On 18 Sep 99, at 4:20, Terry J. Klokeid wrote:
> The plant information you have found is fascinating enough, but I wonder if
> you would mind pursuing the historical aspects a bit more. Would it be out
> of place in this forum?
At present there doesn't seem to be any need to focus discussions.
Most topics have an eco component, and there are only 4-5 of us
who feel like talking. So, talk about anything you want.
There is one problem though. I'm out of material <grin>. I do have some
opinions about history which are expounded on below.
> Whenever I tell my wife about how the transnational corporations are
> manipulating agriculture and trade for their own benefit and how the banks
> try to control everything by creating debt, she responds with a reference
> to how the British Empire (and its predecessors) carried out the same sharp
> practices as far back as the 1200s or so.
History seems to be full of economic struggles and cycles which recur
over and over. I've read that England managed their colonies by giving
corporations a charter. Here in the US two large charters dominated
early American life and the revolt was mostly a struggle against these
economic units. The settlers wanted less taxes and access to the
resources owned by these large corporations. Many wanted land.
On the West coast i think it was the Hudson Bay Company that
controlled everything. Today, we are right back at the starting gate with
large economic units starting to dictate. To me this is question of
balance and we need to shift back towards other ways of thinking. A
popular dichotomy is to view the struggle as big bureaucratic government
fighting big predatory business. A better view might introduce ethics,
individuals, and all the other dimensions.
Today people think they are religions and we still have lots of churches,
but most people worship money. Many believe the future is controlled by
science and see us moving into space when the earth becomes polluted.
To me this is ridiculous, but it is reality to a lot of people. To a large
extent these views are encouraged by corporations. They want new
markets, growth, and consumers who are not worried about the future.
Worried consumers tend to save and become frugal. Truth and
responsibility has given way to fantasy.
In the eco world the most hated corporation today is Monsanto (for good
reason) but it is the bigger struggle for balance that i find interesting.
Right now corporations are beginning to dominate markets and countries
through mergers and economic pressure. A company like Monsanto is
more powerful and larger than most of the countries in the world.
This isn't saying corporations are bad, just that they should not dominate
a society through the media ownership, advertising, political
contributions and by being such a powerful presence .
----
jeff owens, [EMAIL PROTECTED], http://www.teleport.com/~kowens
underground house, solar power, self-reliance, edible landscape
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