Posts of the Week
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Overpopulation: Ecological Time-Bomb or Planetological Paranoia? Erika Peterson - 05:07pm Jan 6, 1997 PST (#13 of 47)
Irrigating a desert is a notoriously short-term and silly practice -- remember the Mesopotamian plain? But regardless, the question probably isn't would 40 billion be able to eat, but rather, do we really want to have that many folks around -- cities that teeming, suburbs that sprawling. Sure, if we all dispersed ourselves equally over the surface, it probably wouldn't feel that "crowded," but we can pretty accurately predict that a majority (if we assume the current kind of economic system) would be jammed into gigantic cities. Sure, some go for that kind of crammed-in thrill, but do really "need" that many people? One thing is for sure -- even on aesthetic grounds alone, the world cannot support 40 billon or 20 billion or even 10 billion internal combustion automobiles. Gazing at Pikes Peak through our notorious Rocky Mountain brown cloud on a sunny afternoon is demoralizing in the extreme! LUDDITES in other cultures, other times: Rob Harper - 08:28pm Jan 8, 1997 PST (#8 of 17) The naive assumption "Technology Good" is obviously dangerous if you just stop and think about it. Unfortunately, "Technology Irresistable" may also be obvious. The best example I can think of a culture that turned down "progress" as thought of in Western minds was Japan under the Shogunate. From the early 1600's to the Meiji Restoration in the later 1800's it slowed the pace of "advance" considerably. While this isolationist policy erks western minds (and led to gunboat US diplomacy to force Japan to open up because damn it, every one should trade with us whether they want to or not), it was probably a success in its own terms. From what I know, although alot of things went "wrong" with Japan during this period (feudalism without wars to justify itself becomes a little strange, there was in fact progress in agricultural productivity and that caused economic shifts that created tensions), it successfully protected a way of life and culture. I'm no expert and would defer to anyone who is, but as far as I know the only serious bloodshed during the period was an uprising early on by Christian converts who were being stamped out. That would seem to indicate, among other things, about 200 years of peace. Not many nations could say the same for that time period (or any other). (PS, I have always thought it ironic that America should have such a problem with Japan in the 20th Century - from Pearl Harbour to Toyota, when they were the ones who pushed Japan onto the road of modern military and commercial activity. What goes around comes around). As I said, no expert and welcome correction from anyone who is. "Ellen" - ABC Knuckles Under to Homophobia Marv Foster - 06:20pm Jan 10, 1997 PST (#5 of 12) Yes, right-wings straights would love not having to deal with the obvious truth - that gays and lesbians spend most of their time attending to all the other hum-drum details of life other than whom they are attracted to or in love with. Ellen's coming out would force the issue that political/religious bigots have been lying about homosexuals all along. How embarassing for the bigots. Who needs the confrontation? Everyone. Many liberals think that being homosexual is just peachy as long as they only see the asexual, harmless image. What the hell is wrong with a lesbian being a *sexual* harmless, heathy, responsible (and in Ellen's case: funny) person - the way most gays and lesbians are? It doesn't mean Ellen will start having sex on the screen, it means she will be able to talk about her life with her partner, their ups and downs. She can talk about going to Ikea with her lover and picking out curtains for the den; just like heterosexuals do and who never are told "Don't flaunt your sexuality" when they speak about their spouse. This isn't a situation of "we're here, we're queer, get used to it" that radical gays beat people over the head with. Ellen is mainstream, just like most gays and lesbians. She is a part of her family, friends and her community in the way most gays/lesbians are in real life. Coming out is about NOT HAVING TO LIVE A LIE. Ellen, for the sake of all gays and lesbians who have had to stay in the closet to keep their jobs, homes, and families intact, should be allowed to come out at least to counter the historic weight of homophobia that has ruined the lives of decent, innocent people. |
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