Discuss: The Ecology of Work

Does anyone know of a university course that teaches Aldous Huxley as the main topic as Shakespeare or Freud might be taught?

This is an inspiring read and one that made me think deeply about the actions I take every day in trying to make my way through living each day. Many of the ideas and proposals are things I have been contemplating for a very long time. ALong the way I came up with these observations: “Part of the problem in our learning or recognizing the problems in our contribution to and cause of the destruction of our world is that, as apres locked into our own animalistic behavior, we cannot, by our very natures, see beyond the limitations of our own ability to perceive and understand ourselves. As long as we don’t accept and operate under the assumption that we are but animals we will never be able to come to terms with sharing a world which operates on the laws and behaviors of animals. It is the next major cultural awakening that humans have got to get past_ that we ourselves are not the center of the universe, just like (some of us) our earlier insistence that the Earth was at the center of the world.

However, even with all these thought, I couldn’t help but conclude that Mr. White was rehashing the debate. Since this is such a dire question for all of us, I must ask: if Mr. White (and all the rest of us) believes fervently in the big change that he advocates for us to take a risk with, has he himself done so, and how exactly is this new change to be implemented? It’s all very nice to wax poetic about going back to some idyllic form of existence, but, like every time these ideas are proposed, no one seems to have the slightest idea how, practically, we are supposed to do this. And that is where we all fall flat.

Thanks for listening.

Sorry about the typos… In the middle of the quote I meant to write “apes” instead of “apres”

The article maintains that “People outside of such social and economic organizations might hunt in nature, fish, gather, harvest, use nature to their own ends in countless ways, but they would never knowingly destroy it.”  What about the destruction of the Indonesian and Brazialian rain forests by the fires set by individual farmers?

Bravo Mr. White: Indeed our [we humans] return to the valuable human things of the beautiful and useful will only be accomplished by the efforts of the humans among us.  Let each of us do what we can, daily, to see those numbers increase.  Your two part essay ought be required reading - with tests to insure comprehension - for all graduates from High School, for all individuals seeking citizenship within the United States, for all new employees starting their first job, for all CEO’s and all political candidates; our new Senators and Congress persons - at local, state and federal levels.  Thank you for so succintly listing we humans many mis-steps - so far - in our miniscule history; in contrast to that of Mother Nature, who needs no text. We need divest ourselves of our two American philosphical divisions, namely realist vs. idealists rather melding into oving caring individuals who know and believe within our heart of hearts the universe would exist if we were not around to observe it; yet waht is real is somehow mentally generated, that each of us with our day to day thoughts and actions, large and small, make the world waht it is.  We need leave all our electronic devices at home while walking in the woods, along the beach, enjoying sunrise or sunset. Yes, that includes our digital cameras!  We ought consider multitasking rith up there with Grand Theft Auto as one of our more grevious sins.  Strike a healthy balance. Put awaythose blasted cell phones or anything else that intrudes on our being. Some silence each day!  Use our hands and heads to create human things both beautiful and useful, daily.  Read poety!  Engage in honest dialogue with loved ones, friends and enemies; young and old - listen more than we talk. Be willing to express our true ideas, no matter how foreigh they will seem to some of our audiences.  Make copies of “The Idols of Environmentalism” to give to our more receptive audiences.  Set an example by living each day as nobility; recognizing the mystery, the miracle and the dignity of things from cabbages to kings simply because they are.

I thought this was silly in the extreme, because there is no accountability. Is Mr White modeling a sustainable life free of capitalist goods. Does he have a car, washer, dryer, refrigerator, computer, does he fly, have a telephone, a cell phone which we now are finding may be killing the bees. Does he make his own transportation, shelter, tools? Grow his own food. Does he live in a communal group and share his wealth and decisions?

I am not pimping for capitalism as it exists, but saying any proposal that we transcend capitalism requires the serious writer to imagine some practical transitional steps. So I agree with Miguel Arboleda that it falls flat. We have heard this and I think that it behooves Orion to screen this empty verbiage and not print something unless it is substantial as well as poetic.

Is the idea not legitimate just because this author and others may or may not currently live as maybe they know we should and may have to soon. Isn’t this just attacking the messenger?

Mr. White’s arguments take us into every nook and cranny of social commentary under the guise of social justice.  The finger pointing hits everyone and I suppose that was Mr. White’s intent – identify environmental damage and reduce it to the evils of capitalism and work.  How could Orion print such rubbish next to an article by Paul Hawken, author of “Natural Capitalism,” and next to an interview with the owner of a [capitalist] restaurant serving only local food?  White’s article reminded me of my college days when everyone and everything was wrong and there seemed not to be any solutions.  It was a time when I didn’t work and my mind was ready to criticize.  Perhaps this type of college environment is the perfect place for Professor White to prey on unsuspecting victims of pessimism and reductionist logic.