"This is the old American Dream, cosmetically made over but with its foundation still in the idea of super abundance. How is global humanity, already starving by the millions, to emulate this lifestyle? Will all the world's people drive energy efficient cars? Will the entire planet, then, be paved to accommodate them? Where are the resources to build large houses, swimming pools, and air conditioners for the planet's growing billions?
It is absurd, of course, to propose the American standard of living, no matter how efficiently managed, as a global model. How then can Americans set themselves apart morally from the rest of the world, in terms of how they live and use the planet's resources?"
- Trevor Burrowes, Does The Third World Point To The Future?
Read the whole article at
http://www.context.org/ICLIB/IC26/Burrowes.htm
Friday, September 11, 2009
the future
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
7 comments:
Hi Weatherman, thanks for visiting my blog. As for the future? Who knows? All that I know is the food waste. So much good food is thrown out by supermarkets, boarding schools and householders. It's frightening. Are we, I wonder, in the 'seven fat years' and are the 'seven starving years' to follow?
Good question!
But "Americans" are not a homogenius group any more that any other group who happen to live in the same place. Some of us avoid the mundane "American Dream" as stated by the commercial and sales forces designed to sell us a lifestyle. But many are caught in the web of what they think life should be like and work every day to achieve that. Only to find in later life that they have worked 40 years for a life blurred by material collections and advertising on the TV!!
The rule should be: follow your own life, not the life on the other side of the fence.
If we, the people from third world countries are to follow our own life, we would starve to death. Most of us can't even imagine what life could be anyway. Let the TV guide us please. Lets not take away the only true thing that comes free, a purpose(or excuse) to live.
Again, sorry for the delayed response. Well...I don't know what the future holds for us either. But whenever i think about it, it somehow scares the shit outta me. But may be thats no way to think.
I love to think about retiring early, living in the village and living of the land and all that. I told ma about it the last time I called her. She just flipped. May be I'm too much of a city person to pull this off...
Well...i dunno what'll happen...just hope we don't leave too much of a mess in the end. :)
Just read in The Times today that from 2014 we will most probably have electricity shortages due to lack of maintenance. Three day a week electricity, the other four none. What a prospect!
Reading about the global warming, it seems as if the low-lying countries such as yours and the maldives may be first affected.
Heading for higher ground may be a future objective, I am thinking.
Hope you are well and happy, my friend.
Hi goatman, I'm sorry, again, for being so late to respond. I have to set up the notifications properly one of these days.
Anyhow, thanks for your concerns. It does look like the sea will reclaim my monsoon country. I know I should run for the hills, like you suggested. But I don't know,...may be there aren't enough vacant hills out here. Besides, after being away for two years, I just want to get back. There is just no place like home. :)
Post a Comment