“There are very sober people talking about the possible death of entire oceans. The end of fish. If that’s not worth fighting for, what is?”
Activist and author Derrick Jensen asserts that industrial civilization is murdering the planet and it must be stopped. We need to decolonize our hearts and minds. As soon as our allegiance is to the real world and not industrial capitalism, things become more clear. His books include A Language Older Than Words, The Culture of Make Believe, What We Leave Behind and Endgame. Episode 240. [www.derrickjensen.org]
Also watch How the West HAS Won, part 1 of this conversation. Episode 200.
Watch video | Audio | iTunes | Janaia’s journal: Notes from Derrick Jensen’s Earth at Risk 2011 Conference and review of Derrick’s book Dreams
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– continued –
As an individual, I am trying to protest an unsustainable world with my wallet and my lifestyle. But I am one person. While I may have an interest in a more global protest, what I feel I can actually do which involves something other than spitting in the wind is about a lifeboat existence, about making sustainable physical change to my own life, about dropping out or at least building a creative pontoon against the rising tide that’s sinking all boats. Frankly, in a world where conformity to the norm is a nearly fascistic obsession of so many, this is hard enough. The concept of finding what matters and focusing passionately on that is noble and valid, but I feel there is also a place for the “wallet voter” who quietly withdraws support without a grand fanfare of opposition. At the very least, it’s not a bad start.
Karen, wallet-voting actions do make a difference. I’ve taken that route, being an entrepreneur. As I see it, the lifeblood of business is money and, by redirecting it, we can (slowly) affect the power of large corporations. Big companies can go down and stay down.
I’m also a bit of a lifeboater, easily done since I’m a nonconformist. I’m also a marketer, so perhaps I’m better trained to see through propaganda and manipulation.
Karen, it takes some courage to do the heavy stuff. E.g., do you have a 401K? And what does stock ownership in large public corporations support and sustain? (“Defending the system that
delivers food to the supermarket and water from the tap.”)
I do have my own philosophy (articulated in a book), but I believe if you think it through deeply and invest time educating yourself, you’ll find wallet-voting actions that resonate with and are appropriate for you where you are and do have consequences and upon which you can build further, whether lifeboat or otherwise.
Hi Bill,
Actually yes, I am “prepared to do the heavy stuff”. Interesting what you say about the 401K, people’s blind compartmentalization regarding investment has been a long standing pet peeve of mine. What good is boycotting bottled water if you’re supplying Nestle with never ending capital, politely disguised as a “blue chip fund” or whatever.
My dabbling in the financial world is limited to a few small community banks, most of my investment is in my own independent infrastructure. I do vote with my wallet, strenuously, and I’m very happy with my choices, my comments were basically defensive … I feel like I don’t do enough to move the world, but when I look at how much effort it takes just to move Myself, I have to hope that what I’m doing counts at least a little even if it’s personal.
At the risk of censorship for shameless plugging, what’s your book about?
Howdy and Aloha Karen,
Nice to get your reply, and your details on the progress you’ve made in surmounting the heavy stuff, especially in examining possibly contradictory actions. (btw: I invest in my own businesses — the returns beat Wall Street.) No shameless plugging of my book (e.g., but wait there’s more!), just a gift. It’s called Actions Have Consequences, mixes voluntary simplicity with an examination of economics and the silliness of growth for growth’s sake, is a PDF, and I’m delighted to give it to you (and all others reading this comment). How? Click on my name here. It links to one of my business websites. Use the Contact Us form, mention Peak Moment TV, and include your email so I can email the book directly to you.
We have met the enemy, and [they are] us. (Pogo.)
This is the most challenging element of a radical movement to overthrow civilization. We don’t have a Hitler or a small elite core of “evil” people. What we have are seven billion people who are all in varying degrees connected to the grid, and perhaps seven million who are not. Granted, the vast majority of the seven billion aren’t actually benefitted by the grid, most of the few who are benefitted have problems with it, and practically no one is stepping outside cultural norms to examine what’s going on. But “civilization” is an intrinsic enemy.
Wow…I just just watched that episode last night (before I saw this email) with my 13 year old step daughter. She has obviously grown up with us talking about the destruction of the biosphere so the content was nothing new…but she had never heard of Derrick Jensen. She has become quite rebellious (especially with her birth mom), but has just recently declared herself a vegetarian (and she has no idea why)…which goes against all of our green values of eating local, mostly veggies, organic, a tiny bit of local meat (some of it our own), and non processed foods. My goal is to start to direct her rebellion to something with a purpose…whatever that might be for her. So we watched this peak moment to start exposing her to adults that rebel against the system. I think the next video will be The Vegetarian Myth. Thanks.
You claim your daughter “has no idea why” she’s vegetarian. I’m sure she has her reasons but doesn’t wish to share them with you. Just read your own intolerant attitude toward her decision to become vegetarian and maybe you’ll realise why she would find it difficult to share her feelings with you.
I became vegan at age 8. Fortunately, my parents didn’t try to force their views on to me like you are trying to do. I’m now 45 and still vegan and I’m 100% healthy. If you continue to bully your daughter, you may lose her altogether. I’m not her and don’t know her but if you’d have been my parents, I would have left home as soon as possible and ceased communication until you allowed me to be an individual.
Wow, those were some powerful judgements by someone who cannot possibly understand the complexity of our situation. My step daughter is currently rebelling against her mother and is doing quite well at her dad’s (and my), home. Her eating habits have been deteriorating over the past few years and skipping breakfast/lunch and then gorging on dinner…and occasionally collapsing from low blood sugar. Her mother is extremely thin and quite concerned with appearance. We are trying to teach healthy eating habits so that she doesn’t have life long health issues. We also grow/preserve most of our families food and eating local, non processed, and non packaged food is a priority. She is likely deficient in iron, B vit’s, and protein. My (step) daughter (since she was 4), does not yet have the nutritional knowledge or maturity to manage her own diet. When she does, I will completely support her choice. We have many friends who are vegan/vegetarian and these are adults who make decisions for their bodies. I totally respect that. My vegan friends also respect my choices.