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16 comments on Converging Environmental Crises Teach-In

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Nate Hagens on April 10, 2008 - 2:16pm Permalink | Subthread | Parent | Comments top

If you and William Catton are both there in person, please give my regards to him (He spoke at our conference in 2006 "Peak Oil and the Environment" in DC. He would qualify as one of my top 5 living 'heroes'. His book "Overshoot" is one of best books ever written and along with 'Ishmael' caused me to shut down my hedge fund in 2003 and go back to school.

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Gail the Actuary on April 10, 2008 - 2:20pm Permalink | Subthread | Parent | Comments top

I am afraid that we are not there in person. Pre-recording sounded like a safer option, and it looks like it is working out that way.

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Carolus Obscurus on April 10, 2008 - 8:19pm Permalink | Subthread | Parent | Comments top

His book "Overshoot" is one of best books ever written ...

Notably, Catton coined the the term 'cosmeticism', which covers about 99% of our 'save the planet' activities. The Prius. Or driving your Volvo to a 10-mile distant recycling centre to dispose of three plastic bottles and 12 back numbers of 'The New Statesman'. Growing 'organic' vegetables. All those tips and tricks about closing the fridge door and not allowing your car engine to run overnight and wearing pullovers so you can turn down the thermostat. Worrying about low-level ionising radiation. Alar scare. Rainbow Warrior Hysteria. Etcetera ..

Wot's 'Ishmael'?

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710 on April 10, 2008 - 8:24pm Permalink | Subthread | Parent | Comments top

Ishmael, by Daniel Quinn (Amazon)

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Nate Hagens on April 10, 2008 - 11:14pm Permalink | Subthread | Parent | Comments top

If you are frequent reader of TOD, (and especially if you can quote Catton from memory) you don't need to read Daniel Quinn - its fiction - that via conversations shows how mankind didn't NEED to end up this way - it all happened because one tribe (or group of tribes) started the agricultural revolution, then from there we stored food, had to hire people to count it, guard it, etc. and we ended up here. For someone with a brain but whose life has been an illusion colored by mainstream media, the book was an eyeopener (though even I put it down after 20 pages in 1998 cuz I thought it really stupid) Shows how you have to be ready to change/accept new ideas for it to occur (n=1)

Anyways - Catton the real deal, especially as a social scientist.

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