The first post

March 2, 2008

You hear about it every day. Our climate is changing. The predictions about what that might mean for us, and the rest of the living creatures on this planet we all share, is somewhat bleak to state it mildly.

Peak oil is on the horizon, or maybe upon us now. The social and economic consequences of that are pretty discouraging too. Men, women and children are dying in oil wars. Multinational corporations have invaded nearly every aspect of our lives. The list goes on and on really.

For several years now, I’ve felt like something has been creeping up quietly behind me. There’s been a shapeless sense of uneasiness every time I go to bed. It’s a strange feeling, I know there’s something wrong but I just can’t pinpoint it. It’s a bit like the unsettling feeling when you know you forgot to do something, but just can’t remember what. Turns out, I’m not the only one that’s been feeling that way. Cold comfort.

I knew things in the world were messed up and I couldn’t understand why no one was trying to fix them. Where were our politicians? Where were our leaders? Why hasn’t science figured out a solution. Why hasn’t God helped out? The whole situation seemed very frustrating.

At some point about a year ago it occurred to me that it might be unrealistic to expect our political or social leaders to come to our rescue. The problems we face are problems of society and politicians are a product of society, not the other way around. Expecting politicians to solve society’s problems is like expecting a 2×4 to restructure the sawmill.

So I started reading. I went back to university. After years, decades of keeping my head down, going to work, going to the mall, going on vacation, I wanted to learn. I wanted to learn about the world that I live in yet know so little about. I needed to understand where we are, how we got here and where we might be going. I wanted to know what my role in all of this was.

What have I learned so far? Well, it seems that if I am to become part of the solution rather than part of the problem, then I have to start with the only thing I have any control over, myself.

In order to make any positive difference, no matter how small, I have to make changes to myself.

Damn. I was hoping it’d be easier.

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