Friday, October 13, 2006

Humanity's Gigantic Footprint

Something most sentient beings don't spend a lot of time thinking about is how much "influence" humanity has on this small sphere...a legacy of the illusory appearance of limitlessness, Chaos guesses. The facts, however, are considerably different and anxiety-inducing. Human monkeys dominate the planet, to the planet's detriment. No better example of this is today's article in New Scientist, which invites us to imagine the planet in future years without any people whatsoever. An eye-opener to be sure.

Apropos of nothing, the esteemed John Michael Greer gives us a helpful vision of what a long slow (catabolic, in other words) collapse might mean for those who still wish to go on making a living. Greer is quite the interesting fellow, having put forward a theory not exactly in opposition to, but in further refinement, one might say, of Tainter's much-discussed "collapse by diminishing marginal returns" hypothesis. His current series on The Energy Bulletin is fascinating stuff, for those who are practiced in the art of reading.

9 comments:

Anonymous said...

10:30 in the morning...on a Saturday! Honestly, that's not cool. Also, domintate?
We watched Shaun of the Dead last night. I think that's what the planet needs, a huge zombie infestation so a small percentage of the population can annihilate them without feeling guilty. It's a two-birds-with-one-stone thing. Or maybe, like, multiple birds but whatever.

Chaos said...

Chaos thanks you for pointing out inevitable spelling errors...Shaun is a fine flick.

Anonymous said...

First of all isn't it apropos? speaking of spelling errors! Chaos perhaps would be interested in something a little bit less depressing. There is so much in this world besides the inevitable end of world resources as we know it. Well? I didn't think so..

Chaos said...

Perhaps the gentle reader would better like the contrast between sleep aids and true facts...explored today.

Anonymous said...

I for one dont need the help of sleep aids. Never have..It does not take a rocket scientist to see whats going on around our wonderful planent; However I dont spend the majority of my waking moment worrying about things I cannot change. I for one can see how our world is vastly dedeteriorating and I for one cannot understand how the human race and all its vast politics dont seem to care on the depletion of our resources. But really what can one do..WHAT? I know what. Solutions! Oh but wait!They cost money but people what to make money...There you go. A reprehensible cycle. So now that we have that figured out NEXT!

Chaos said...

Hey, its not rocket science...or maybe it is. Actually, solutions abound, in places like The Oil Drum, etc. What's lacking is the will to implement them. Or maybe there are no real solutions. The monkeys destroy the planet. End of story.

Anonymous said...

It's the greed, and our choice to be hateful and not to mention our human nature that make the world how it is today. But its not all bad really. Is it? Is life really that bad? I concur with your opinion regarding failure to implement solutions. Come on Chaos, not all monkeys distroy the planet. Ha Ha. But I can tell you this People have the unquestionable competence to do better however choose not to for obvious reasons. Thats with anything life throws any individual. Monkeys don't know any better. Thats the sad sad part we do. Au revoir!

Anonymous said...

I liked the doomer poet better. He spoke in sentences.

Chaos said...

Well, we apparently attract a varied following here at the Edge, even perhaps those who are unfamiliar with the concepts of overshoot and carrying capacity,if not for themselves, then perhaps their descendants. Those who believe that happy talk will save us are quite possibly also unused to erudition or even punctuation.