So this is a very honest, decent conversation between you Marianne and Steven Donziger. Unfortunately, it seems the most with influence on Earth are men--older men--who bought into the total idea that money, power, prestige, their egos, and ownership is what matters above all else, including oftentimes their wives and children too. So we can talk until we're blue in the face about opportunities for change but it maybe only organized collective action on a huge scale that will work for all.
Bill McKibben has been bravely trying for decades with only meager success regarding the climate emergency albeit he has created wonderful trends on a small scale via some activism. Plus, our envoy John Kerry seems ignored. Thus, we must fast-forward the thrivability, compassion, and love agenda. But there's a big headwind stopping us!
Too many people in our country and other parts of the developed world have reached a livable level of affluence; thus, they are not willing to share or take time to help reverse the trajectory of humanities destruction since they fear loss for themselves. Thus, my final hope is that Mother Earth will step in with another idea similar to Her pandemic that will force everyone to their knees in prayer and unity so Homo sapiens regain reverence for life. This seems the only hope we have.
Meanwhile, it's easy to keep old habits going--wash and repeat cycles! And since many developed governments have been co-opted, to a great extent, by profiteers, well, that means our vision for a better world must rise-up from the people at the bottom of the ladder's rung. New governance structures are required to succeed in order for us to survive. It won't be easy but is there any other device left in the tool box that can work?
The only way to get things done, is to not be part of the extreme side. The solutions will come from finding the right balance between existing energy and renewables. As I am typing this. I see a commercial that shows a solar farm. What I see is the amount of unused land, between the panels. While people like Marianne are spending time, “talking” about something that can not be “fixed” by the current attempts at change. Marianne would not have the large following that she has today, if she had not appeared on Oprah and been endorsed by her. I am sitting on a number of concepts and solutions that will actually transform the planet, in a particular and realistic green manner. I lack the resources and connections to get my ideas to the right people.
David, I wish you well on your pursuits. I suggest you send your ideas or try meeting with representatives from The Ervin Laszlo Institute for New Paradigm Research. Laszlo has some very innovative ideas too on how to preserve existence. The Institute evaluates ideas worthy of execution, etc.
I could only listen to couple of minutes of this. When the price of gas tanked at the beginning of Covid, the energy companies lost billions. If you are going to promote Love, you can’t be demonizing the energy sector that is currently responding for providing the majority of energy to the world. The solution is not going to be wind and solar. There are already a lot of issues with shortages in available land. The solutions will come from things like clean hydrogen; yet our government is still subsiding EV and funding charging stations. The green jobs will come to a screeching halt, when everyone that wants solar panels, already has it. There are also a lot of “less than desirable” individuals, involved in the green movement. For ex. Pushing solar panels in Canada; where there is a poor return. There were companies in Ontario, Canada that received 4x the normal rates, for their solar energy.
I agree the oil companies are run by predators, i.e. criminals. But the oil companies are merely one branch of the western oligarchy. Jimmy Carter said the US has become "an oligarchy with unlimited bribery". And this is a highly coordinated oligarchy. Plundering other countries' natural resources is enabled by their control of our government, with its intelligence agencies and military, and our media, which keeps the people blindly supporting their crimes. They also plunder Americans through their Wall Street frauds.
I notice that Marianne and Steven seemed puzzled over India and Saudi Arabia's lack of support for the US oligarchy's operation in Ukraine. That is understandable, since the backstory on this has been completely hidden from the American public.
The gist of the story is this. The American oligarchy has been using its control over the international financial system to force other countries into bad economic deals. In their usual MO, if another country doesn't comply, the oligarchy subjects them to an economic siege (sanctions). If that doesn't work they send in the CIA to topple the government. If that doesn't work they send in the military. This was all described by John Perkins in "Confessions of an Economic Hit Man".
After a string of successes in Palestine, Egypt, Lebanon, Somalia, Iraq, Libya, and Syria, with Iran on the drawing board, the oligarchy attempted a regime change on Russia. In order to use Ukraine as a staging ground, they toppled the government in 2014. See Oliver Stone's detailed documentary "Ukraine on Fire". Then they built up the military facilities, including bioweapons, for the attack on Russia. All the while their "diplomats" were breaking promises to the Russians one after another.
Eventually the Russians saw that they were dealing with incorrigible predators, and took steps to defend themselves First they took steps to actively defend the ethnic Russians in Ukraine who had been under steady shelling from the Nazi portion of the Ukraine military since the 2014 coup. Then they surgically took out key Ukrainian military facilities. This included the top command and control center, essentially blinding the Ukraine military, and making it impossible for them to coordinate their activities. Then they began a slow, cautions encirclement of a few key citis. This was done slowly to minimize civilian casualties. (The oligarchy media tell us this slowness is due to a failing operation.)
Fortunately, Biden has resisted the oligarchy's call to send the American military into Ukraine, as he also fortunately resisted their call to leave American troops in Afghanistan.
But the oligarchy has been able to attack with economic weapons (a favorite tactic with criminal bankers). Even the president can only safely resist the oligarchy so far. However, the economic boycotts may backfire badly. It turns out Russia has been preparing for that.
For some time now Russia, China, and several other Eurasian and Global South countries have been setting up economic trade agreements. Along with these they have bee setting up a financial system to enable trade without involving the western financial system controlled by the western criminal oligarchy.
This will mean the American dollar will no longer be the global currency. Further, the dollar's supremacy has largely rested on the requirement that global oil purchases be made using dollars. This will no longer be the case. Saudi Arabia's snubbing of Biden is the signal that the supremacy of the "petro-dollar" has ended. Countries will henceforth be able to buy oil in other currencies.
Without getting into details, economist Michael Hudson has explained how this will end the US ability to afford maintaining hundreds of military bases around the world. All in all, it will end the western (American) oligarchy's capacity to be a global bully.
Further, the oligarchy's trade sanctions on Russia will have major economic blowback on Europe and America. Hopefully, this disaster will cause the western governments to grow a spine and finally take out this criminal oligarchy, which has been rotting our societies economically and morally. We can pray for this.
Here's a very informative big picture (entirely ignored by the oligarchy's media) discussed by two highly knowledgeable people - economist Michael Hudson and foreign affairs reporter Pepe Escobar. "In Quest of a Multipolar Economic World Order with Michael Hudson and Pepe Escobar"
Thank you Marianne for what you do and for the amazing guests you have on your program. They are so are so informative and honest - an awakening. I have watched all of your interviews with Steven Donziger and also your interview with Nancy MacKlean (I bought her book after watching and am reading it now). I learn more from watching your interviews than on most news programs. Thank you!
So this is a very honest, decent conversation between you Marianne and Steven Donziger. Unfortunately, it seems the most with influence on Earth are men--older men--who bought into the total idea that money, power, prestige, their egos, and ownership is what matters above all else, including oftentimes their wives and children too. So we can talk until we're blue in the face about opportunities for change but it maybe only organized collective action on a huge scale that will work for all.
Bill McKibben has been bravely trying for decades with only meager success regarding the climate emergency albeit he has created wonderful trends on a small scale via some activism. Plus, our envoy John Kerry seems ignored. Thus, we must fast-forward the thrivability, compassion, and love agenda. But there's a big headwind stopping us!
Too many people in our country and other parts of the developed world have reached a livable level of affluence; thus, they are not willing to share or take time to help reverse the trajectory of humanities destruction since they fear loss for themselves. Thus, my final hope is that Mother Earth will step in with another idea similar to Her pandemic that will force everyone to their knees in prayer and unity so Homo sapiens regain reverence for life. This seems the only hope we have.
Meanwhile, it's easy to keep old habits going--wash and repeat cycles! And since many developed governments have been co-opted, to a great extent, by profiteers, well, that means our vision for a better world must rise-up from the people at the bottom of the ladder's rung. New governance structures are required to succeed in order for us to survive. It won't be easy but is there any other device left in the tool box that can work?
"Organized collective action" based on good information.
The only way to get things done, is to not be part of the extreme side. The solutions will come from finding the right balance between existing energy and renewables. As I am typing this. I see a commercial that shows a solar farm. What I see is the amount of unused land, between the panels. While people like Marianne are spending time, “talking” about something that can not be “fixed” by the current attempts at change. Marianne would not have the large following that she has today, if she had not appeared on Oprah and been endorsed by her. I am sitting on a number of concepts and solutions that will actually transform the planet, in a particular and realistic green manner. I lack the resources and connections to get my ideas to the right people.
David, I wish you well on your pursuits. I suggest you send your ideas or try meeting with representatives from The Ervin Laszlo Institute for New Paradigm Research. Laszlo has some very innovative ideas too on how to preserve existence. The Institute evaluates ideas worthy of execution, etc.
Thank you for your response. I will be sure to connect with them. If anything else comes to mind, please pass it on.
I love the power that you and Steve Donziger release to the world. The same type of Power with other guests as well. Far and wide.
I could only listen to couple of minutes of this. When the price of gas tanked at the beginning of Covid, the energy companies lost billions. If you are going to promote Love, you can’t be demonizing the energy sector that is currently responding for providing the majority of energy to the world. The solution is not going to be wind and solar. There are already a lot of issues with shortages in available land. The solutions will come from things like clean hydrogen; yet our government is still subsiding EV and funding charging stations. The green jobs will come to a screeching halt, when everyone that wants solar panels, already has it. There are also a lot of “less than desirable” individuals, involved in the green movement. For ex. Pushing solar panels in Canada; where there is a poor return. There were companies in Ontario, Canada that received 4x the normal rates, for their solar energy.
Thank you Marianne.
I agree the oil companies are run by predators, i.e. criminals. But the oil companies are merely one branch of the western oligarchy. Jimmy Carter said the US has become "an oligarchy with unlimited bribery". And this is a highly coordinated oligarchy. Plundering other countries' natural resources is enabled by their control of our government, with its intelligence agencies and military, and our media, which keeps the people blindly supporting their crimes. They also plunder Americans through their Wall Street frauds.
I notice that Marianne and Steven seemed puzzled over India and Saudi Arabia's lack of support for the US oligarchy's operation in Ukraine. That is understandable, since the backstory on this has been completely hidden from the American public.
The gist of the story is this. The American oligarchy has been using its control over the international financial system to force other countries into bad economic deals. In their usual MO, if another country doesn't comply, the oligarchy subjects them to an economic siege (sanctions). If that doesn't work they send in the CIA to topple the government. If that doesn't work they send in the military. This was all described by John Perkins in "Confessions of an Economic Hit Man".
After a string of successes in Palestine, Egypt, Lebanon, Somalia, Iraq, Libya, and Syria, with Iran on the drawing board, the oligarchy attempted a regime change on Russia. In order to use Ukraine as a staging ground, they toppled the government in 2014. See Oliver Stone's detailed documentary "Ukraine on Fire". Then they built up the military facilities, including bioweapons, for the attack on Russia. All the while their "diplomats" were breaking promises to the Russians one after another.
Eventually the Russians saw that they were dealing with incorrigible predators, and took steps to defend themselves First they took steps to actively defend the ethnic Russians in Ukraine who had been under steady shelling from the Nazi portion of the Ukraine military since the 2014 coup. Then they surgically took out key Ukrainian military facilities. This included the top command and control center, essentially blinding the Ukraine military, and making it impossible for them to coordinate their activities. Then they began a slow, cautions encirclement of a few key citis. This was done slowly to minimize civilian casualties. (The oligarchy media tell us this slowness is due to a failing operation.)
Fortunately, Biden has resisted the oligarchy's call to send the American military into Ukraine, as he also fortunately resisted their call to leave American troops in Afghanistan.
But the oligarchy has been able to attack with economic weapons (a favorite tactic with criminal bankers). Even the president can only safely resist the oligarchy so far. However, the economic boycotts may backfire badly. It turns out Russia has been preparing for that.
For some time now Russia, China, and several other Eurasian and Global South countries have been setting up economic trade agreements. Along with these they have bee setting up a financial system to enable trade without involving the western financial system controlled by the western criminal oligarchy.
This will mean the American dollar will no longer be the global currency. Further, the dollar's supremacy has largely rested on the requirement that global oil purchases be made using dollars. This will no longer be the case. Saudi Arabia's snubbing of Biden is the signal that the supremacy of the "petro-dollar" has ended. Countries will henceforth be able to buy oil in other currencies.
Without getting into details, economist Michael Hudson has explained how this will end the US ability to afford maintaining hundreds of military bases around the world. All in all, it will end the western (American) oligarchy's capacity to be a global bully.
Further, the oligarchy's trade sanctions on Russia will have major economic blowback on Europe and America. Hopefully, this disaster will cause the western governments to grow a spine and finally take out this criminal oligarchy, which has been rotting our societies economically and morally. We can pray for this.
Here's a very informative big picture (entirely ignored by the oligarchy's media) discussed by two highly knowledgeable people - economist Michael Hudson and foreign affairs reporter Pepe Escobar. "In Quest of a Multipolar Economic World Order with Michael Hudson and Pepe Escobar"
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ecElFWphOAE&t=108s
Hope this is helpful.
Thank you Marianne for what you do and for the amazing guests you have on your program. They are so are so informative and honest - an awakening. I have watched all of your interviews with Steven Donziger and also your interview with Nancy MacKlean (I bought her book after watching and am reading it now). I learn more from watching your interviews than on most news programs. Thank you!