So just what were the actual outcomes of the G8 meeting last week?
I found little in the outputs that made me feel any the more secure - it was all 'moving towards', 'look at', 'review our position', 'agree to think about' - all talk, and very little actual do or will, and certainly no actual definitive targets at which to aim. I concur that it was more of a 'tactical political shift', rather than a positive way forward.
So, rather than attempt to review the entire G8 gamut, this rather eyebrow raising item from freelance journalist Ralph Surette pretty much says it all. Although written very much from a Canadian perspective, I can't find anything in it with which to disagree.
The "Captains of no progress" are still at the helm, and the "dirty, lumbering supertanker called the world economy" shows but only minimal signs of changing course.
How far off is that wall? Is there time to brake and/or change course? How about listening to the G8 String Octet? Maybe they sound a little similar to Nero fiddling as Rome burned? Or the band on the Titanic playing as she slowly went down?
Fading out .... 'For those in peril on the sea........'
Thanks due to David Suzuki for the title of this post.
Junkk.com promotes fun, reward-based e-practices, sharing oodles of info in objective, balanced ways. But we do have personal opinions, too! Hence this slightly ‘off of site, top of mind' blog by Junkk Male Peter. Hopefully still more ‘concerned mates’ than 'do this... or else' nannies, with critiques seen as constructive or of a more eyebrow-twitching ‘Oh, really?!' variety. Little that’s green can be viewed only in black and white.
Thursday, June 21, 2007
2 comments:
I believe in freedom of speech. But I also don't like bullies on blogs, even verbal ones, as they can drive away those with something valid to say... or offer.
Subjective is fine, but well argued and substantiated is even better. Calm and polite tops. Anything that crosses my personal line will not go up. There may be reasons given, but not guaranteed.
I'm not too keen on 'Anon' as a handle (and the content usually explains why), so if that's what you opt for it may not make it. Sorry.
Thank you for 'flying the flag' while I was away yesterday (well worth it - and I don't just mean sparing one and all my blogging - as was this post, the one it ponited to and the sources quoted in that).
ReplyDeleteWhen I read about such things as Mr. Suzuki's tax-audit trio my blood runs cold... then boils. We may live in democracies, but there are plenty of ways for the unscrupulous in power to make life unpleasant for those who simply disagree with them. And, sadly, pretty much these guys get away with it. This is a grotesque abuse (I am assuming that there was nothing untoward found, which in itself is amazing as the systems are so complex they seem almost created to push you outside of the law simply by ignorance. A nifty option to keep one's citizens under your thumb, it seems).
When I read such as this what I cannot quite for the life of me fathom (as we are on a nautical bent)is what is in the minds of those who so blithely place economic growth above, and beyond, future impacts. What's the point of 'growing' in this manner if, like an over-etiolated poppy, you end up falling to earth by your own hand?
These guys all have grandkids, I'm sure. I can't believe they really don't care about the consequences to their lineages, which means they have been somehow convinced that the only way is 'up and more'... and there will be no down side.
How have they arrived at such a conclusion, when even simple maths shows that there has to be a point at which a finite global 'space' will eventually fill up (with people, pollution, etc) and the whole thing will, for sure, become unsustainable?
If anything defines this age of statespersonship, it would seem to be that of short-term, selfish, political expediency.
And, sadly, those who would claim the mantle seem hardly better or indeed up to the job. Because for sure it's going to take rare courage and charisma to commit to the necessary changes and, more importantly, convince those around them to get on board.
I deliberately didn't comment on David Suzuki's triple investigation - it spoke with such massive volume entirely on its own.
ReplyDeleteIn terms of those who would claim the mantle, and convince others to get on board, let's just see what happens once petrol/diesel reaches the £10/gallon point (within 10 years is my prediction) [and food becomes really expensive] , and then Russia and the Ukraine decide that we can no longer have their gas cheaply anymore [and electricity prices go through the roof because no one would take the decision to build any new nuclear power stations]. I rather suspect that there will be something of a rush to join the mutiny rather than a nice slow democratic election process to elect a new set of ships officers.