Shopping in the Apocalypse

 

Shopping in the Apocalypse

 

A tragedy for humanity

Is that thinkers,

philosophers & futurists,

are 40 years ahead of politicians

when it comes to sounding alarms.

 

With blistering clarity in a

San Francisco newspaper in 1969

Kenneth Rexroth warned that

an “extractive, accumulative society”

will trigger human extinction.

 

He supported an

Ecological Revolution

in  which the use of fossil fuels

“would be brought to a complete stop”

 

An evolved system of values

would treat the

possession of too many goods

as a disease.

 

This hasn’t quite happened,

but only a fool or politician

would dismiss the possibility.

 

It’s blowing in the wind.

 

Legislators have taken 40 years

to admit the downside of extraction,

and will need to be dragged

kicking and screaming into accepting

that carbon neutrality

is hostile to Lear Jets,

invasions and palaces.

 

There will be no shopping

or lobbyists in the apocalypse.

 

A financial and eco meltdown

will threaten hierarchies and

foster rebellion…

 

perhaps even trigger a

a re-evaluation of values.

 

Hang on to your hats.

 

Comments

[Tor Hershman]

Mr. Neville, you may find my noir parody song vid somewhat amusing.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2LubuSAgB5s

Sir, do stay on groovin' safari,
Tor

[FD]

You always were a pompous self-indulgent little shit, Richard, but over the last year or two who have plumbed the depths of irrelevance. Must get back to my poems now.

[StroyFinance]

Sorry to hear about your frustrations with poker, but i guess thats the nature of the game. Doing everything right, and still losing is extremely difficult to overcome, but maybe taking a break and spending time away from tournament poker will allow you to be refreshed and rejuvenated, and remember why you love tournament poker so much. Best of luck.

[Isiah]

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[warren]

Richard ... I can't find any new postings on your site for the last 12 months. Use it or lose it dude. You can't expect those who wait expectantly for your wisdom to wait forever. Remember, you're a futurist, not a historian.

"Whatever you can do or dream - you can begin it. Boldness has genius, power and magic in it. Begin it now" GOETHE

[WebNeva]

If you ask to any Petersburger a question on what most beautiful area in a city, he, without reflecting, will give up as a bad job towards the Hermitage. Before the Hermitage Palace Square – truly a pearl of Northern Venice opens.

[Isaac]

I just saw you at the NatStats 2010 Conference. Best presentation so far!

I am a high earning Gen Y-er.

I have recently been considering downshifting - living in a yurt in the middle of nowhere, surrounded by other downshifters.

More and more young people are becoming disillusioned with growth. Correspondingly, the 'minimalist living' movement is gaining traction from what I can see.

As an embracer of minimalist living, I am starting to derive disutility from consumption. Extra things = extra attachments, stresses and wasted attention.

As a statistician, I look forward to measuring social inclusion, wellbeing and contentment rather than growth, productivity and GDP.

Thanks for telling it how it is.

[Etomodno]

From time immemorial was considered that the witch is a woman who practises magic, participates in шабашах on bald mountains and copulates with demons. However in transfer from Old Russian language to "know" means "NOBILITY".

[Arkasha]

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[Yourhealing]

Unfortunately, in our modern society of healthy people practically isn't present, any of us (even very much young men) has obvious or latent problems with health, and, more often, their whole "bouquet", which if don't prove already now will necessarily be shown with the years...

[Ruex]

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[antertybymn]

Half of the American people have never read a newspaper. Half never voted for President. One hopes it is the same half

[ByperuDi]

You know, somebody actually complimented me on my driving today. They left a little note on the windscreen, it said ‘Parking Fine.

[OntovateRet]

Cool It is possible to tell, it has blown up my brain!

[DitonatorGak]

The second freshness — here that a nonsense! The freshness happens only one — the first, she and last write to a thicket

[Podorunok]

Everyone is free to trust, in what he wants. I only against to force all to trust in something one

[designer bags]

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[JJ]

Hello Richard,

I just came across an old piece of yours wherein you wrote about the Nick Berg beheading as a psyop, quoting one Mr Possum.
YOu seemed to believe that Al Quaeda could not possibly have beheaded him, despite the repeated role of throat cutiing in Islamic history and "culture".

NOw I read this piece of apocalyptic claptrap on your site.

God you're a fucking idiot!!

[aisheng]

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