The articles below on climate change attempt novel approaches: People may not be concerned about their own lives or consider the threat to their children's lives real, but they always respond to a threat to their pocketbooks. The third article focusses on war which, since 9/11 and the invasion of Iraq, has also become a more real presence in the life of the average citizen.
But it's debatable whether the articles achieve their ostensible purpose of scaring the reader, thereby galvanizing him or her into action. By maintaining that the disastrous consequences of climate change may not unfold for decades, the articles will more likely lull the reader into believing we have time to turn things around; decades during which, no doubt, 'they' will think up a solution as they always have. But those who read James Lovelock's words on Monday will not forget them: "They think we have decades left. We don't." JO
The Cost of Climate Change
Per Cent of GDP
Insurance
Wars
Sustainable Living Conference with Tom Whipple
Laptops May be Subject to Search After Overseas Travel
Princeton Computer Scientists Hack Diebold ***************************************************************************
This is why some people get to be president and other people who can't pronounce 'nucular'..... never mind. JO
Chavez' Bedtime Reading
JMC has left a new comment on your post "Climate Change/GDP, Insurance, Wars; Sust. Living/Whipple; Laptops Search; Diebold; Chavez/Reading":
ReplyDelete"But it's debatable whether the articles achieve their ostensible purpose of scaring the reader, thereby galvanizing him or her into action."
I agree. People can only get galvanized to solve problems if they actually have the skills to create solutions. Scaring them will not magically produce these skills.
For a varity of reasons community/ activist skills have artophied over the last couple of generations. This needs to be addressed before the effects of peak oil hit--for example, a famine is not the time to learn how to farm.
As to soft-peddling the issues-"don't worry, we have time"-I think this is done for the same reason people are more likely to push LIHOP as opposed to MIHOP, when taking about 911: they don't want to sound so alarming as to be off-putting. I think it's better to discuss the alarming issue CALMLY in solid factual terms. But that's me.
getoned has left a new comment on your post "Climate Change/GDP, Insurance, Wars; Sust. Living/Whipple; Laptops Search; Diebold; Chavez/Reading":
ReplyDeleteI must say that I was surprised to see a video which included Jenna Orkin on Alan Jones` website Prison Planet
http://www.prisonplanet.com/articles/October2006/181006Toxic.htm
If you haven`t seen this "Well-spoken, stately lady"...take a peek! ( Click on
New Video: Toxic Lies - The Betrayal of Heroes)
Edward has left a new comment on your post "Climate Change/GDP, Insurance, Wars; Sust. Living/Whipple; Laptops Search; Diebold; Chavez/Reading":
ReplyDelete.... That video is... a portion of "Confronting the Evidence" which you can get free on the internet. Jimmy Walters site is where I got it. Or you can google 911 DVD Project. You can get 911 DVDs for $1 apiece. I just ordered a batch....
Rice Farmer has left a new comment on your post "Cuba/Bomb Plot; Bush/N. Korea; "Gunboat Diplomacy/Indigenous; Bejing/Water/Population; Russia/NATO; Oil/Yemen/Suicide":
ReplyDelete"The PROMIS of 9/11 and beyond"
http://onlinejournal.com/artman/publish/article_1322.shtml
This Online Journal article has been getting a lot of attention lately. Note that it quotes extensively from the work of Mike Ruppert and FTW.