I came across this rather interesting title as I was reading my email. As I read the article on climate change and the 'new' global solidarity to combat it in unison, my interest in this never-dying story was piqued. Al-Gore with his gory movie "An Inconvenient Truth", Schwarzenegger with his green policy push in California and new warnings of total climate chaos blaring through the airwaves. In this cacophony of noise, do we think that global warming is a real problem and can it be solved?
There is sufficient scientific evidence to claim that global warming is happening and its affecting our lives adversely. Most agree that human action and the emission of copious amounts of greenhouse gases from our factories, homes etc. contribute to global warming. Answer to solve global warming seems rather simple. Get the entire world to reduce greenhouse gases, switch to alternatives, tax petroleum and the list goes on. Everybody knows there are solutions on the table but implementing the plan is as tricky and elusive as ever. I have no doubt the latest global leader summit is another event that the optimists would trumpet as a 'watershed' or 'milestone' event that would create a sustainable, effective solution to the crisis. I certainly doubt these claims and I believe that the solution doesn't lie in the leaders but in the grassroots. Changing mindsets is the most crucial element in combating the crisis not global forums and stirring yet teeth-less speeches from global leaders.
Global warming is no longer viewed as the 'next' generation's problem. It has been linked to several calamities we experience in our daily lives. Freak weather seems to be becoming the norm rather than the exception. Our unsustainable resource consumption has sent costs of raw materials skyrocketing and burning a hole in our pockets. Hence,the truth has dawned upon us that our continued reckless exploitation of nature would come with a heavy cost.
Society realised that it had to change its ways to create a sustainable environment and tackle global warming in order to stem the tide of current calamities and prevent it from snowballing and burdening our later generations. The sense of urgency is palpable, especially in developed countries where modern media and education have brought this message to the populace.
With this mindset shift, comes the political shift. Politics is a game where you always have to be in step with the feelings of the public. Now, most politicians play to the new tune of being 'climate crusaders' and 'tree-hugger'. Sen. John McCain, a presidential candidate, together with Sen. Joe Lieberman is pushing for new legislation to cut emissions. It is no longer a 'leftie' or 'fear-monger' to be talking about climate change. Its become mainstream because people's perspectives have changed.
It pays to be green. Our binge in petroleum fuelled not only global warming but has led to a scarcity problem and a sharp rise in energy costs. So people shift to alternative energy and try to cut down on their energy consumption. Now, there is a huge market for 'green' goods that are cheap and at the same time environmentally friendly. We all want cheap energy that doesn't pollute or harm us. As a result, more venture capital has flowed into alternative energy research to satisfy the increase in demand. More effecient wind turbines and solar panels are being created not by the speeches and policies of politicians but by the surge in market demand for alternatives.
I believe that civic groups and non-governmental organisations, philanthropic organisations should lead the way and generate a bottom-up reaction. Political leaders do create awareness of issues and propose grand solutions. But it is the society that holds the key to solving global warming.
Thursday, February 15, 2007
Monday, February 5, 2007
My take on 'Numbing on American Mind' by Thomas de Zengoitta
Thomas de Zengoitta has spinned a great essay, full of examples and sweeping generalisations to show that we are increasingly becoming numb and our culture is to blame. He attacks a wide variety of aspects of culture and fast pace of life is one of them. There is no question that our lives are speeding up but it does not cause us to become numb. Rather, our fast paced lives are a reflection of how people are increasingly emotionally, intellectually and socially connected to the community at large.
Whether finitude has become a reality in our culture and cause of our 'numbness' is another matter but one thing in our lives is finite. Time. We want to maximize our time and spend it to create happiness. The need to learn more, earn more, help more and do more is not a result of numbing minds but of active minds, wanting to contribute to the betterhood of themselves and others. However, it seems Mr.Zengoitta prefers to keep his parochial view that all of us are stressed humans living an inanimate life, in robotic fashion.
Stress. Stress never was absent from human lives but its manifestations have changed over the years. Cavemen were stressed by the need to find food and survive while today, we can just step into a restaurant or cafeteria to satisfy our hunger pangs. Today, we worry about employment, education in order to pay for our bills. Cavemen never had to worry about securing jobs and earning salaries. But, would we prefer to be under the stress of finding food or finding jobs ? Upon closer inspection, Mr. Zengoitta's claim that stress has increased and resulted in numbing modern culture seems suspect. Modernity is a liberator not a suppressor of our minds.
Improvements in technology have enabled man to create machines which has increased productivity throughout our lives. No longer do we need to queue up at the local grocer's shop to pick up our supplies, we can get them online and delivered to our doorstep. It means we have more time to pursue our interests, rather than spend them inefficiently on routines. With more time on their hands, people are taking holidays and working in international missions to help the needy. Without the power of new media, we will be left unable to communicate, organize and react to events that surround us. For example, when hurricane Katrina hit New Orleans and Louisiana, millions of dollars and aid poured in from throughout the world as people watched the gruesome tragedy in their television sets. If we are all numbed by the new media and culture, shouldn't there have been no response to this crisis ?
In conclusion, Mr.Zengoitta's 'numbing theory' makes a convincing read on the surface level. It shows that we can blame our culture for our shortcomings because culture is the one that made us numb. He even goes on to say that this is a diagnosis and there is no solution. Better still, we all can continue to wallow in the myth that culture numbed us and we are powerless to cure of our numbness. The truth cannot be further away. Our modern culture provides many avenues to keep us active and its every individual choice in this free and open society whether he/she wants to live a life of insulation or active engagement ?
Whether finitude has become a reality in our culture and cause of our 'numbness' is another matter but one thing in our lives is finite. Time. We want to maximize our time and spend it to create happiness. The need to learn more, earn more, help more and do more is not a result of numbing minds but of active minds, wanting to contribute to the betterhood of themselves and others. However, it seems Mr.Zengoitta prefers to keep his parochial view that all of us are stressed humans living an inanimate life, in robotic fashion.
Stress. Stress never was absent from human lives but its manifestations have changed over the years. Cavemen were stressed by the need to find food and survive while today, we can just step into a restaurant or cafeteria to satisfy our hunger pangs. Today, we worry about employment, education in order to pay for our bills. Cavemen never had to worry about securing jobs and earning salaries. But, would we prefer to be under the stress of finding food or finding jobs ? Upon closer inspection, Mr. Zengoitta's claim that stress has increased and resulted in numbing modern culture seems suspect. Modernity is a liberator not a suppressor of our minds.
Improvements in technology have enabled man to create machines which has increased productivity throughout our lives. No longer do we need to queue up at the local grocer's shop to pick up our supplies, we can get them online and delivered to our doorstep. It means we have more time to pursue our interests, rather than spend them inefficiently on routines. With more time on their hands, people are taking holidays and working in international missions to help the needy. Without the power of new media, we will be left unable to communicate, organize and react to events that surround us. For example, when hurricane Katrina hit New Orleans and Louisiana, millions of dollars and aid poured in from throughout the world as people watched the gruesome tragedy in their television sets. If we are all numbed by the new media and culture, shouldn't there have been no response to this crisis ?
In conclusion, Mr.Zengoitta's 'numbing theory' makes a convincing read on the surface level. It shows that we can blame our culture for our shortcomings because culture is the one that made us numb. He even goes on to say that this is a diagnosis and there is no solution. Better still, we all can continue to wallow in the myth that culture numbed us and we are powerless to cure of our numbness. The truth cannot be further away. Our modern culture provides many avenues to keep us active and its every individual choice in this free and open society whether he/she wants to live a life of insulation or active engagement ?
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