The Tax Refusal - Waking to "Tipping Points"
tax...@taxrefusal.com
I am currently reading ‘The World Without Us’ by Alan
Weisman. It details what civilization has already done to its life
support
system and what is likely after human civilization has disappeared. It
provides
appreciable detail on what has already happened to many species as the
result
of human capabilities to manipulate our environment.
In Chapter 3, Weisman
provides some information of what has to be done in New York to
maintain
the operation of the systems people have become so reliant on. He then
speculates
on what would happen if we were no longer there to expend the
resources for
maintenance. He describes how natural forces would gradually undo most
of what
our systems have built up. Even to the extent of skyscrapers
eventually falling
down. There is no reason to doubt the broad gist of Weisman’s
prognosis.
My conceptual model indicates that a community like New York
will have to make do in 2050 by using INMR at a rate roughly half of
the
current rate. If the population remains much the same, the per capita
rate will
also be about half. It is very doubtful
that the population will increase as many people will doubtless
evacuate
in search of a more benign location.
Maintaining the operation of New York’s range of systems as
the available natural capital declines will undoubtedly have a high
priority,
next to the provision of essential services, like food and water. The
authorities will doubtless look at financing these operations. But the
reality
will be that the available natural goods and services will limited
what can be
done.
It is ironical that the rich will still have appreciable
leverage with their money, but they will still have to put up with the
breakdown of many services, like sewerage.
Melbourne is much smaller than New York. But the dismal prognosis
is similar. We have misused the limited INMR to build up a house of
cards
without having the means to maintain its foundations. None of the
thousands of
cities worldwide are immune to this disease. Some will collapse more
rapidly
than others. The die has already been set. There is no way that the
demand for
oil and numerous other natural resources can be met.
There is appreciable concern about what the coming
depression will do to the lives of most people. They will be less able
to
afford their basic needs. There is little discussion about how to
maintain the
essential services provided in cities. That is another item to be
added to the
agenda as the authorities strive to cope with the inevitable powering
down.
Denis Frith
******************************
Note: INMR - Irreplaceable Non-Renewable Material Resources(?)
Unfortunately, absent a sudden "Awakening", all who presently live in
large cities shall soon understand what the book "Limits To Growth"
outlined.
It took us, page by page, to a conclusion that we must wake, or
prepare to murder each other in the madness that now has America's
"War College" planning and preparing "Possible Response Scenarios" to
deal with a society that shall not want to be told it, and not its
political leadership, is responsible for the fast developing debacle.
Unfortunately, due to an overabundance of individuals lacking basic
skills necessary to feed themselves and possessed of a horrible
inability to intellectually understand the reasons why they shall so
suffer, suffer they shalll. Especially when they understand that their
governments shall use their enlisted sons and daughters to murder as
many of them as need be in order to maintain "Power And Authority".
In spite of the doom and gloom that I long ago informed the world
would be their lot, should the masses fail to wake . . . "Merry
Christmas" . . .
So, go ahead and hope that some deity, perhaps "The Great Flying
Spaghetti Monster" (for practicing "Pastafarians") will help the world
find its way to an effortless solution.
Starting to lose all hope that someone may yet come up with a
solution?
You need not fall into that tipping point, start to use such as
"YOUR NEIGHBOURHOOD NETWORK" as found at
and start communicating with your neighbours as to what might yet be
possible.
Thank you.
To a safer, saner and more caring world.
To Duty.
Daniel J. Lavigne, Founder
International Humanity House
http://www.taxrefusal.com