We always think we are so unique, our Victorian legacy fills us with confidence for the future or the belief that the Americans have infused in the world, from their conquest of nature and the Indian. Yet, fundamentally what drives us is so basic and we function ultimately by rules delivered to us by our little planet.
Obama struggles to deliver further Economic growth to his population, that is what they elect him for, a clever thoughtful decent man, struggling with the bitchy politics that come with a modern democratic power. Can he truly face the problems which afflict our planet? If he can't then democracy will die as we turn this planet increasingly lifeless. We mortgage the planet yet, sooner or later its people will have to realize we cannot always have more, the middle classes will have to realize that, the rich who escape into the unreal world have to realize they can't hop on yacht and run. We have escaped the planet, the monotony of the hard agricultural life we all aspire to escape it, living like those images we see in Hello, yet it is not sustainable. We will have to live more simply, have less. Can the good man bring in that change or will we just mortgage the future? With it democracy becomes doomed.
Osama, oh dear you are an idiot aren't you now. So what are you aiming for the implementation of Sharia law across the middle East? Osama and Queda lack any understanding of the modern world, the countries they cultivate will collapse under population pressure and their inability to maximise the productivity of their land. The Middle East is a disaster as the Islamic world, excepting perhaps Iran and Egypt, do not understand that their countries are generally unproductive and cannot support the populations that are erupting. Al Queda do something for your countries your religion, read some Geography, understand what makes a land work, what can make a civilisation work, control your population and perhaps your people will have a chance without it you are sentencing yourselves to bloodshed.
So there you go the opposites and their challenges, the Islamic world and its worst creation need to reestablish a link with the land and what enables their countries to function and reduce their birth rates. Osama and his ilk are reading a book written eons ago that cannot help them solve the problems of the modern world, they should take what can and neglect what it can't. Perhaps then they would have a chance to help the people. The problem is that with international travel, nuclear weapons the abject mismanagement now becomes our problem. They are in a vicious cycle which more children, more poverty, more recruits disaster for them and us.
America, oh America and the West, can democracy face the challenges, can it engage with the other large countries can we reach across cultures and ways of government to get global deals? I think not and for a good man in the White House that is the challenge. Can democracy escape its achiles heal, it is based on bribing the mob. We mortgage the future, we suck from it and the land dies around us, before we will begin dying and if we don't die our little planet will fall ill and what will she do in her illness?
Oh and Journalists Dimbleby he is taking me on a journey through Russia, so naieve so unaware of the modern world, looking through the myopic glasses of a Westerner. He talks about Czars who ruled for 300 years saying they could never tame the flame of independence in the people, that they still keep their old religions. He hasn't looked at a map, such a huge country no one man can ever enforce his will, the country is too large, you cannot monitor everything, read a map sir, yet they ruled for 300 years and it was only under the pressure of the German invasion that they collapsed, without it when would they have collapsed, how would they have made a change.
He talks obsessively of freedom, a journalists obsession no Sir people want food and stability before freedom, and if you can take the long view, Vikings, Mongols were the Czars/Stalin etc just a continuation. Has anyone managed to run Russia as a democracy? Freedom is the odd man out here, much as i love it, much as i want it everywhere it is the odd man out. A good man who needs to read a bit more Geography and take the longer view a little more.
All, USA, the Middle East and Russia all chained by Geography and climate and productivity of the land. We can mortgage it, metaphorically speaking, we can talk about freedom, but what does that matter what does religion matter, if the land is unable to provide for us the quantities required, what does democracy matter if the land and resources are unable to provide us the products that people want. Osama tries to hide from it in his books, in his religion, in his anger, in his hate, but it is unavoidable too many people on very poor land that can be sustained for awhile through oil revenue in some countries but it will come to an end. Obama, perhaps can see it with his education and wisdom, but will democracy allow him to face it. Jounalists obsessed with freedom, forgetting the basics.
Thursday, January 14, 2010
Thursday, January 07, 2010
James Cameron Hang your Head in Shame
Avatar, it creeps its way towards the total of Titanic and now Mr Cameron has the two highest grossing movies in the history of celluloid moving pictures give or take a little bit of inflation of course.
He failed though, he failed massively. He is a man that enjoys looking at the world's oceans, he is bright I don't doubt it, well I give him the benefit of the doubt, yet what did he really do? He had an idea to do something discussing the environment where did he do it in an imaginary fucking world. How many lines did he really bring in regarding the state of our world, how did he make people really question what we are doing to planet earth.
What is up Mr Cameron, afraid to really ask the questions, can we exist on this planet for another 300 years, are we going to starve? It must nag away at you, yet you succumbed to corporate pressure you had a great film in you, you have the brains it almost was yet you stepped away, you didn't quite make it, you didn't really ask the fundamental questions. You didn't have people leaving the cinema going my god what should we do about the planet about our earth. You made a piece of entertainment and then thought you would be fucking cool with a few environmental references ahhh our elite, how they all play to the masses, how they all protect their incomes, their life styles, yet all so cowardly.
They make a few moves, they make a few pretty movies, but they don't really get angry, they don't really get out, where are they now, they are pandered to by luxury and comfort and they have to appeal to the mob.
Where is out elite now, our artists, our politicians, our painters, our film makers, journalists where are they really challenging us, really stepping up to the plate, standing in front of the tank. They are brave in the poorest countries, in the most dangerous countries they risk all for what they believe in, yet democracy and luxury seems to suck the drive, suck the passion, there are a few people on a boat fighting the Japanese about whales, yet the majority of our elite are an embarrassment.
Mr Cameron you have a brain, you spent a few years in oceans, I would hope you occasionally read a book about these problems, I would hope you can think, why didn't you do it Sir, Avatar could have been amazing you could have really had people leaving the theatre going my god what is happening to our world, you didn't Sir, you didn't. You had the power, the knowledge yet you didn't, hang your head in shame Sir in shame. Our Elite are an embarrassment an embarrassment, Mr Cameron is better than most but just a little.
On a side note from our rather pitiful elite who seem to bathe in luxury and new years parties in exotic locations, are we reaching the phase where computer games, movies creating images of nature and life that are so amazing when will they go beyond in experience what we can really see on this planet and won't it therefore just exacerbate our distance from nature. Why go to nature, why preserve when it is so much better in my living room, on my computer game?
He failed though, he failed massively. He is a man that enjoys looking at the world's oceans, he is bright I don't doubt it, well I give him the benefit of the doubt, yet what did he really do? He had an idea to do something discussing the environment where did he do it in an imaginary fucking world. How many lines did he really bring in regarding the state of our world, how did he make people really question what we are doing to planet earth.
What is up Mr Cameron, afraid to really ask the questions, can we exist on this planet for another 300 years, are we going to starve? It must nag away at you, yet you succumbed to corporate pressure you had a great film in you, you have the brains it almost was yet you stepped away, you didn't quite make it, you didn't really ask the fundamental questions. You didn't have people leaving the cinema going my god what should we do about the planet about our earth. You made a piece of entertainment and then thought you would be fucking cool with a few environmental references ahhh our elite, how they all play to the masses, how they all protect their incomes, their life styles, yet all so cowardly.
They make a few moves, they make a few pretty movies, but they don't really get angry, they don't really get out, where are they now, they are pandered to by luxury and comfort and they have to appeal to the mob.
Where is out elite now, our artists, our politicians, our painters, our film makers, journalists where are they really challenging us, really stepping up to the plate, standing in front of the tank. They are brave in the poorest countries, in the most dangerous countries they risk all for what they believe in, yet democracy and luxury seems to suck the drive, suck the passion, there are a few people on a boat fighting the Japanese about whales, yet the majority of our elite are an embarrassment.
Mr Cameron you have a brain, you spent a few years in oceans, I would hope you occasionally read a book about these problems, I would hope you can think, why didn't you do it Sir, Avatar could have been amazing you could have really had people leaving the theatre going my god what is happening to our world, you didn't Sir, you didn't. You had the power, the knowledge yet you didn't, hang your head in shame Sir in shame. Our Elite are an embarrassment an embarrassment, Mr Cameron is better than most but just a little.
On a side note from our rather pitiful elite who seem to bathe in luxury and new years parties in exotic locations, are we reaching the phase where computer games, movies creating images of nature and life that are so amazing when will they go beyond in experience what we can really see on this planet and won't it therefore just exacerbate our distance from nature. Why go to nature, why preserve when it is so much better in my living room, on my computer game?
Sunday, January 03, 2010
Man On Earth - Tony Robinson
Well it was good to see a program covering such a major issue with breadth, however, they tried perhaps too hard to create a compelling narrative and avoided questions that threatened their theory that climate has dictated perhaps everything about our society and culture. It is a key element, but not everything, we are shaped by our ecology, the richness of the land, the geography, water, the development of cooking and what our climate provides and the resources we have at our disposal and our ability to exploit them technology.
In Egypt they talked about how climate had shaped the development of the culture, a better way of phrasing would always be geography and resources always shape us, however, the first cities were not in Egypt they were further East in the fertile crescent, which they didn't seem to mention. A few quotes from Fernand Braudel, would have added much intellectual depth.
The development of agriculture was more important than climate change in the development of cities, agriculture was connected to the climate as they should rightly point out but other factors such as the richness of the land, availability of crops that can be developed. Seeds needed to develop over time through our manipulation so they could be farmed animals etc again here quotes from Jared Diamond would have added depth and credibility.
The flow of individuals into Europe due simply to filling of the black sea, linking the two seemed very tenuous, people migrate they always will we are not in a position to directly link the two at least not to my knowledge and i am sure both before and after they would have been.
Finally the black plague global warming had an impact in Europe but it grew and originated we think in another rodent in central asia. We were weakened by the famine perhaps it helped the spread of the disease but it was people moving and more importantly how it developed on the plains and then how it was spread from there at that time was more important. Did it die out due to lack of contact with an animal that could transmit for centuries so it became steadily more virulent, we have had other plagues as well why was this so terrible?
TV they seek to explain a good story to always make things more dramatic to have a compelling narrative, serious television should be given back to serious people to make and produce, serious scientists should be doing this show with Tony assisting. They should have been interviewing Jared Diamond, James Lovelock, they should have been presenting it. So sad that a great man such as James Lovelock a Brit at the end of his days was not interviewed a disgrace i feel.
Our culture is in the hands of individuals who are not informed enough on their subject. Books can be written by experts, journalists and amateurs alike TV is in the hands of an elite who stretch themselves too thin, who often know too little on their subject and flit between huge areas. Documentaries like this should be made by experts with depth and challenge us and themselves not in the hands of people who don't know enough. They should be assisting and advising but they should not be running the show, we have it the wrong way round.
The naked ape though always protects his own and searches for his empire and so it is in TV and we are poorer for it. Who would dare step aside and say i am not qualified to write this, who would say i am not qualified to produce this? You don't need many experts but they should have had more. No they protect their livelihood, they protect their families and we lose as the experts on subjects are not making enough serious television.
Finally what let the show down completely and utterly were the final few statements, they discussed and enlightened us on much, Tony finally gained in enthusiasm as we came closer to the present, the point is though Tony can the earth support 7 billion if the climate changes and how will it change, do we really know enough about this incredibly complex system? He said we have a choice as we can see it coming incredibly simplistic and plain wrong. Can we really support 7 billion do we really know how the weather will change.
Good effort, heading in the right direction, please though have several experts dictating the subject matter, script and the locations and perhaps producing. Finally Tony get some fucking passion you are talking about the greatest subject on Planet Earth, read some books challenge some of these clever people you are interviewing think, think, wake up man, I despair. Thank you for trying though it is better than nothing much much better.
In Egypt they talked about how climate had shaped the development of the culture, a better way of phrasing would always be geography and resources always shape us, however, the first cities were not in Egypt they were further East in the fertile crescent, which they didn't seem to mention. A few quotes from Fernand Braudel, would have added much intellectual depth.
The development of agriculture was more important than climate change in the development of cities, agriculture was connected to the climate as they should rightly point out but other factors such as the richness of the land, availability of crops that can be developed. Seeds needed to develop over time through our manipulation so they could be farmed animals etc again here quotes from Jared Diamond would have added depth and credibility.
The flow of individuals into Europe due simply to filling of the black sea, linking the two seemed very tenuous, people migrate they always will we are not in a position to directly link the two at least not to my knowledge and i am sure both before and after they would have been.
Finally the black plague global warming had an impact in Europe but it grew and originated we think in another rodent in central asia. We were weakened by the famine perhaps it helped the spread of the disease but it was people moving and more importantly how it developed on the plains and then how it was spread from there at that time was more important. Did it die out due to lack of contact with an animal that could transmit for centuries so it became steadily more virulent, we have had other plagues as well why was this so terrible?
TV they seek to explain a good story to always make things more dramatic to have a compelling narrative, serious television should be given back to serious people to make and produce, serious scientists should be doing this show with Tony assisting. They should have been interviewing Jared Diamond, James Lovelock, they should have been presenting it. So sad that a great man such as James Lovelock a Brit at the end of his days was not interviewed a disgrace i feel.
Our culture is in the hands of individuals who are not informed enough on their subject. Books can be written by experts, journalists and amateurs alike TV is in the hands of an elite who stretch themselves too thin, who often know too little on their subject and flit between huge areas. Documentaries like this should be made by experts with depth and challenge us and themselves not in the hands of people who don't know enough. They should be assisting and advising but they should not be running the show, we have it the wrong way round.
The naked ape though always protects his own and searches for his empire and so it is in TV and we are poorer for it. Who would dare step aside and say i am not qualified to write this, who would say i am not qualified to produce this? You don't need many experts but they should have had more. No they protect their livelihood, they protect their families and we lose as the experts on subjects are not making enough serious television.
Finally what let the show down completely and utterly were the final few statements, they discussed and enlightened us on much, Tony finally gained in enthusiasm as we came closer to the present, the point is though Tony can the earth support 7 billion if the climate changes and how will it change, do we really know enough about this incredibly complex system? He said we have a choice as we can see it coming incredibly simplistic and plain wrong. Can we really support 7 billion do we really know how the weather will change.
Good effort, heading in the right direction, please though have several experts dictating the subject matter, script and the locations and perhaps producing. Finally Tony get some fucking passion you are talking about the greatest subject on Planet Earth, read some books challenge some of these clever people you are interviewing think, think, wake up man, I despair. Thank you for trying though it is better than nothing much much better.
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