"...The uneasiness which the thought of our helplessness in the chain of causes occasions us, results from looking too much at one condition of nature, namely, Motion. But the drag is never taken from the wheel. Wherever the impulse exceeds, the Rest or Identity insinuates its compensation. All over the wide fields of earth grows the prunella or self-heal. After every foolish day we sleep off the fumes and furies of its hours; and though we are always engaged with particulars, and often enslaved to them, we bring with us to every experiment the innate universal laws. These, while they exist in the mind as ideas, stand around us in nature forever embodied, a present sanity to expose and cure the insanity of men. Our servitude to particulars betrays into a hundred foolish expectations. We anticipate a new era from the invention of a locomotive, or a balloon; the new engine brings with it the old checks. They say that by electro-magnetism, your sallad shall be grown from the seed, whilst your fowl is roasting for dinner: it is a symbol of our modern aims and endeavors- of our condensation and acceleration of objects: but nothing is gained: nature cannot be cheated: man's life is but seventy sallads long, grow they swift or grow they slow..." -Ralph Waldo Emerson
"Wisdom is the ability to judiciously act upon truth. Knowledge itself does not cause us to make decisions that cultivate life. I am not responsible for the actions of any person other than my self, yet at the same time, I am responsible for the life of every one. Only a few more years and I will retire. Perhaps I'll homestead virgin land in Antarctica." -J. Ustme "There's a gap in between There's a gap where we meet Where I end and you begin And I'm sorry for us The dinosaurs roam the earth The sky turns green Where I end and you begin..." -Thom Yorke Patrick -----Original Message----- From: Ecological Society of America: grants, jobs, news [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] On Behalf Of Maiken Winter Sent: Monday, April 02, 2007 3:40 AM To: [email protected] Subject: Re: "the greatest misallocation of resources in history" I would like to caution not to put too much weight on people who speak about the end of civilization. James Howard Kunstler used to be part of LaRouche's political organization which is more a sect than anything else. They preach the end of civilization and total chaos, and the only way to counteract it is to follow those who know better - LaRouche. I do not know anything about Kunstler, but I would be cautious to be drawn too much to his mind-set. Of course we will need to re-shuffle our priorities and lifestyles. But that will not end our civilization. To the contrary - this might be an immensely difficult but potentially wonderful challenge to get back to a more "normal", more "cultural", less high-pace life style with greater focus on your neighbors and local issues. Since I am already mentioning LaRouche - please check out http://blog.nodvin.net/?p=190 This is a very important blog that counteracts arguments given by LaRouche followers against climate change. Maiken
