We’ve lived so long under the spell of hierarchy—from god-kings to feudal lords to party bosses—that only recently have we awakened to see not only that “regular” citizens have the capacity for self-governance, but that without their engagement our huge global crises cannot be addressed. The changes needed for human society simply to survive, let alone thrive, are so profound that the only way we will move toward them is if we ourselves, regular citizens, feel meaningful ownership of solutions through direct engagement. Our problems are too big, interrelated, and pervasive to yield to directives from on high.
—Frances Moore Lappé, excerpt from Time for Progressives to Grow Up

Monday, April 7, 2014

Dear Humanity, Time Is Running Out

Click here to access article by Jon Queally from Common Dreams.

Although under a lot of political pressure, scientists in capitalist countries keep telling the world that humanity faces serious threats from climate destabilization. The means to solve these problems are within humanity's technological abilities, but the political control of capitalist elites prevents any significant implementation--such actions interfere with corporate profits. Now scientists are telling us that time is running out. 

Still, judging by the authoritative US ruling class newspaper, the Washington Post, our masters have their heads stuck in the sand of cold war politics. They want to drill like never before in order to destabilize the Russian economy. (See also this.) They want more production of natural gas domestically to provide more energy to Europe to lessen their dependence on Russian energy. Russia needs to be punished for standing in the way of the capitalist Empire's agenda to control the world.

What is most startling of all, scientists seem to be aware that more than just a reduction in fossil fuel use is required: they recognise that basic changes in the structures of societies are needed! Referring to a report to be released next week by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, the author writes: 
 ...the report will say, society will not only need to rapidly reduce use of fossil fuels, but also revolutionize the structures of its economies, food systems, and energy grids.