The Era of Fake Reform. When Will We Actually Fight for the Planet?
Currently the 2015 Climate Change Conference is being held in Paris, France. It will go from November 30th – December 11th.
Yet how effective have these climate ‘talks’ been? And is that all it is? Just talk?
Since the first climate summit 20 years ago, carbon dioxide emissions have soared (not decreased) and the pace of destruction is accelerating. Climate scientists say that sea levels, for example, are rising three times faster than predicted and that the Arctic ice is vanishing at rates unforeseen.
If we allow carbon dioxide concentrations to reach 550 ppm, that means the global temperature will continue to rise for at least another century. We have already passed the 400 mark – a figure unseen on earth for 3-5 million years, and in the last ten years, we’ve seen the nine hottest years on record.
But of course greenhouse gasses aren’t the only issue at hand.
The reality is that humans are presiding over an era of mass destruction on planet earth. Scientists are calling the human era (the Anthropocene Age) an era of mass extinction. In 40 short years, our economic systems have destroyed half of the wild life on the planet according to the world wild life fund.
This is not to mention that little is being said by global elites about the most environmentally destructive industry in our time – the agriculture industry. While it was barely mentioned in the climate talks, these big agriculture businesses account for nearly 51% of all worldwide greenhouse gas emissions.
So what we have is an era in which the leaders and elites deliver feel good sound bites and lofty rhetoric. There are always ‘talks’ about change and endless ‘conversations.’ Sure, around twenty countries have taken a pledge to reduce their CO2 emissions, but what rules have been put into place to force these promises into action?
And even if these countries do reduce CO2 emissions, that’s not the complete problem.
The real problem is that today’s societies and governments are based on a system of endless growth that cannot possibly be sustained. The same leaders who deliver happy talk about saving the rain forests and cutting down on greenhouse gas emissions, are the leaders who profit from the machinery of environmental destruction and corporate greed.
The truth is that we cannot live by systems of endless growth on a planet with finite resources.
So the truth is that a corporate cabal has hijacked our democracies and governments. Our so called liberal leaders have done little to nothing to stop the break neck speed of climate change and environmental destruction. Many of the so called liberal reformers who deliver rhetoric about saving the planet and climate change, are also the people who voted yes for the TPP and cheer on fracking. It’s okay, it’s called ‘natural’ gas – so that means it’s natural right? Never mind the fact that this process releases methane into the air, which is 20 times more effective at trapping heat than carbon dioxide.
So in our time we have the growth of environmental fads, such as buying $50 dollar light bulbs and fair trade coffee. Things like this make people feel like they’re doing something without changing the actual infrastructure of the problem.
This would be like if a dragon were flying around, raining hell fire and destruction from above, and people cheered one another on for painting the dragon’s toe nails green (instead of…you know…slaying the dragon).
So a lot of this feel good talk and fake reform is dangerous – more dangerous than doing nothing in some ways. It’s dangerous because it creates the illusion that we’re doing something about our problems, when we’re actually not. This way, people don’t rise up and demand change, because they’re fooled by the lies of the fake reformers.
But the reality is that if people don’t push for REAL change, Mother Nature will push these changes herself. It’ll just be a change that human beings won’t like very much.
The reality is that the coming destruction as a result of humanity’s excesses won’t happen in a linear fashion, as part of some carefully calculated trend. The destruction will happen all at once because our ecosystem is interconnected. It’ll be a widespread domino effect. We’ll see the crash of our food systems, destroyed due to a lack of genetic diversity, and the death of natural pollinators – like the bees. We’ll see the rise of droughts, disease, coastal flooding and mega-storms.
So the reality is that change is coming one way or another.
We can either be a part of the change or be on the receiving end of it.
It would be great if our leaders could peacefully put through needed reforms. And it’s great that people are talking about environmental reform. But if real environmental change doesn’t come, there will be a need in our time for people to put forth new political ideologies – for people to be willing to take down the current infrastructure of runaway corporate greed. This may involve violence. This may involve civil disobedience. But it’s near certain that the people benefiting from the planet’s destruction are not going to stop unless someone makes them stop.
The people presiding over this system are not good people. The problems of today aren’t a temporary hiccup in a gleaming machine of progress. What kind of people would preside over the destruction of half the planet’s wildlife? What kind of people would abide the greatest income inequality of our time? The answer, is sick, disturbed people. These people are spiritually and mentally sick, and they are a byproduct of the fact that the world has been run off of sick religious ideas for a while now.
In our time there is a need to become spiritually attuned to Nature – as our ancestors were in the days of old. Soon Nature will call for warriors to take a stand against evil and greed. Will you heed the call of the Earth?
Ways that Modern People Have Overlooked Warrior Women as Historical Fact
(Historians have assumed this woman was holding a cleaning tool – um she looks more like she’s ready to cut someone’s head off with that thing than polish the floor.)
Cracked isn’t always the most accurate place for news, but the article I posted above makes some good points.
In modern depictions of the past, such as a TV series like Spartacus, we are shown an image of muscular slave men battling each other to death in the gladiatorial arena, while a woman’s maximum participation is cheering from the sidelines or later rewarding one of the gladiators with a blow job.
However, the truth is that female gladiators were quite common in Rome. There were many graves of decorated gladiators that historians assumed to be male, only to be surprised when the bone analysis revealed these warriors to be women – as if the woman just so happened to fall into the wrong grave!
The assumptions don’t just end there. Most heroic warrior figures, such as vikings or samurai are all assumed to be male, and this depiction is the norm in television dramas, comics and movies. Yet in most warrior societies – such as that of the Spartans, the Mongols, the Celts and the Vikings, the art of war was such an important skill that everyone was expected to know what they were doing – including the women. In ancient Celtic societies, there were even fighting schools where female teachers called a BAN-GAISGEDAIG taught boys the art of fighting and love.
In fact, in a DNA analysis of the Japanese battle of Senbon Matsubaru in 1580, 35 of the 105 bodies tested were female. Not to mention that this is only one of several archaeological finds that show a similar story.
Then there is the fact that most ancient societies had goddesses associated with war and death, such as Athena, Freya, Sekhmet, the Morrigan, Brigid and Kali. In fact, some of these named Goddesses were more terrifying than their male counterparts. If the idea of a woman fighting was really so unrealistic to the people of the ancient world, then why were there Goddesses entirely devoted to warfare?
So today’s reality of women in the military or police force actually isn’t anything new. If anything, it is a return to long term historical trends. Look at the fact that more than 30% of the Kurds fighting the ISIS scum are female. When a group of people are in danger, and bodies are needed to fight for survival, women will be among that number. This is why it is unrealistic for people today to think that women don’t need to know anything about fighting or self defense. What society has a better chance of survival – one where only half the population knows how to fight, or one where 100% of the population can kick some ass?
So next time someone complains that the portrayal of women warriors in historical dramas is “not realistic,” remind them that the more historically inaccurate fallacy is one where there are no women warriors at all in societies that prized the art of battle in all aspects of life.
Masha Scream of Arkona (Source)
LINKS OF INTEREST
Japanese Warrior Women – Onna-Bugeisha
Real Spirituality v.s. Synthetic Religion
EARTH BASED IDEALS V.S. BLIND FAITH
Many people on the internet debate what defines “real” paganism, “real” spirituality. If you want to get technical, this could be a debate that lasts for 500 years. I guess that’s why so many religious conflicts have lasted that long. But in this most basic sense, Earth based beliefs – like Paganism – are based on reality, on worshipping what you can observe with your 5 senses. And what has man been able to observe for the entirety of human history? The Sun, the Moon and the Earth of course. Most Ancient Spirituality draws on the energy of these things. The fullness of the moon represents the fertility of the Goddess. The brightness of the sun represents the power of the God (or Goddess, depending on what tradition you practice).
This is one of the greatest contrasts between Earth Based Spirituality and Abrahamic Religion. Christianity has taught man since the middle ages to hate the iconography of the Earth. Islam prohibits man from depicting images of God. Catholicism is probably the version of Christianity that evokes the most use of imagery. But this is because Catholicism appropriated European Pagan customs into their religious customs.
SENSUALITY OF THE SACRED
In many Abrahamic faiths the sensual and sexual are considered sinful things. These are things that must be controlled and regulated. Women must hide their sexual parts to prevent sin.
Yet in Earth Based spirituality, the sensuality of this world is something to be celebrated. Indeed many Pagans praised sexuality with poetry, plays, art and music. Paganism and Earth based religions are based on the idea of having a bold and exciting life in which you directly interact with this world – not a passive one in which you quietly wait for this life to end. In the mythos of many ancient beliefs, heroes who committed great feats on this Earth were rewarded by the Gods. The great warriors, the beautiful, the smart and the artistic were all praised and loved by the Gods. Compare that to Christianity where you are rewarded for thought instead of action.
THE SYNTHETIC WEST:
The Christian emphasis on thought rather than deed gave rise to the intellectual and aloof aspects of Western Culture. We see ourselves separate from this Earth. This is why much global destruction and imperialism has been committed by Westerners. Our values and religious beliefs are based on something that isn’t real. They are based on an imaginary dream of human greatness, on an ego driven impulse. This is why we now have a culture of materialism. We celebrate that which has no meaning. Which is empty inside. We buy for the sake of buying and nothing else.
Other cultures in world history have been more holistic. They have worshiped things that are real. The Earth is very real – and we are very much a real part of it. Science has proven again and again that we must take care of this Earth if we are to survive – but the ideals of Christianity and Capitalism ignore the warnings of science. That is because these ideologies are not based on real values. They are based on fake values.
RISE OF THE ORGANIC:
This is why Earth based spirituality and Paganism is making a come back. Many people have the subconscious realization that we need to return to something that is pure, true – but most of all – REAL. We need to worship that which is around us. The Kingdom of God is a lie. The Earth we live on is a more beautiful salvation than any alternative reality. We must take care of this Earth because we can sense with all five senses that it is a sacred place where life is created. If we want life to continue – we must protect the real. The Earth.
Metal Gaia 