Michael Lippman

"We are the first species that will have to self-consciously impose limits on ourselves if we are to survive. This is no small task, and we are bound to fail often."  Robert Jensen. 

That's what I'm talking about.  I heard Jensen doing an interview on the radio the other day and he made the point that the human species' relation to the planet -- rampantly depleting the Earth's resources, blindly continuing down the path to destruction -- is comparable to the individual's relationship to the body.  We continue to consume foods that contribute to disease, and we continue to consume way too many calories. 

What's great is that Jensen is deeply compassionate, and is interested in a joyful response to this reality, which he does not see as "our fault"!  

The revolutions that have profoundly altered our relationship to the Earth and to our bodies -- the agricultural revolution and the industrial revolution -- represent only 5 percent of the time we humans have occupied the Earth (10,000 years versus 200,000 years).  It's all gone very fast and we haven't had time, in evolutionary/biological terms, to catch up to what's going on.

My biological human animal-ness tells me to consume calories, as many as I can find, as often as I can find them.  Now you're asking me to CONSCIOUSLY EAT LESS?  Are you f-cking kidding me? 

Anyway, this is a metaphor for the species relation to the planet.  We consume and consume and consume, because that's what we're built to do.  Can we figure out a way to set limits on ourselves? Or can we not, even though we understand intellectually that "no limits" will lead to our destruction? 

I understand that being overweight, or drinking diet coke, or wearing a blue tooth, might cause me serious problems -- but can I stop?  Seriously.  I understand that even a few cigarettes might bring back my rash -- smoking causes heat, I can FEEL it, and "excess heat" is Chinese medicine's diagnosis of my condition --  but I'm stressed, and I'll smoke.   Do I have the power to set limits on myself?  How!?!? 

Check out Robert Jesen's article published Aug 15 on Alternet. http://uts.cc.utexas.edu/~rjensen/freelance/oldfuture.htm