Should the very rich control our climate? Our food?
In the Radio Ecoshock for last week, I may suprised listeners with a very different point of view. Former Whole Earther Stewart Brand came out swinging for nuclear power, genetic engineering, and geoengineering as the new “green.” I’ll reply in just a minute.
Our main speaker this week is a refreshing antidote to Brand. David Korten was recorded at the University of British Columbia. He’s a well-travelled specialist in the economy and cultural systems, author of the book “When Corporations Rule the World.” Korten has a much better idea, in my opinion.
We’ll finish up with an example of corporation concentrating functions as Stewart Brand says is inevitable. This time it’s our enslavement of animals, in Concentrated Animal Feedlot Operations. There’s a set of two new books out – we’ll talk with editor Daniel Imhoff.
This week we offer you a new talk by author David Korten. He describes where phantom wealth comes from, and how it distorts our world. Then he has some options of how we can re-build community a better way.
Korten’s books “When Corporations Rule the World” and “The Great Turning, from Empire to Earth Community” have set the pace. His latest book,”Agenda for a New Economy: From Phantom Wealth to Real Wealth” (A Declaration of Independence from Wall Street) – couldn’t come at a better time. This new talk was recorded September 27th, 2010, by the presenters, the UBC Reads Sustainability program.
But I begin this week’s program with a rant about Stewart Brand. His new “eco-pragmatism” reeks of the old conservatism, in my opinion. To be fair, I ran his recorded conversation last week, with little comment. This week, I tell you what I really think, in this piece:
“What’s the Matter With Stewart Brand?” Click on “Read more” below to find a link to that rant in print….
We end this week’s program with an example of what happens in the country, when big business takes over our food system. Daniel Imhoff is the editor of two companion books on CAFO – Concentrated Animal Feeding Operations. Earth Aware publishers have just brought out two new books on “The Tragedy of Industrial Animal Factories”. There is a CAFO Reader
Have been listening to your podcasts a while now – I look forward to them very much. Last week's "ecopragmatism" was the FIRST time that I simply shut you off – I could NOT listen to BS I was hearing. Brand must fall into some DSM category – not sure what it is but its some odd mix of ego-driven sociopathological illness that leaves him sounding somewhat rational (as in, he isnt mumbling or drooling verbally tho he is mentally) but he is profoundly unwell.
I am glad you shared so much of how you felt about it in this week's podcast.
Alex, You had previously solicited suggestions for topics and interviews. Because you discuss economics fairly regularly, I suggest you invest some time reading through this link, and then setting up an interview with Michael Albert and/or Robin Hahnel.
http://www.zcommunications.org/zmi/zinstruc6.htm
The above 'instructional' is the most valuable introduction to economic thought, and Parecon in particular, that I have ever encountered. I hope you look into it. I think it will give you some mental tools to deconstruct how for instance Stewart Brand has gone bronco, but also why David Korten is too fuzzy-headed.
p.s. I'm the guy who did that show broadcast "from the future", that you said you enjoyed a couple years back.
Great work Alex
Many of us gained both inspiration and motivation from Stewart Brand's "Whole Earth Catalogue" in those days of new awakenings. And like yourself, I first learned of the extraordinary work of Gregory Bateson through SB's "Two Cybernetic Frontiers" during the mid-1970s. Bateson's work continues to seed enduring intuitions, but poor Stewart seems to have been strangely drawn into Apollonian hubris and folly.
You offered a great riposte in this week's presentation of David Korten's temporally and culturally informed perspective. I am sure that the shade of Fritz Schumacher is quietly rejoicing in the knowledge that these ideas are finding a broad audience.
More power to you and your work.
With best wishes
It was interesting to listen to the previous episode with Stewart Brand and his vantage point on our predicament; do I agree with him and Lovelock, no; but it is still good to listen with an open-mind. He though scares me with this love of technology and biotech as a solution to our predicament.
I much more side with Korten's ideas.
That said, and it was partially through the Radio EcoShock podcasts that I have come to the idea that not only are we is serious trouble and must become more self-reliant, et al; but we must also have one-less child then each family (planning to have children) wants. The idea is painful at first; but it would help remediate much not only in the Western world; but for the planet as a whole. It would lead to less food needed, resources used, people living in poverty, etc.
I am a long time listener with deep gratitude for your contribution to increasing our awareness of critical issues like climate change. I agree with many of your views however I think you are fundamentally wrong in criticizing Stewart Brand.
Brand has been brave enough to change his beliefs on issues like nuclear after examining the science. I encourage you to also give priority to science over beliefs. Beliefs of all sorts, including BAU's confidence that growth can continue forever, and environmentalist's opposition to nuclear, are one of the key reasons for our predicament. We must let science rule our policies.
With regard to geoengineering, Brand is not saying that it should be our preferred solution. But rather that it is the only thing that might actually save us. I think he is right. As per James Hansen, the only possible non-geoengineering solution is to stop all use of coal, stop all deforestation, and leave non-conventional oil in the ground. This is never going to happen, even if the majority wakes up. Therefore we may be forced to consider geoengineering.
Note also that James Hansen, a brilliant scientist and deeply concerned environmentalist, also supports nuclear.