Every SIDE SHOW Freak, as that is what I will term fans of the show, and the blog, should read the Free World Charter at the link below. If after you've read it, you find you agree with it, then you should sign it. I'd like to see every fan of the show to sign this. But, I will not expect or require it. For that is a founding principle of such a movement... true freedom.
The Free World Charter: Home
Friday, March 25, 2011
Sunday, March 13, 2011
Sustainability...
I've been noticing a trend... The trend is sustainability, or at least, what purports to be sustainability. Which, of course, is why I decided to start this blog, and the radio show. There are now online universities offering degrees in "sustainability."
One ad I saw online recently said its course would teach three aspects of sustainability. One of which was profit. Which leaves me with a question.
"How good can the course be, and how sustainable can the results be, if one of the key tenets is grounded in an unsustainable practice?"
The motive for profit can easily be argued one of the most detrimental and unsustainable practices any entity can participate in.
For instance:
If there is greater profit in treating a disease than there is in curing it, then how reliable can the medicine be?
Or:
If there is greater profit in maintaining an unsustainable and detrimental energy source, such as "fossil" fuels, then how sustainable can the conclusions reached be with such a key tenet in place?
Or, How about this one:
What would happen to emerging technologies which could serve to free mankind, clean up the ecology, and offer long term sustainable survival of the human species, if it is less than profitable?
I could go on, but I'm sure you can see by now, that the motive for profit doesn't exactly scream sustainable from the mountain tops. Which, by the way, are being cut down in the name of profits from an energy source which is currently blamed for releasing massive amounts of CO2 into the atmosphere and causing greenhouse warming trends, which could either lead to an early onset ice age, or massive heatwaves, drought, and famine. In either case, the cost of life on this planet would be both dramatic and devastating.
So, sure, we could go on deluding ourselves into believing everything will be just fine, so we can go on living the way we have for so long now, but at what cost?
One ad I saw online recently said its course would teach three aspects of sustainability. One of which was profit. Which leaves me with a question.
"How good can the course be, and how sustainable can the results be, if one of the key tenets is grounded in an unsustainable practice?"
The motive for profit can easily be argued one of the most detrimental and unsustainable practices any entity can participate in.
For instance:
If there is greater profit in treating a disease than there is in curing it, then how reliable can the medicine be?
Or:
If there is greater profit in maintaining an unsustainable and detrimental energy source, such as "fossil" fuels, then how sustainable can the conclusions reached be with such a key tenet in place?
Or, How about this one:
What would happen to emerging technologies which could serve to free mankind, clean up the ecology, and offer long term sustainable survival of the human species, if it is less than profitable?
I could go on, but I'm sure you can see by now, that the motive for profit doesn't exactly scream sustainable from the mountain tops. Which, by the way, are being cut down in the name of profits from an energy source which is currently blamed for releasing massive amounts of CO2 into the atmosphere and causing greenhouse warming trends, which could either lead to an early onset ice age, or massive heatwaves, drought, and famine. In either case, the cost of life on this planet would be both dramatic and devastating.
So, sure, we could go on deluding ourselves into believing everything will be just fine, so we can go on living the way we have for so long now, but at what cost?
Some really interesting documentaries for your consideration...
Yes, I am a mind reader, and I can tell that right now, you are thinking there is no such thing as an interesting documentary. See, I told you I could read your mind.
The following documentaries point to a growing awareness, and alarm at our current system of social and resource management. What you will witness is a lot of academic, as well as pandemic agreement on key elements and issues. Issues dealing with population size and density, agriculture, oil production and depletion, energy conservation, monetary reform or abolition, governmental reform, or abolition, the future survival of our species, and many other relevant topics. That is what the 'SIDE SHOW' and this blog are dedicated to exploring, as well as the proposed solutions.
We will be conducting interviews with the makers of these films, and the founders of such movements as are inspired by these films.
So, here we go:
The following movie is titled 'Blind Spot,' and was written and directed by Adolfo Doring.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Pqy6717el78&feature=player_embedded#at=977
The director of the next film Ethos, by Pete McGrain has already agreed to be interviewed on the 'SIDE SHOW.'
http://www.facebook.com/pages/Ethos-the-Movie/115151175221520
I will also be seeking an interview with Peter Joseph, of the Zeitgeist Movement, and the Movies.
http://www.zeitgeistmovingforward.com/
This is just the beginning folks. Stick around, this is gonna get really interesting really fast.
The following documentaries point to a growing awareness, and alarm at our current system of social and resource management. What you will witness is a lot of academic, as well as pandemic agreement on key elements and issues. Issues dealing with population size and density, agriculture, oil production and depletion, energy conservation, monetary reform or abolition, governmental reform, or abolition, the future survival of our species, and many other relevant topics. That is what the 'SIDE SHOW' and this blog are dedicated to exploring, as well as the proposed solutions.
We will be conducting interviews with the makers of these films, and the founders of such movements as are inspired by these films.
So, here we go:
The following movie is titled 'Blind Spot,' and was written and directed by Adolfo Doring.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Pqy6717el78&feature=player_embedded#at=977
The director of the next film Ethos, by Pete McGrain has already agreed to be interviewed on the 'SIDE SHOW.'
http://www.facebook.com/pages/Ethos-the-Movie/115151175221520
I will also be seeking an interview with Peter Joseph, of the Zeitgeist Movement, and the Movies.
http://www.zeitgeistmovingforward.com/
This is just the beginning folks. Stick around, this is gonna get really interesting really fast.
Saturday, March 5, 2011
One Hat Solutions...
There is a pervasive phenomenon a foot in the world at large. This phenomenon threatens to undo the very foundations of our understandings and effectiveness in the seeking solutions to the problems we face individually, locally, and even globally. I call the phenomenon the "One Hat Solution."
In the world of business many of the different occupations one may acquire often come with a specially designed hat. The Bakers hat, the Engineers cap, baseball cap, batters helmet, football helmet, and even the business man's fedora are all hats one might associate with the task at hand.
So, when we go about resolving issues within our daily lives, whether in business or leisure, we can be seen as wearing a hypothetical associative hat.
Obesity, being one of the major causes of so many degenerative diseases, and even death, is one major problem of concern. In the one hat solution mode we may consider exercise, or dietary eating habits, but we seldom ever undertake both when seeking a resolution to this massive problem(no pun intended).
When many people think of the term "diet," the first thing that comes to mind is the need to reduce weight. But diet is so much more than this. Diet, in the strictest of terms is, what we eat, when we eat, how much of it we eat, and how often. It is more about a lifestyle than it is about a means to a goal. What we eat, and how much we eat of it, is no more or less important than how often in a given day or at what times of day we eat.
There have many "diets" which have come and gone... Most of which have constituted unhealthy behavior when taken to such extremes. Examples of this include, but are certainly not limited to, the low carb diet, the low sodium diet, the water diet, and the low cholesterol diet.
Rather than seeking all the causes of dietary failures, and producing a truly balanced system, we have sought singular causes, and attacked those vehemently.
Contrary to these opening remarks, this article isn't about diet... that just serves as a ready example of what I refer to as one hat solutions.
When we consider economics we generally think in terms of mathematics and money. However, economics is driven more by psychology than it is by the mathematics of money.
In economics and in business there is a certain language employed, and this language carries with it alternate definitions from what we might expect in our normal every day lives, or even in any other form of science. When it comes to economics I apply the term science almost as a bit of a euphemism, and with some trepidation. For what passes as economic science within the monetary system is questionable at best, and quite possibly criminal at worst.
Just as with diet, when it comes to economics, money-market economists, typically referred to simply as market economists, or alternately as free-market economists usually only approach one given perspective at a time. The result is often disastrous. A cursory glance around the world today will confirm this. High to super high unemployment percentages, on the order of 20% or better in many cases, worse in many others... If the keyboard on your computer was only worked 80% of the time, or only 80% of it worked, one would not be able to make effective use of it, and would probably discard it in preference of a new keyboard. Imagine the kind of jumbled up phrases one would end up with if 20% of the keys didn't function. ou iht nd p ith omething ik thi. (<<<You might end up with something like this.) Having had a keyboard that was going out on me, and producing that effect, I am uniquely qualified to confirm that example.
Many economists have blamed the most recent economic crisis on what they referred to as the "Housing Bubble." I wonder, how many of those economists studied the system itself to see where it may have lead, or at least contributed, to the problem.
There are a lot of people out there suggesting ways we can fix the system to make it more productive and less destructive. But, from what I've seen so far, most of them are providing one hat solutions.
"If we just back our currency by precious metals, all of our problems would be solved."
"If we just take care of the ecology, all of our problems would be solved."
"If we just get rid of, or reform government, all of our problems would be resolved."
Many attempts at such things have occurred over time, and many of them have failed miserably. As each problem, along with all of its compromises are tried and fail, we tend to move on to the next possible resolution, never looking back, except to say, well that was tried, but it didn't work.
Not once, in history has an attempt been made which scientifically examined the root causes of all the worlds problems collectively, and tried to systematically resolve them. All attempts so far have been piecemeal, bandages, which only cover the symptoms and do nothing for a cure. Meanwhile all the infestation roiled beneath the surface, festering all the while, till one day it erupts violently.
We have seen such examples with the Proletariat revolution in Russia, which lead directly to a fascist dictatorship, which only remotely resembled communism. And, so we say, communism doesn't work.
Similarly, with socialism, with socialized medicine, socialized schools, and socialized law enforcement, and emergency fields. Except that it can be shown quite easily that where social medicine is practiced the people tend to live much healthier lives. Still, socialized schools don't seem to work.
But here is the key question about these systems that have not worked over time... "Have they not worked because they didn't go far enough, or because they went to far?" or, "What is it about these things which is not working?"
These are some of the things we will be exploring in this blog, and on the radio show. Please be sure to tune in, and feel free to add to this exploration.
In the world of business many of the different occupations one may acquire often come with a specially designed hat. The Bakers hat, the Engineers cap, baseball cap, batters helmet, football helmet, and even the business man's fedora are all hats one might associate with the task at hand.
So, when we go about resolving issues within our daily lives, whether in business or leisure, we can be seen as wearing a hypothetical associative hat.
Obesity, being one of the major causes of so many degenerative diseases, and even death, is one major problem of concern. In the one hat solution mode we may consider exercise, or dietary eating habits, but we seldom ever undertake both when seeking a resolution to this massive problem(no pun intended).
When many people think of the term "diet," the first thing that comes to mind is the need to reduce weight. But diet is so much more than this. Diet, in the strictest of terms is, what we eat, when we eat, how much of it we eat, and how often. It is more about a lifestyle than it is about a means to a goal. What we eat, and how much we eat of it, is no more or less important than how often in a given day or at what times of day we eat.
There have many "diets" which have come and gone... Most of which have constituted unhealthy behavior when taken to such extremes. Examples of this include, but are certainly not limited to, the low carb diet, the low sodium diet, the water diet, and the low cholesterol diet.
Rather than seeking all the causes of dietary failures, and producing a truly balanced system, we have sought singular causes, and attacked those vehemently.
Contrary to these opening remarks, this article isn't about diet... that just serves as a ready example of what I refer to as one hat solutions.
When we consider economics we generally think in terms of mathematics and money. However, economics is driven more by psychology than it is by the mathematics of money.
In economics and in business there is a certain language employed, and this language carries with it alternate definitions from what we might expect in our normal every day lives, or even in any other form of science. When it comes to economics I apply the term science almost as a bit of a euphemism, and with some trepidation. For what passes as economic science within the monetary system is questionable at best, and quite possibly criminal at worst.
Just as with diet, when it comes to economics, money-market economists, typically referred to simply as market economists, or alternately as free-market economists usually only approach one given perspective at a time. The result is often disastrous. A cursory glance around the world today will confirm this. High to super high unemployment percentages, on the order of 20% or better in many cases, worse in many others... If the keyboard on your computer was only worked 80% of the time, or only 80% of it worked, one would not be able to make effective use of it, and would probably discard it in preference of a new keyboard. Imagine the kind of jumbled up phrases one would end up with if 20% of the keys didn't function. ou iht nd p ith omething ik thi. (<<<You might end up with something like this.) Having had a keyboard that was going out on me, and producing that effect, I am uniquely qualified to confirm that example.
Many economists have blamed the most recent economic crisis on what they referred to as the "Housing Bubble." I wonder, how many of those economists studied the system itself to see where it may have lead, or at least contributed, to the problem.
There are a lot of people out there suggesting ways we can fix the system to make it more productive and less destructive. But, from what I've seen so far, most of them are providing one hat solutions.
"If we just back our currency by precious metals, all of our problems would be solved."
"If we just take care of the ecology, all of our problems would be solved."
"If we just get rid of, or reform government, all of our problems would be resolved."
Many attempts at such things have occurred over time, and many of them have failed miserably. As each problem, along with all of its compromises are tried and fail, we tend to move on to the next possible resolution, never looking back, except to say, well that was tried, but it didn't work.
Not once, in history has an attempt been made which scientifically examined the root causes of all the worlds problems collectively, and tried to systematically resolve them. All attempts so far have been piecemeal, bandages, which only cover the symptoms and do nothing for a cure. Meanwhile all the infestation roiled beneath the surface, festering all the while, till one day it erupts violently.
We have seen such examples with the Proletariat revolution in Russia, which lead directly to a fascist dictatorship, which only remotely resembled communism. And, so we say, communism doesn't work.
Similarly, with socialism, with socialized medicine, socialized schools, and socialized law enforcement, and emergency fields. Except that it can be shown quite easily that where social medicine is practiced the people tend to live much healthier lives. Still, socialized schools don't seem to work.
But here is the key question about these systems that have not worked over time... "Have they not worked because they didn't go far enough, or because they went to far?" or, "What is it about these things which is not working?"
These are some of the things we will be exploring in this blog, and on the radio show. Please be sure to tune in, and feel free to add to this exploration.
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