We need much more than a political revolution...

[tk2kewl]

Last edited Tue May 3, 2016, 08:32 PM - Edit history (1)

Bernie's call for a political revolution is just a catalyst for the much broader changes we must make on a planetary scale.

A disheartening story about my weekend:

I live in a place where frankly no humans should be. It is a coastal community built on what was once marsh lands and swamps. 100 feet from the edge of the road and behind the houses on either side of my street are canals that lead to the bay.

These bulkeaded canals were once tidal creeks. Under state law all properties with bulkeaded shorelines are exempt from tidal wetlands regulations - no environmental permits are required for any activity with the exception of bulkhead repair.

In the evenings after work I often sit on a small elevated deck and watch the cormorants fishing behind my house. Sometimes as dusk sets in skimmers join the hunt. At the same time I marvel at the endless line of air traffic that circles above on its way to JFK Airport. It is a stark juxtaposition.

This neighborhood is classic LI suburbia - nice homes with green carpet lawns. I spent a raining day yesterday working in my front yard. I had a bumper crop of dandelions this spring. I don't mind a few dandelions in my lawn, in fact I like the way they look. But this year there were so many that I felt it was necessary to get to work.

I don't pour any poisons on my property, so I got on my knees with my garden trowel and spent the entire day digging out the dandelions and clumps of crabgrass from their roots. As I crawled about I would occasionally look up and down the street.

Little yellow signs were staked into the green carpets in front of every single house on both sides of the street as far as I could see. "Good people" live in these homes. Not a single dandelion could be seen marring any of these "pristine" landscapes. The signs warn of poison hazard to children and pets.

So not only do we not even belong inhabiting the shoreline in such a way, but because it has already been ruined by bulkheading, we don't even bother to require people to be good stewards of what remains.

We need not only a revolution of our politics, but we need a revolution of our hearts, minds and souls.

[redwitch]

1. Great post.

Commenting to add that dandelions are beloved by bees.

[tk2kewl]

3. Yes.

A friend's 6 year old let me know that dandelions are the bees first stop in spring.

You know, it has been my plan for a while to tear up the lawn and put in its place a coastal dune-like landscape with stuff like beach grass, bearberry, beach heather, seaside golden rod, beach plum, marsh elder and groundsel bush.

It's hard to find the time and money for this though.

[yourpaljoey]

2. we'll get right on that

[artislife]

4. We have taken a completely beautiful home

and absolutely trashed it.

I cry when I think a hundred years into the future. And not really for humans as much as the rest of the life that we are also killing. They have not done this.

[tk2kewl]

5. It boggles my mind that my neighbors can't even make the connection...

between their freaking lawns and the bay they enjoy as their summer playground... never mind some connection on a deeper level

[MineralMan]

6. And yet, you live in that very place, it sounds like.

Somewhere like this?





Nice digs. I'm not sure what to make of that, really.

[apnu]

7. Nice, and I'm with you.

We need to be good stewards of the land. Even if we consider it from a purely selfish point of view, living with the land, safe guarding nature's health is to safeguard our health.

Why so few people get this is a mystery to me. But, I am convinced that education is the key to fixing all of this.

[tk2kewl]

12. we need less selfishness and a better understanding of our commonality

Last edited Mon May 2, 2016, 01:27 PM - Edit history (1)

[apnu]

13. Yes we do.

But my experience with human beings is they are, for the most part, a selfish lot. It takes training and commitment to not be selfish because selfishness is a trait of our species.

I've found, in my interactions with people, that I can win them over to my argument better by appealing to their natural selfish natures. Convince them that my argument is in their best, personal, interests is often an easier path to changing bad behaviors.

For example, when talking about the environment, I'll make it personal. "Do you want your water to have high lead levels?" "Do you want hormones and anti-botics in your milk?" "Do you want your children to breath polluted air?"

Yes, I am using Socratic methods when phrasing my argument. I try to get them thinking about how the environment helps them, while asking them questions and allowing them to answer them. If I can gently phrase it in a logical way such that the only answer is they agree with me, that's good. The point strikes home and they do the work.

All of that is easier than trying to change a person's behavior. That kind of change has to come from within. After a certain point, anything I'm doing to change a human being's selfish nature becomes lecturing and at that point I've lost. So if I can make my point seem like its their point or their idea, then the idea has a better chance of taking root.

I don't need or want credit for the idea or any other back slapping, if the other person thinks its their idea, great. Having the idea and making it their own is the important point. Who cares where the source comes from?

[GliderGuider]

8. I despair of most people ever comprehending the true scale of what we have done.

We seem to have an existential terror of death that renders most people incapable of even looking at the question, let alone answering it. Denial and distraction are the only games in town. Those few of us who look straight into the eye of the storm might as well be (maybe even are) mutants.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Terror_management_theory

[tk2kewl]

9. When I sit watching the fish and the birds...

I often feel like I have a front row seat at the Apocalypse

[GliderGuider]

10. I know the feeling well. It's a terrifying privilege. nt

[tk2kewl]

11. perfect description