Marianne Williamson, you lead us on so many levels! You walk the talk on all of them. Thank you so much for your determination, your conviction and courage, to do the right thing, trusting in Love as Truth, and the role model you set for the rest of us.
Yes, of course we stand with Stephen Donziger! Thank you for sharing his story, which, as you both said, needs to be told!
There is a lot in that interview! I will pick up on one point: fossil fuels as ecocide. The continued use of fossil fuels at scale is ecocide, of course. That’s the plain fact. However, I want to comment on the psychological context.
In Australia we just had a ‘climate election’ where new government has a brilliant climate minister, and independence who campaigned on climate also were elected. Nevertheless, one of the first things the new Prime Minister did was to assert that his government would not limit fossil fuel exports (coal and natural gas) because we cannot take the economic hit.
The Biden administration, despite emphasizing renewable energy, seems to have pretty much the same position. And for good reason. Not only would a sudden reduction in fossil fuel use collapse the economy, locally and globally, it would also devastate agriculture and available supply chains.
Of course no government is willing to do this, if for no other reason than they would be immediately voted out of office. And, regretfully, the hope that we can replace fossil fuels with renewable energy and electrification is an illusion. This is because, as Norwegian Geodesic Survey researcher Simon Michaux has shown in detail, we simply don’t (and cannot) have enough of some of the critical materials to make it happen. Some of them only exist in tiny amounts (https://tupa.gtk.fi/raportti/arkisto/42_2021.pdf).
Collectively we need to dramatically reduce consumption in order to reduce industrial production and associated fossil fuel use. There is virtually no public conversation on this issue, and certainly no public planning. One of the jobs of thought leaders is to kickstart the conversation.
Tonight's episode with Donziger features some great strategies that I am already familiar with, in part; however, as I see it, here's the key immovable obstacle to resolving this conundrum: From a macro perspective of life on our Earth today, we are all living under mostly authoritarian-style rule since the powerful fossil-fuel leaders (known/unknown) as well as central bankers too are essentially holding people captive. Thus, in order to make any meaningful progress to prevent ecocide, well, we need a true intergenerational movement to shame the players (governance/public/private sectors) into a quicker transition into clean/efficient energy. And, frankly, this endeavor won't be pretty. We are already too late to prevent a very livable planet when there's such transparent/hidden resistance.
I think the best we can do is accept that we are in deep trouble and carry on as best we can by mobilizing mass demonstrations as well as one-on-one meetings, including shamings, if one can even get an audience with the powers that are perpetuating our demise. Plus, too many world citizens are still either not understanding the threats we are facing or are just too concerned about their own existence--not realizing we are all one.
Donziger says, "I'm hopeful." His remark made me think of an explosive line from "Downtown Abbey,"of all places, when Lady Grantham (Violet) says: "Hope is a tease designed to prevent us from accepting reality." So that's where we are friends--we cannot just 'hope' but 'know' there's a way out of this titanic mess and get to it!
Finally, from history, it seems we need a global leader, like FDR, from a 'privileged background' who is truly willing to go against his or her peers. Without that, I fear, the climate emergency will prove long, hard, and very traumatic, particularly, for the young and as yet unborn. I applaud the United Nations Secretary-General for speaking truth to power in recent days and years, however, even his honest comments aren't preventing the drum-beat to disaster. We need an insider, with a vision, who is willing to make a sacrifice for all: facilitating the great ideas suggested by Donziger tonight for starters and moving on from there. It can happen! Thoughts are powerful.
The first step in re-shaping our energy economy is finding replacement jobs or careers for the millions of good, mostly middle class workforce it now supports and relies on. And stop vilifying them for having the best jobs they could find.
Joining media in making enemies out of the Crown's big oil companies.
Sorry my love but I find this scapegoating and making guilty is naive, we cant change the world by crucifying chevron and ilk whom are notably heavily invested ( " green" hedge funds) and driving the new (for profit) agenda ( carbon trading industry). This will lead to mass poverty.
We could stop wasting oil as in the invasions -wars , jet-setting etc
Leading by example.
There is no such thing as the media spread fear meme " man made global warming"
The climate has always been in constant change.
There is one problem only : human unconsciousness.
Two things: Lewis Kaplan should be impeached for judicial misconduct;; Green energy companies, to the best of their budgetary and materiel capability, should start attracting talent from within and without the fossil fuel industry.
Marianne Williamson, you lead us on so many levels! You walk the talk on all of them. Thank you so much for your determination, your conviction and courage, to do the right thing, trusting in Love as Truth, and the role model you set for the rest of us.
Yes, of course we stand with Stephen Donziger! Thank you for sharing his story, which, as you both said, needs to be told!
There is a lot in that interview! I will pick up on one point: fossil fuels as ecocide. The continued use of fossil fuels at scale is ecocide, of course. That’s the plain fact. However, I want to comment on the psychological context.
In Australia we just had a ‘climate election’ where new government has a brilliant climate minister, and independence who campaigned on climate also were elected. Nevertheless, one of the first things the new Prime Minister did was to assert that his government would not limit fossil fuel exports (coal and natural gas) because we cannot take the economic hit.
The Biden administration, despite emphasizing renewable energy, seems to have pretty much the same position. And for good reason. Not only would a sudden reduction in fossil fuel use collapse the economy, locally and globally, it would also devastate agriculture and available supply chains.
Of course no government is willing to do this, if for no other reason than they would be immediately voted out of office. And, regretfully, the hope that we can replace fossil fuels with renewable energy and electrification is an illusion. This is because, as Norwegian Geodesic Survey researcher Simon Michaux has shown in detail, we simply don’t (and cannot) have enough of some of the critical materials to make it happen. Some of them only exist in tiny amounts (https://tupa.gtk.fi/raportti/arkisto/42_2021.pdf).
Collectively we need to dramatically reduce consumption in order to reduce industrial production and associated fossil fuel use. There is virtually no public conversation on this issue, and certainly no public planning. One of the jobs of thought leaders is to kickstart the conversation.
Andrew Gaines
Inspiring Transition
andrew.gaines@InspiringTransition.net
www.InspiringTransition.net
Tonight's episode with Donziger features some great strategies that I am already familiar with, in part; however, as I see it, here's the key immovable obstacle to resolving this conundrum: From a macro perspective of life on our Earth today, we are all living under mostly authoritarian-style rule since the powerful fossil-fuel leaders (known/unknown) as well as central bankers too are essentially holding people captive. Thus, in order to make any meaningful progress to prevent ecocide, well, we need a true intergenerational movement to shame the players (governance/public/private sectors) into a quicker transition into clean/efficient energy. And, frankly, this endeavor won't be pretty. We are already too late to prevent a very livable planet when there's such transparent/hidden resistance.
I think the best we can do is accept that we are in deep trouble and carry on as best we can by mobilizing mass demonstrations as well as one-on-one meetings, including shamings, if one can even get an audience with the powers that are perpetuating our demise. Plus, too many world citizens are still either not understanding the threats we are facing or are just too concerned about their own existence--not realizing we are all one.
Donziger says, "I'm hopeful." His remark made me think of an explosive line from "Downtown Abbey,"of all places, when Lady Grantham (Violet) says: "Hope is a tease designed to prevent us from accepting reality." So that's where we are friends--we cannot just 'hope' but 'know' there's a way out of this titanic mess and get to it!
Finally, from history, it seems we need a global leader, like FDR, from a 'privileged background' who is truly willing to go against his or her peers. Without that, I fear, the climate emergency will prove long, hard, and very traumatic, particularly, for the young and as yet unborn. I applaud the United Nations Secretary-General for speaking truth to power in recent days and years, however, even his honest comments aren't preventing the drum-beat to disaster. We need an insider, with a vision, who is willing to make a sacrifice for all: facilitating the great ideas suggested by Donziger tonight for starters and moving on from there. It can happen! Thoughts are powerful.
The first step in re-shaping our energy economy is finding replacement jobs or careers for the millions of good, mostly middle class workforce it now supports and relies on. And stop vilifying them for having the best jobs they could find.
Joining media in making enemies out of the Crown's big oil companies.
Sorry my love but I find this scapegoating and making guilty is naive, we cant change the world by crucifying chevron and ilk whom are notably heavily invested ( " green" hedge funds) and driving the new (for profit) agenda ( carbon trading industry). This will lead to mass poverty.
We could stop wasting oil as in the invasions -wars , jet-setting etc
Leading by example.
There is no such thing as the media spread fear meme " man made global warming"
The climate has always been in constant change.
There is one problem only : human unconsciousness.
What was the specific law which Chevron invoked in order to be able to hand pick their own judge and prosecutor for his trial?
Two things: Lewis Kaplan should be impeached for judicial misconduct;; Green energy companies, to the best of their budgetary and materiel capability, should start attracting talent from within and without the fossil fuel industry.