katelynn_rodgers on Xanga

Tuesday, 24 November 2009

08

In reading Play Peak Oil Before You Live It, I found the discussion on the negative uses of this system most interesting. The idea of Peak Oil is to allow people to experience this alternate reality before it becomes reality, and in those terms it seems harmless. However the point brought up in the article about it being used for evil was something that never crossed my mind. The article stated the concern for the controllers of this alternate reality and what that control could lead to in the hands of the wrong people. This type of game had lead people to make real changes in their lives and at the control of fascist dictator; those changes might be focused for negative results and further control. If the game is designed to manipulate the users’ actions then we must be careful who controls that game and what their purpose is.

Tuesday, 17 November 2009

07

I found the documentary Guns, Germs, and Steel very interesting. The question of how civilizations got to be so different, posed by Jared Diamond, is an intriguing question that I haven’t given much thought to in the past. I just accepted it as a pattern of nature and or survival of the most adaptable. The first possible answer that was explored was the idea of farming and the ability for a civilization to move beyond hunting and gathering. This seemed like a logical concussion and if I were asked that question, I supposed that would have been my answer. I found it interesting that that it not always the case. In Papa Nuguni they do farm and still we would consider them to be underdeveloped.

Tuesday, 10 November 2009

06

The article “31 Ways to Jump Start the Local Economy” gave practical suggestions and tips on ways to effectively localize your economy and the ways to save money in general. I particularly found it beneficial that they included current examples and links to websites. It made the suggestion achievable rather than farfetched ideals. Instead of reading these suggestions and dismissing them off as unobtainable, they were presented in practical terms. It encourages the reader to attempt changes and personalizes it by including the local economy. You can immediately see the importance that the direct relation that is has with the local economy.

In regards to sustainable political economies, I agree most with the idea of purpose-centered rather than profit-centered. When it come to government programs or the general function of the political system, everything revolves around the dollar and not the people in which it was created for. Yes, these systems usually require money to function, but it has lost the concept of being for the people. The entire political system is established to protect and serve the people of the county. It enables voices to be heard that would otherwise be overlooked and sustains the rights of the individual. These inherent needs have been corrupted the focuses has shifted away from people and towards companies and ability to produce and sell goods for profit. The current condition of the system does not put people first and therefore has lost it purpose.
In reading “31 Ways to Jump Start the Local Economy” I could see the direct relationship between the suggestions and the idea of purpose-centered design. Many of the suggestions, like, creating farmers markets for the exchange or selling of goods, using freecycle to reuse products, and the establishment and use of the bartering system on craigslist all help support local economies and place emphasis on purpose over profit. Those systems exists to serve people and not business.

Tuesday, 27 October 2009

04

On paper, de facto plans sound like the dumbest ideas and seem completely avoidable. Anyone in their right mind would avoid situations that would only lead to failure or would setup plans that only point to success. Unfortunately that is not the case for many countries and it most defiantly is not the case for the United States. We have gotten into this self destructing pattern of quickly solving problems with ill thought out plans, which in turn create more problematic situations that require more poor solutions. Stepping back we can see a cycle of failed plans leading to failed plans and all we are left with is a system that does not function properly and will eventually itself into the ground.
Systems like waste management, which isn’t really management at all. Waste simply gets collected and dumped into a landfill. We had a problem; what to do with our trash. Instead of considering ways to reduce that trash in the first place, we decided to go with what seemed like the quickest solution. The solution is a de facto plan, because we are setting ourselves up for failure. Beyond not being good for the environment, we are running out of space to put all this trash. By failing to plan appropriately, we have planned to fail.

In RS 301, we discussed in detail the 6 life cycles and how a sustainable future will have to address all of these areas. Many of the solutions discussed in that class compare to the idea discussed in this class of using nature as a model and looking to complex adaptive systems to better relate how our systems should function. In regards to the landfill problem, using nature’s already established complex adaptive system; we can create an aerobic landfill. In this system nature can break down and decomposing waste matter, instead of the waste remaining in the ground for decades even centuries.

Tuesday, 20 October 2009

03

While I did find Cultural Creatives to be interesting, I tend to dislike discussions that label people or set certain people off in a group. I personally find myself a mix of all three categories: Traditionals, Moderns, and Cultural Creatives. I understand that the writers are not implying that a person can only be classified in one category, but it makes for a weaker argument. To classify myself in one category according to their standards I would have to compromise certain beliefs I hold, whether they be religious, political or environmentally. Where labels are assigned, people feel the need to continuously stay within the constraints of that label and are typically unwilling to deviate from the norm of that group. This places even greater constraints on people like me, who are traditionalist in areas of relationships and religion, but more Cultural Creative in areas of the environment and social equality. We somehow feel tied down to one side of the other and are unable to hold both view points.

I found the arguments in The Next Industrial Revolution compelling. There is much truth behind the fact that “eco-efficiency” has become useless in the same sense as green washing products, in address a real need for change in environmental impact. Companies have shifted focuses onto eco-efficiency in areas such as material management and “doing more with less”. However this philosophy only goes as far as profits will allow. Companies will make these changes based on their profit outlook and not because it helps the environment. Helping the environment is simply a byproduct of their actions. With that as a motive for decision making, choices will always favor the business model and not the environment.