The View from the West

Many periods of history could be characterised by the sort of conflict, lack of clear vision and pessimism that dominates the "West" at the moment. If I had to characterise this period in history, I would hope that it will be remembered positively as the "death of growth" rather than the "end of nature".

We all oscillate between various priorities.

The preservation of desirable cultural relationships (some are using distasteful terms such as "social capital") is a similar priority to preservation of diversity and counterbalances in ecology.

I see the need to assist Africa is a more function of the need to pre-empt a "trouble spot" that may destabilise our world rather than a moral imperative. Individuals and states behaviour as if they believe this even if their cultures demand that they speak differently. Contributions to these countries are minuscule and tokenistic compared to the resources that would be available if we really felt that people in a far lands were actually our brothers, sisters or children.

Biological "Circles of concern" insulate us from feeling, in any real sense, the literally unimaginable tragedies that unfold there every day. We oscillate in our concern depending on the latest news story, fundraising angle, or "natural" catastrophe.

The capacity of humans to be motivated "high in the head" is evident in a small minority of people a small minority of the time. Most people, if threats begin to penetrate their "circles of concern", quickly become "energised" by the "furnaces".

The challenge of civilisation lies in pleasing and appeasing all (easier the more monoculture the civilisation or the more powerful the hegemony) to avoid the furnace igniting.

This is "the way the world is". The history of this "crooked timber" is evidence of this throughout the ages. The Catholics have it right - we are all sinners. Optimism comes not from a belief in a future utopia run by "straight timber" - but from personal transcendental experiences such as faith (political, religious, etc), love (of children, music) and charity (gifts without expectation of thanks OR transformational effect).

To see the world in term of enlightenment" and "reaction" is to believe in the possibility of a "true" direction. This is the "root of all evil" - in fact money (= development) is often proposed as the new "true direction" for the planet as though this will solve more problems that it will create.

Even though this has been the truth in the past, I believe it to be false for the future .

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