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What's Up With Ming

"Did you ever feel like an alien who somehow became stranded on a planet called Earth where nothing seemed to make any sense?" A quote from "Ming The Merciless"

Civilization Rehab

Recovering from civilization can be brutal but neccessary if we are to become truly free from it's influence. Kick the civilization habit here!

Being Human

The Condition Of Our ConditionArticles on the Human condition and how we might improve it.

Outstanding Humans

There are and have been outstanding Humans who have walked among us with little concern for recognition, but a deep commitment to performance, based on their spiritual ethics. Ethics that demand awareness beyond personal gratifications, and that reveal higher levels of responsibility. And these individuals silently stood their ground against sometimes powerful interests that on occasion resorted to actual violence. I am talking about the pioneers of the environmentalist movement. The list of these all but ignored giants is long but includes:

• Rachel Carson
• Aldo Leopold
• Gifford Pinchot
• John Muir
• Henry David Thoreau
• Wangari Maathai

Is it not strange that the footprints of dinosaurs are of much interest and popularity while the footprints of Human giants seem to be of little concern to the general population of Humans? But of course, the general population of Humans on the planet today are suffering from a kind of cultural trance created and sustained by our surrender to fear and ignorance. We are lost in our illusions of reality, fantasies designed to protect us against taking responsibility for our lack of good thinking skills, and the resulting dysfunctional behavior.

The Courage To Walk The Walk

Fortunately not all Humans surrender to fear and ignorance, there are always a few who have their sensesturned on full and are not afraid of the information they bring in. But what makes them giants is the factthat they didn't stop at awareness, they found the courage to walk the walk and take action. If youdon't believe that it took courage, witness those who gave their lives for their convictions.

I say fortunately because there is a very good chance that without these individuals, our world today might be very different, and in fact, wemight not even be here today. Even though environmental consciousness is low, yes even today, despite thebusiness community's use of the concept for marketing purposes, it is nevertheless in the minds of thegeneral public, and because of that, our slow progress towards self destruction has been slowed even further.

Living Our Convictions

Civilization today seems to be defined by the shallow and superficial. Even to the extent that we actually believe that just saying the words accomplishes the deeds. We have indeed lost our way. Few today have the courage to live by their convictions, assuming we knew what they are in the first place and had any convictions in the second place.

One Giant

Consider just one of these giants, Rachel Carson. I pick her because her accomplishments were acheived despite the additional handicap of being a female during a time when women were still highly devalued. Nevertheless she managed to get an education in marine biology and zoology, and going to work for the U SBureau of Fisheries and the U S Fish and Wlidlife Service.

During her service for the government she became concerned with the use of synthetic chemical pesticidesin the 1940's and 50's and shifted her commitments to spreading awareness of the threat to our ecosystemand thus to ourselves. Alghough she came under attack by the chemical industry and some in the government,she went before congress and called for new policies to protect Human health and the environment. It tookeven more courage to care back in those days.

Decisions and Commitments

Yes, today we have our high standard of living and our obsesson with comfort and consumption. And the corporate agenda is still committed to servicing our whims and desires, and as always, all of us areever mindless of the consequences.

Can there be any doubt of the value of those few among us who not only step up and stand up for their beliefs and convictions, but make the tough decisions required to do something about those convictions.

And sometimes at the risk of their lives.