Thank you for continuing to write for us, Lena. Somehow you manage to bring us both the beauty and the losses in a humble, heartening way. Love and gratitude to you.
Lena, thank you for this well researched and concerning article. Your closing comments also make me consider that knowledge doesn't guarantee wisdom either. Over my lifetime human knowledge seems to have expanded dramatically, but wisdom has shrunk to a similar extent.
The warnings have been on the table ever since Rachel Carson's 'Silent Spring'. They get louder day by day as you document here. So few people are listening.
hi Lena thanks for your reply. I wrote a piece on here a little while ago about how we can’t expect change from the people who have a vested interest in the system continuing as it is. You and I know exactly who those people are. The oligarchy the hyper rich the tech Bros. It’s not their houses that are burning down it’s not them starving. And unfortunately they are in control globally wherever you look. If you read history as I do, I’m a historian among other things, you’ll know that civilisations always collapse and ours is currently mid-process.
I think we have to look to small-scale survival as the system collapses, personally I’m certain it is not going to be easy to do that. For many people it will not be possible.
And for me how we carry forward knowledge and skills is vital - how to make things and to fix things, grow food, live tribally once more and to step away from having machines to do things for us.
I fear the reality is that both our ecosystems and our social systems are collapsing simultaneously. We need more people to speak those truths. Knowledge bearers and changemakers.
For me I think you detail a pretty fair forecast for what will happen and is happening. I do think that’s why governments are swinging towards closed borders and autocracy, even if they deny climate instability, their behaviors show that they do know. I went looking for your post! I’ll have to spend some time on your blog, lots of good stuff there. I agree with you, the more we talk about it, the more the culture will move towards it. I do feel like I see it happening culturally. Perhaps one thing about this horrible fire season is that some global leaders have now said outright that this is a problem, finally.
Hi Maisie-Jane! I appreciate you sharing your thoughts with me, it’s an interesting thing to watch what we do with these new technologies/knowledge. In some ways it’s the same story we’ve heard isn’t it? Humanity’s hubris. You are so right the warnings are here. It’s so tough to watch the suffering. I’m sorry if this post only added to stress for you. The fact that you are listening counts for something, I think it does. You’re carrying the stories forward and an inheritance for the next generation, I hope you find some peace in that.
This essay is beautifully written Lena. Both captivating and pulsing with a heart so deeply in tune with the natural forces around us. I thoroughly enjoyed reading this over my morning sips of coffee and as my mind reached the closing statements, “Culture does not guarantee wisdom; it preserves whatever we repeat.” stopped me in my tracks. This alone has been deeply on my mind lately. There is a difficulty in shaking the sadness and lack of warmth associated to a culture that lacks human thought and touch. Even so, I have hope because there are people like you who exist in this world.
Hanna, thank you for reading, for sharing your heart and your thoughts, and for being a good friend to me. Your work and passions are also so important and deeply weave your love for the world. Thank you for your kind words! We will move the culture, I know this. And also I’m coming to understand that it has a life of its own. What you carry alone and the way you live is enough! You are braiding the next generations’ inheritance. I too am so glad you’re here on earth with me
Thank you for continuing to write for us, Lena. Somehow you manage to bring us both the beauty and the losses in a humble, heartening way. Love and gratitude to you.
Beautifully written. I think that your description of seeing wildfire smoke is so true, having experienced it.
Lena, thank you for this well researched and concerning article. Your closing comments also make me consider that knowledge doesn't guarantee wisdom either. Over my lifetime human knowledge seems to have expanded dramatically, but wisdom has shrunk to a similar extent.
The warnings have been on the table ever since Rachel Carson's 'Silent Spring'. They get louder day by day as you document here. So few people are listening.
Final thought for this morning I think there’s one country in the world where the tech Bros are not in charge. That is Bhutan they have a ministry of happiness. https://greennetwork.asia/gna-knowledge-hub/bhutan-a-nature-loving-country-with-the-ministry-of-happiness/
Given half a chance I would live there. But they are protecting the country.
https://substack.com/@maisiejane/note/c-269800379
hi Lena thanks for your reply. I wrote a piece on here a little while ago about how we can’t expect change from the people who have a vested interest in the system continuing as it is. You and I know exactly who those people are. The oligarchy the hyper rich the tech Bros. It’s not their houses that are burning down it’s not them starving. And unfortunately they are in control globally wherever you look. If you read history as I do, I’m a historian among other things, you’ll know that civilisations always collapse and ours is currently mid-process.
I think we have to look to small-scale survival as the system collapses, personally I’m certain it is not going to be easy to do that. For many people it will not be possible.
And for me how we carry forward knowledge and skills is vital - how to make things and to fix things, grow food, live tribally once more and to step away from having machines to do things for us.
I fear the reality is that both our ecosystems and our social systems are collapsing simultaneously. We need more people to speak those truths. Knowledge bearers and changemakers.
For me I think you detail a pretty fair forecast for what will happen and is happening. I do think that’s why governments are swinging towards closed borders and autocracy, even if they deny climate instability, their behaviors show that they do know. I went looking for your post! I’ll have to spend some time on your blog, lots of good stuff there. I agree with you, the more we talk about it, the more the culture will move towards it. I do feel like I see it happening culturally. Perhaps one thing about this horrible fire season is that some global leaders have now said outright that this is a problem, finally.
Hi Maisie-Jane! I appreciate you sharing your thoughts with me, it’s an interesting thing to watch what we do with these new technologies/knowledge. In some ways it’s the same story we’ve heard isn’t it? Humanity’s hubris. You are so right the warnings are here. It’s so tough to watch the suffering. I’m sorry if this post only added to stress for you. The fact that you are listening counts for something, I think it does. You’re carrying the stories forward and an inheritance for the next generation, I hope you find some peace in that.
This essay is beautifully written Lena. Both captivating and pulsing with a heart so deeply in tune with the natural forces around us. I thoroughly enjoyed reading this over my morning sips of coffee and as my mind reached the closing statements, “Culture does not guarantee wisdom; it preserves whatever we repeat.” stopped me in my tracks. This alone has been deeply on my mind lately. There is a difficulty in shaking the sadness and lack of warmth associated to a culture that lacks human thought and touch. Even so, I have hope because there are people like you who exist in this world.
Hanna, thank you for reading, for sharing your heart and your thoughts, and for being a good friend to me. Your work and passions are also so important and deeply weave your love for the world. Thank you for your kind words! We will move the culture, I know this. And also I’m coming to understand that it has a life of its own. What you carry alone and the way you live is enough! You are braiding the next generations’ inheritance. I too am so glad you’re here on earth with me