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Posted: Fri Nov 24, 2006 8:22 am Post subject: Industrial Society Destroys Mind and Environment
Dear friends,
I have made some additions to the article "Industrial Society Destroys Mind and Environment". To read the modified article please follow any of these links :
I read the article posted on one of the links you provided. I can't respond to every single point raised in it, at least not right now, but just briefly I'll give you my general response.
Largely the article resorts to an extended list of false dichotomies that are simply asserted, not really supported by evidence except a general appeal to history and the perpetual belief among human societies in all times and places that things were always better before than now, though the details of what exactly was better change from culture to culture and even person to person.
The typical logic seemed to be of this sort:
Are cars good or evil?
Well, many people are killed by cars every year.
Therefore, cars are clearly evil.
And thus we should have no cars.
If we continue to have cars, we will destroy ourselves.
That's not a tremendous exaggeration, I don't think, and given such a presentation, I think only those already convinced are going to be impressed by it.
No doubt there are problems in modern society, and I'm not going to deny that at all, but I think the article is painting far too simplistic a picture and giving far too simplistic a solution to the problems it portrays.
I'm happy to discuss specifics if you wish, but that is my general impression so far.
I read the article posted on one of the links you provided. I can't respond to every single point raised in it, at least not right now, but just briefly I'll give you my general response.
Largely the article resorts to an extended list of false dichotomies that are simply asserted, not really supported by evidence except a general appeal to history and the perpetual belief among human societies in all times and places that things were always better before than now, though the details of what exactly was better change from culture to culture and even person to person.
No doubt there are problems in modern society, and I'm not going to deny that at all, but I think the article is painting far too simplistic a picture and giving far too simplistic a solution to the problems it portrays.
thanks,
Nathan
nfactor13,
The article does not say "Life was good in the past". It says life was far more sustainable in the past than today.
Life was never good in the past.
Life will never be good in future.
Life can never be good.
Suffering is a part of life - an inherent feature of life. Suffering can never be eliminated.
There is Physical suffering - There is Mental suffering.
In pre-industrial society there were physical diseases caused by virus and bacteria.
In modern society there are hundreds of lifestyle related physical diseases - Cancer, Stroke, Diabetes, Obesity, Multiple Organ Failures.
Mental suffering will always exist. It exists in agrarian society. It exists in industrial society. As soon as we stop working we experience mental suffering.
We avoid mental suffering by working ceaselessly.
There is no higher purpose behind work.
People do not work because they want to work.
People work because they cannot stop working.
The energy generated by the food we eat forces us to work ceaselessly.
All three energies on the right side are inversely proportional to one another.
When we do hard physical work or hard mental work or a combination of physical work and mental work almost all energy is used up in doing work.
When we stop physical work and mental work the unused energy is experienced as suffering/ anxiety/ restlessness/ discomfort. This suffering is so intense - so unbearable - that most people cannot stop physical activity and mental activity simultaneously for even 2 minutes - they can stop work/activity only under the influence of drugs and alcohol.
People do not work because they want to work.
People do not work for their family.
People do not work for their nation.
People do not work for any reason.
People work because they cannot stop working.
It does not matter what kind of work we do - whether it is physical work or any kind of mental work. As soon as we stop working we suffer from restlessness, anxiety, uneasiness and discomfort.
[ In Yoga and Meditation the goal is to stop Physical Activity and Mental Activity simultaneously - and then transform the subjective-experience of restlessness/ anxiety/ suffering into peace. This requires ability and years of effort ]
For most people the choice is between physical and mental work.
The switch-over from physical work to mental work is disastrous for the planet.
Man can do the same physical work every day.
Man cannot do the same mental work every day.
When man used to do physical work ( farming and related activities ) he could do the same repetitive work day after day- generation after generation.
After the Industrial Revolution when man switched-over to mental work he began a never ending process of making new machines / things / products-- a process which can only end with the complete destruction of environment ( planet ).
When we make consumer goods we kill Animals/ Trees, Air/ Water and Land - directly or indirectly.
Industrial Society destroys ecosystems - all Industrial Societies destroy ecosystems.
It hardly matters whether it is "Capitalist Industrial Society" - "Communist Industrial Society" - or "Socialist Industrial Society".
Industrial Society destroys ecosystems at every stage of its functioning - when consumer goods are produced - when consumer goods are used - when consumer goods are discarded/ recycled.
Raw material for industry is obtained by cutting up Forests. It is extracted by mining/ digging up the earth. It comes by destroying/ killing Trees, Animals and Land.
Industries/ Factories use Water. The water that comes out of Factories is contaminated with hundreds of toxic chemicals. Industry kills Water. What to speak of Rivers - entire Oceans have been polluted.
Industry/ Factories burn millions of tonnes of fuel and when raw material is melted/ heated up, hundreds of toxic chemicals are released into the atmosphere. Industry kills Air.
Industrial Society has covered millions of square miles of land with cement and concrete. Industry kills Land.
When consumer goods are discarded/ thrown away in landfills it again leads to destruction of ecosystems.
When consumer goods are recycled, hundreds of toxic chemicals are released into air, water and land.
Consumer goods are sold/ marketed through a network of millions of kilometers of rail / road network and shipping routes which causes destruction of all ecosystems that come in the way.
Today 50% of world population - 3 bilion people are living in cities. The necessary work of growing/producing Food is being done outside cities - in villages and countryside. Most of the people living in cities are engaged in unnecessary work - making things, buying things and selling things. The switch-over from Physical work to Mental work/ Desk job has led to an endless cycle of unnecessary and destructive work.
When society switches over from physical work to mental work it starts making thousands of consumer goods. People start calling them necessities. They are not necessities at all - 90% of consumer goods that we see today did not exist 50 years ago.
Food, Water, Air, Little clothing, Little Shelter - these are necessities.
Close your nose and stop breathing for a few minutes - you will then know what necessity is.
Stop drinking water for a few days - you will then know what necessity is.
Stop eating food for a few days - you will then know what necessity is.
Today people are making thousands of consumer goods - not because they are necessities - but because they cannot stop making them. People cannot stop doing work - After switching over to mental work they will keep on making thousands of unnecessary consumer goods. Industrial Society is destroying necessary things[Animals,Trees,Air,Water and Land] for makng unnecessary things[Consumer Goods]. This is the reason why the switch-over from physical work to mental work is so destructive. This is the point of no-return - once this is crossed the destruction of Environment/ Nature is inevitable.
If we live a simple life there is individual suffering - but no largescale destruction of Environment.
If we live a consumerist life there is individual suffering - plus largescale destruction of Environment.
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