A special needs child may get the education equivalent to high school at age 25. It is arbitrary to say all the children should go to school and learn at the same speed in the same way. We now have computers. Yes the kids need supervisors but home school has proven very successful in many cases. One of the issues we need to teach people is the error of duplication. We have a successful business and then we have a hundred more that try to copy them? We need more diversity. More choices. More creativity. Love, Deborah
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Hi Deborah,
First, I'm not adverse to people disagreeing with me. If someone presents a view that conflicts with mine, it gives me an opportunity to consider and take other ideas on board. It may result in me changing my views; it might not. But it will never result in me feeling that my views are under attack.
However, I'm not sure where you feel the views you expressed conflict with mine.
I do feel that your statement: "Education + prosperity = peace" is a little sweeping in its present form. I feel it needs to be qualified in a little more detail. For example: The US has enjoyed both a high standard of education and, until the current credit crisis, considerable prosperity yet, historically, its stance on the Global Stage has been that of aggression, based on the concept that "might is right".
Change happens whether we consciously bring it about or not and whether people want it or not. It's a little like being in a boat on a rapidly flowing river: we're going SOMEWHERE whether we like it or not. However, using the rudder gives a degree of control where we go.
Let's hope we all end up somewhere nice, eh?
Ron
Deborah J. Boyd said:I am going to enter this discussion but please don't think I am disagreeing with what you have said. We are in a Paradigm Shift. Many years ago the people in marketing discovered that consumers find it easier to accept gradual change over and above radical change. I am an organizational Architect. I thrive on change. This is the dilemma: If you feel secure in the status quo why change it. If you are suffering as a result of the status quo you can't wait for it to change.
The status quo of the USA has survived because in the beginning there was plenty of land to go around and if you didn't like it one place you could move. After WWII we had no economic competition from Europe because much of their infrastructure was destroyed in the War. The Federal government passed the GI bill and between that and the huge undertaking to build the Interstate Highway we were on a roll. Thanks to Unions, working class families had a chance to own a home and a car and live happily ever after. Oh yes and take the kids to Disneyland to celebrate.
Why was Jesus crucified? Change and threat to the status quo. At the start he was basically ignored by the Romans and the wealthy of the day. But his crowds kept getting larger. He posed a threat and had to be eliminated.
So change must be sold to people not forced on them. For at least 80% of any population the change needs to be gradual. Fear was and is used by many people to control others. Now you know the underpinnings of my formula = Education + Prosperity = Peace. Education needs to be done at the individual's speed. A genius can learn rapidly. A special needs child may get the education equivalent to high school at age 25. It is arbitrary to say all the children should go to school and learn at the same speed in the same way. We now have computers. Yes the kids need supervisors but home school has proven very successful in many cases. One of the issues we need to teach people is the error of duplication. We have a successful business and then we have a hundred more that try to copy them? We need more diversity. More choices. More creativity. Love, Deborah
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Permalink Reply by Steven J Humphrey on
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a simple way to solve this dilemma of the illusionary value of stuff is to re-evaluiate what value stuff has in our imaginary world: we add taxes to things we need and value and give things away we no longer value...
Therefore, if change the rules that govern our economy, we change the value we place on things we need and change the amount we pay for things; food I would give away tax free and luxury things like ferraris I would tax heavily; likewise, housing could be given away according to a formula: one room per person tax free, anything above this, I would add tax;
then we get into problems: is an avocado food or luxury? Is meat more healthy than an avocado??
Government should change the tax rules so that essentials like solar and wind generators would be tax free, where as coal-and oil based fuels would be taxable; same with electric versus petrol/diesal engine cars: electricity from solar or windfarms would be cheaper than coal or oil based power stations...
Only by redistributing the tax regimes of the world would we change the behaviour of governments, militiaries and public economies, where good things are tax-free and bad-things are taxed according to how good or bad they were, heavy polluting industries like coal-fired power stations would be heavily taxed and good energy supplies would be tax-free or less taxed.
that sounds good to me, then all we need to do is persuade our idiot governors and political agencies to implement suchg a radical and forward thinking 'New World Economic System' to radically change the way we pay for things!!!
Any ideas how we change our economy to reflect how damaging or benevolent things are, so we can change the way they are taxed??
How about we get rid of Income Tax, Health Insurance, licence fees and other personal impositions and raise taxable income from the things we buy rather than on the wages we earn?? Individuals dont pollute the environment, but the things we build and produce and the way we deliver and transport those things cause climate change and emissions, not what we spend our money on!!!
An economic model based on the production of pollution and taxing that manufacturing process would be another new way of looking at the tax system to incentivise good production technologies and processes (growing food would be good, steel smelting would be bad, as two diametrically opposite examples) and taxing those inherently bad and/or damaging processes;
I think recent road tax changes by the british gov is one good way, where low emissions cars are less taxed than heavy goods vehicles, but doesnt go far enough; european scrappage schemes are also interesting in this context: £2000 for scrapping an old car and receiving a grant towards a new car is, however, a little counter-productive as an owner scraps a perfectly good vehicle in favor of a new vehicle, that basically produces twice as much pollution (two cars are produced to replace one old vehicle), aside from the recycled bits of the scrapped vehivcle and the lower emissions from the new car compared to the emissions of the scrapped car - needs a cost-benefit analysis report: is the car to be scrapped bad for the environment or would the £2,000 be better spent making the old car more fuel efficient: switching from petrol to biofuels for example?? How much does it cost to build the new car compared to keeping the old car on the road?? mmm....
Anyway, re-evaluating how much tax we apply to things is the major point here: good things cost less to buy than bad things; keeping it stupidly simple comparison between good and bad {for the environment or your health and wellbeing) should be the basis of our economy not whether it comes from china or your local farmer's market...
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online banking is the solution where you buy 'credit' within the virtual world and banks have enabled the systems to allow ppl to transfer 'real' cash nto 'virtual' cash, as we might transfer dollars into yen or rupees or iskies or whatever....
Peace Portal said:You are so correct, and dead on target (dead as in debt/Debtor/Civilly Dead); what is needed is an information age economic model. Our explanation of one is at www.freedigitaluniverse.com, please take a look and let me know what you think. Here's a short video on the economic model that treats all users as Soules, and their currency is unencumbered.
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Oh I absolutely agree with this. What you are suggesting is a responsible administration of commerce. The main barrier to your ideas becoming reality is not whether or not they would be workable because they quite clearly would be.
However, governments do not dictate to industry; industry dictates to governments. Small changes have been made here and there but nothing that seriously threatens the status quo. For example: The two most powerful industries on the planet are the petrochemical industry and the pharmaceutical industry. Both of these generate the wealth on which the banks and, subsequently, governments depend.
The petrochemical industry has a vested interest in steering us away from alternative sources of energy and governments have a vested interest in keeping the petrochemical industry happy. However, in a "democracy", governments need the people's approval in order to remain in office and the petrochemical industry needs an effective government in its pocket in order to stay on top of the game. So governments will make policies that pay lip-service to reducing emissions and they do so with the petrochemical industry's blessings.
Likewise, the pharmaceutical industry have a vested interest in maintaining ill health. A clear example of this came to light a few years ago when the pharmaceutical company, Novartis came under fire because its cheaper pesticide products were water-soluble and remained active in the soil. This meant that the pesticides leached into the water systems and, because they were soluble in water, could not be filtered out. This gave rise to cancer clusters around the poor areas in Mid West US. It's a simple and economic process to produce pesticides that are deactivated by natural minerals in soil and pesticides that remain in particle form that can be filtered out are just as effective as soluble ones. So why were Novartis so reluctant to make changes? It's worth noting that agricultural chemicals represent only a fraction of Novartis' production. Their major and most lucrative products are oncology drugs for treating... er... cancer.
The pharmaceutical industry dictates what additives are "necessary" to make water safe. It also dictates the additives that are put in food. They rely entirely on the concept of reactive therapy (ie; treating illnesses) and are seriously threatened by the concept of proactive therapy (ie; preventing illnesses). Doctors are given financial incentives by pharmaceutical companies to prescribe their products... leading to inappropriate medication... leading to illness... leading to an expansion in the market for pharmaceutical products. Scary, eh?
It will take major changes to the way societies are governed for the responsible economy you suggest to be put into practice. We are on the foothills of a vast mountain.
Steven J Humphrey said:a simple way to solve this dilemma of the illusionary value of stuff is to re-evaluiate what value stuff has in our imaginary world: we add taxes to things we need and value and give things away we no longer value...
Therefore, if change the rules that govern our economy, we change the value we place on things we need and change the amount we pay for things; food I would give away tax free and luxury things like ferraris I would tax heavily; likewise, housing could be given away according to a formula: one room per person tax free, anything above this, I would add tax;
then we get into problems: is an avocado food or luxury? Is meat more healthy than an avocado??
Government should change the tax rules so that essentials like solar and wind generators would be tax free, where as coal-and oil based fuels would be taxable; same with electric versus petrol/diesal engine cars: electricity from solar or windfarms would be cheaper than coal or oil based power stations...
Only by redistributing the tax regimes of the world would we change the behaviour of governments, militiaries and public economies, where good things are tax-free and bad-things are taxed according to how good or bad they were, heavy polluting industries like coal-fired power stations would be heavily taxed and good energy supplies would be tax-free or less taxed.
that sounds good to me, then all we need to do is persuade our idiot governors and political agencies to implement suchg a radical and forward thinking 'New World Economic System' to radically change the way we pay for things!!!
Any ideas how we change our economy to reflect how damaging or benevolent things are, so we can change the way they are taxed??
How about we get rid of Income Tax, Health Insurance, licence fees and other personal impositions and raise taxable income from the things we buy rather than on the wages we earn?? Individuals dont pollute the environment, but the things we build and produce and the way we deliver and transport those things cause climate change and emissions, not what we spend our money on!!!
An economic model based on the production of pollution and taxing that manufacturing process would be another new way of looking at the tax system to incentivise good production technologies and processes (growing food would be good, steel smelting would be bad, as two diametrically opposite examples) and taxing those inherently bad and/or damaging processes;
I think recent road tax changes by the british gov is one good way, where low emissions cars are less taxed than heavy goods vehicles, but doesnt go far enough; european scrappage schemes are also interesting in this context: £2000 for scrapping an old car and receiving a grant towards a new car is, however, a little counter-productive as an owner scraps a perfectly good vehicle in favor of a new vehicle, that basically produces twice as much pollution (two cars are produced to replace one old vehicle), aside from the recycled bits of the scrapped vehivcle and the lower emissions from the new car compared to the emissions of the scrapped car - needs a cost-benefit analysis report: is the car to be scrapped bad for the environment or would the £2,000 be better spent making the old car more fuel efficient: switching from petrol to biofuels for example?? How much does it cost to build the new car compared to keeping the old car on the road?? mmm....
Anyway, re-evaluating how much tax we apply to things is the major point here: good things cost less to buy than bad things; keeping it stupidly simple comparison between good and bad {for the environment or your health and wellbeing) should be the basis of our economy not whether it comes from china or your local farmer's market...
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Permalink Reply by Bob Fetherolf on
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Be careful not to make these ideas sound like this is a new situation. It has always been that way, and may or may not continue this way. According to the bible it's a done deal here on earth. But that doesn't mean you stop fighting the good fight...that is, if you are up for a fight. Remember brave new world?
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Permalink Reply by Jeanne on
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As per addressing the mindset... already happening. I believe we've experienced in the past century, a consciousness explosion. ...and with it has come increased global awareness - a fantastic leap, indeed! However, unsustainable, if not balanced with local awareness.
An example of maintaining the status quo, while appearing to implement sustainable change... are those huge wind generators. The reason they are a problem is scale... they are a result of corporate self iterest protecting its interests in energy . If every home or building has its own wind energy capturing devices, there would be little need for big energy corps. Yet, research articles abound concerning problems with gigantic wind turbines... yeah, we know already. And big monies allocated for alternative energy continues to funnel to the same corps dedicated to keeping us energy dependent.
Keeping it local is about scale. Taking responsibility for our eco-footprint, right where we are, to the best of our ability, within the constraints of the existing infrastructure, while continually greening our local world - one step at a time... these are the steps toward healing and sustainability. The challenge is personal... from the point of view of community member - local and global, from the perspective of the interpersonal and the subjective intrapersonal... what we do, matters.
Taking our power back - literally and figuratively, in a thousand small ways, ... in mindful living, union with nature and empathetic community is simple... yet revolutionary.
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