Message-ID: <Pine.OSF.3.96.970926124053.11278B-100000@beta.tricity.wsu.edu> Date: Fri, 26 Sep 1997 12:51:27 -0700 From: Tom Hodges <mailto:thodges@TRICITY.WSU.EDU> Subject: Re: IGNORANT! DANGEROUS! To: mailto:DEVEL-L@AMERICAN.EDU
There are a lot of problems in many parts of the world. These problems have specific causes that can be addressed to improve things. Sometimes improvement can be made by local actions, sometimes inter-regional or inter-national actions are needed.Whether or not the potential carrying capacity of our biosphere is currently being overused, local and inter-regional solutions for problems can be developed and implemented if the people involved have the social and political unity to do this.
Where local destructive practices are continued indefinitely, the productive capacity of a region may be reduced for an unknown length of time - desertification for example tho that may be due to climate change as well as to human activities.
Probably everyone reading this list is aware of problems that could be fixed (at least for a time) if certain actions were taken. In other cases, the needed actions are not so well understood and the people involved in those situations need to consult on how to proceed. In all cases, little can be done without a unified society that is determined to improve living conditions for all of its members.
Tom Hodges
On Fri, 26 Sep 1997, Kenneth E. Loucks wrote:
> On Mon, 22 Sep 1997, Ndungu Kahihu wrote:
>
> > V.Dimitrof> There is no scientific statement in the conclusion, only
> > > green-evangelist rhetoric (appropriate for a journalist, not for a
> > > scientist) - which leaves the reader wondering what the whole article
> > > wanted to prove.
>
>
> > With all due respect I can not see how you came to this conclusion if,
> > as you imply, you read the whole of Jay Hanson's article and, your
> > words, >all the sources quoted thein.... The real threat to the world
> > caused by unsustainable human behaviour does not even need a scientist
> > to explain, not even a thinker. You come to Africa one day and, in my
> > country alone, I'll show you exactly the damage we have done, mainly
> > thanks to the uncritical application of western education and now
> > western (mainly capitalistic) attitudes. And I am not even a thinker.
>
> With all due respect, I have been to Africa and your country and seen
> the damage. However, I attribute it to quite different causes than you do
> and that is why we DO need a thinker and even a scientist. The analysis
> done so far says more about the observer(s) than the causes. However when
> these things are pointed out people tend to attach more weight to where I
> am from than the merits of my argument. I guess ignorance is in the eye of
> the beholder.
>
>
> >
> > Of course there are very many people here who are equally uncomfortable
> > (as you seem to be) when such things are pointed out, but this does not
> > make the sad truth dissapear.
> >
> >
> > Ndungu
> >
>