Kathleen Dean Moore is an emeritus Professor of Philosophy at Oregon State University. Her recent work focusses on the moral issues of climate change. She recently wrote a brilliant article in Salon under the headline “How Big Oil is manipulating the way you think about climate change
“REDD herring”, very clever! But let’s not overlook the herrings hiding in the Professor’s comments.
The use of the energy slaves found (for free) in fossil fuels fueled the entirety of civilization and its expansion to massive numbers unsustainable under natural survival conditions. It powers industrial agriculture needed to feed this massive population, it powers the industrial chemical industry which makes your synthetic fabrics to clothe this massive population (we can’t raise that many sheep for wool or pick that much cotton), it powers all the travel (mostly needless) which this capitalist society seems to require and many other aspects of this culture which has used every possible tool for warding off the usual existential threats to their City-based existence.
You can NOT blame it all on the fossil-fuel industry - it is YOUR hand on the pump, not theirs. Professor Moore mentions an economy of “restraint and renewal.” Yes, we need to “live quietly” as per James Rebanks’ book _The Shepherd’s Life_, in other words, use MUCH LESS energy and get back to use of renewable (solar) energy. But that isn’t what you presently know as an “economy”: the economy is a measure of everyone’s activity and obviously we need MUCH LESS of such activity to reach “restraint.” All of society has lived beyond their means, as per the fuel consumption, the energy use, the environmental impact, as well as financial debt, always kicking the can down the road, putting the pain on to future generations.
As for the South Africa power outages, I would imagine they have plenty of power for an appropriate population level which is at least attempting to live in harmony with this planet. Could you tell me how city traffic is what this planet looks like? A key to living in harmony with this planet is finally beginning to set Limits to Progress.
South Africa right now is experiencing 8 hours to 12 hours of power outages every day partially due to the demand for them to decommission their coal power stations as they can't get the financing anymore for the maintenance. Last year the country had more than 200 days of power cuts. I wonder if Kathleen Dean Moore would like to live without electricity for 12 hours a day?
“REDD herring”, very clever! But let’s not overlook the herrings hiding in the Professor’s comments.
The use of the energy slaves found (for free) in fossil fuels fueled the entirety of civilization and its expansion to massive numbers unsustainable under natural survival conditions. It powers industrial agriculture needed to feed this massive population, it powers the industrial chemical industry which makes your synthetic fabrics to clothe this massive population (we can’t raise that many sheep for wool or pick that much cotton), it powers all the travel (mostly needless) which this capitalist society seems to require and many other aspects of this culture which has used every possible tool for warding off the usual existential threats to their City-based existence.
You can NOT blame it all on the fossil-fuel industry - it is YOUR hand on the pump, not theirs. Professor Moore mentions an economy of “restraint and renewal.” Yes, we need to “live quietly” as per James Rebanks’ book _The Shepherd’s Life_, in other words, use MUCH LESS energy and get back to use of renewable (solar) energy. But that isn’t what you presently know as an “economy”: the economy is a measure of everyone’s activity and obviously we need MUCH LESS of such activity to reach “restraint.” All of society has lived beyond their means, as per the fuel consumption, the energy use, the environmental impact, as well as financial debt, always kicking the can down the road, putting the pain on to future generations.
As for the South Africa power outages, I would imagine they have plenty of power for an appropriate population level which is at least attempting to live in harmony with this planet. Could you tell me how city traffic is what this planet looks like? A key to living in harmony with this planet is finally beginning to set Limits to Progress.
https://kathleenmccroskey.substack.com/p/limits-to-progress
South Africa right now is experiencing 8 hours to 12 hours of power outages every day partially due to the demand for them to decommission their coal power stations as they can't get the financing anymore for the maintenance. Last year the country had more than 200 days of power cuts. I wonder if Kathleen Dean Moore would like to live without electricity for 12 hours a day?