On Feb 24, the city of Bristol refused planning permission to build a biofuel plant on the grounds that biofuel is damaging rain forests. This went against the advice of city planners.
Click here for the news story.
This is exactly the sort of thing that the human self-organisational theory suggests can not take root. The theory suggests that the city will come under a great deal of pressure to overturn this decision and that the majority of other cities will not follow.
So, all we have to do is wait and see. The article is already talking about the possibility of an appeal against the city.
This is interesting because it is a counter-example to what we suggest is happening. So we'll be keeping an eye on this to see what happens.
Saturday, 27 February 2010
Friday, 19 February 2010
Why is it so hard to change?
There are few people who don't know that what we do directly impacts the environment. What we consume causes rainforests to burn and animals to die. The point is again made here.
The questions is if we all know it why can't we seem to do anything about it? Is it because we can't or because we don't care or is something forcing us to do so against our will?
The last suggestion doesn't make sense in a world of free-will. However, I would suggest that something is causing people to act and think according to its wishes. This is not a supernatural conspiracy theory or spiritually, but straight science.
First, let's look at the work of Derren Brown. In his magic shows, one of the things he does is to implant images into peoples' minds so they then seemingly of their own free-will choose exactly what he wants them to. You can see him at work here (part 1) and here (part 2). The person he is using was the star of Doctor Who (the 10th Doctor).
While creating thoughts and beliefs is not the only factor explaining why it is so difficult for us to change harmful patterns, it is might be the one that is least recognised.
Your thoughts are completely your own, aren't they? Well, let's test it. Here are some figures to contemplate. What are we actually doing that will change this situation? What is our free will actually accomplishing?
If you believe that growth and efficiency is good for the human race, I would suggest that you have not really examined why this is true and are following ideas planted straight into your mind by the human self-organisational system.
The reason why is explained more fully here.
The first step in breaking this cycle is to recognise it exists. The second step is to begin to ask questions of things that seem to be 'givens'. Some of the examples looked at on the website are whether more choices is something that really makes us happier. Is growth really good? Is finding a clean energy source really our priority for our best future?
If it isn't, then what are all our policies and efforts really aiding?
The questions is if we all know it why can't we seem to do anything about it? Is it because we can't or because we don't care or is something forcing us to do so against our will?
The last suggestion doesn't make sense in a world of free-will. However, I would suggest that something is causing people to act and think according to its wishes. This is not a supernatural conspiracy theory or spiritually, but straight science.
First, let's look at the work of Derren Brown. In his magic shows, one of the things he does is to implant images into peoples' minds so they then seemingly of their own free-will choose exactly what he wants them to. You can see him at work here (part 1) and here (part 2). The person he is using was the star of Doctor Who (the 10th Doctor).
While creating thoughts and beliefs is not the only factor explaining why it is so difficult for us to change harmful patterns, it is might be the one that is least recognised.
Your thoughts are completely your own, aren't they? Well, let's test it. Here are some figures to contemplate. What are we actually doing that will change this situation? What is our free will actually accomplishing?
If you believe that growth and efficiency is good for the human race, I would suggest that you have not really examined why this is true and are following ideas planted straight into your mind by the human self-organisational system.
The reason why is explained more fully here.
The first step in breaking this cycle is to recognise it exists. The second step is to begin to ask questions of things that seem to be 'givens'. Some of the examples looked at on the website are whether more choices is something that really makes us happier. Is growth really good? Is finding a clean energy source really our priority for our best future?
If it isn't, then what are all our policies and efforts really aiding?
Friday, 12 February 2010
Hydrogen Power
In the news today:
Of a scheme to get more hydrogen cars on the road, Friends of the Earth said: 'It shows that Wales is prepared to take the lead in this area, which is something we can proud of' (source)
Just before the gasoline car became prominent in London, conditions surrounding the city were horrific. All around were enormous piles of stagnant horse manure. These piles took up acres of land and frequently caught fire. In the year 1900 in New York city, 2.5 million pounds of horse manure had to be cleaned up every day. (source)
When the gasoline car took hold, the burning piles of horse excrement disappeared. The car became the celebrated proof of how technology was going to create a cleaner environment and make life wonderful for all.
Now we have the hydrogen car. It is being celebrated as the new technology that will clean up the environment and make life wonderful for all. Something to be proud of.
As excited as I am, I do have a few niggling questions:
1) What energy source is envisioned being used to separate the hydrogen from the water?
2) What will the atmosphere look like if there a millions and millions of cars spewing hot water vapour into the air?
3) How will all that water vapour affect the atmosphere? (Hint: Do clouds have anything to do with the weather?)
4) Will the hydrogen car change any of the enormous car infrastructure that has covered the landscape and divided communities? (source)
Just asking. That's all.
I would like to suggest that the environment of modern society could be restricting our vision so that we can only see solutions that recreate modern society in a slightly different flavour. I would go on to suggest that if we do this, we will simply rediscover the same old modern problems.
We need something new. Our best ideas can be found here and we'd love to hear yours.
Of a scheme to get more hydrogen cars on the road, Friends of the Earth said: 'It shows that Wales is prepared to take the lead in this area, which is something we can proud of' (source)
Just before the gasoline car became prominent in London, conditions surrounding the city were horrific. All around were enormous piles of stagnant horse manure. These piles took up acres of land and frequently caught fire. In the year 1900 in New York city, 2.5 million pounds of horse manure had to be cleaned up every day. (source)
When the gasoline car took hold, the burning piles of horse excrement disappeared. The car became the celebrated proof of how technology was going to create a cleaner environment and make life wonderful for all.
Now we have the hydrogen car. It is being celebrated as the new technology that will clean up the environment and make life wonderful for all. Something to be proud of.
As excited as I am, I do have a few niggling questions:
1) What energy source is envisioned being used to separate the hydrogen from the water?
2) What will the atmosphere look like if there a millions and millions of cars spewing hot water vapour into the air?
3) How will all that water vapour affect the atmosphere? (Hint: Do clouds have anything to do with the weather?)
4) Will the hydrogen car change any of the enormous car infrastructure that has covered the landscape and divided communities? (source)
Just asking. That's all.
I would like to suggest that the environment of modern society could be restricting our vision so that we can only see solutions that recreate modern society in a slightly different flavour. I would go on to suggest that if we do this, we will simply rediscover the same old modern problems.
We need something new. Our best ideas can be found here and we'd love to hear yours.
Thursday, 11 February 2010
Greece: how human self-organisation dictates to countries
All companies and all countries ... everyone really ... are constantly being pressured to become ever more monetarily efficient. As such, no matter what anyone wants to do, people and organisations must adopt ever more monetarily efficient characteristics or risk becoming marginalised, re-organised or disappear altogether.
Today it was reported that Greece is in financial crisis (link). What that means is its way of life was too expensive to sustain. Now it must change its ways. While this might seem blindingly obvious to many, the implications seem less well understood.
Because public services, such as welfare, health care and education, are expenses to a country, they too become subject to exactly the same monetarily competitive forces as countries are. In the long run, good education, for example, will take a back seat to the cost-effectiveness of that education.
Over time monetary efficiency will become ever more important to everything we do. In the case of health care the cost of a new drug or practice will become increasingly more important than its effectiveness. (See NICE in the UK) In education, degrees will have to increasingly tied to improving economic competitiveness of students.
While some my not understand why this is a problem, others will recognise the enormous damage that this is causing. Economic efficiency does not care if animals go extinct, or whether we pollute the earth, or whether people are poor or rich -- or live or die, for that matter. Most importantly, it does not care for our future or for the future of any living thing on earth.
That is why the current human self-organisational system ensures a cold and barren future. The first step to changing that future is to become aware of how the present is shaped by human self-organisation. To learn more, go to our website.
One last point: there will always be exceptions to what I just said. All systems have 'noise'. Unless the human self-organisation system is changed, they will always remain exceptions.
Having said that, we are very interested in learning about counter examples. Please contact us on (here) if you know of any.
Today it was reported that Greece is in financial crisis (link). What that means is its way of life was too expensive to sustain. Now it must change its ways. While this might seem blindingly obvious to many, the implications seem less well understood.
Because public services, such as welfare, health care and education, are expenses to a country, they too become subject to exactly the same monetarily competitive forces as countries are. In the long run, good education, for example, will take a back seat to the cost-effectiveness of that education.
Over time monetary efficiency will become ever more important to everything we do. In the case of health care the cost of a new drug or practice will become increasingly more important than its effectiveness. (See NICE in the UK) In education, degrees will have to increasingly tied to improving economic competitiveness of students.
While some my not understand why this is a problem, others will recognise the enormous damage that this is causing. Economic efficiency does not care if animals go extinct, or whether we pollute the earth, or whether people are poor or rich -- or live or die, for that matter. Most importantly, it does not care for our future or for the future of any living thing on earth.
That is why the current human self-organisational system ensures a cold and barren future. The first step to changing that future is to become aware of how the present is shaped by human self-organisation. To learn more, go to our website.
One last point: there will always be exceptions to what I just said. All systems have 'noise'. Unless the human self-organisation system is changed, they will always remain exceptions.
Having said that, we are very interested in learning about counter examples. Please contact us on (here) if you know of any.
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