441 - Irreconcilable Interests (Capitalism and the Triple Crisis 1, Power and Powerlessness 17)

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Episode #441 - Irreconcilable Interests (Capitalism and the Triple Crisis #1, Power and Powerlessness #17)

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⌚ Sun 14 December 2008'  ☻David Obey, Barney Frank, Jerry Mander, Simon Retallack, Vandana Shiva, David Korten, Susan Rosenthal (reading)

Download Hour1 Download Hour2A forum of The International Forum on Globalization about the 'triple crises

Capitalism is based on a 17^th, century assumption, that there exists an endless supply of materials, commodities, and labor that can and should be marshalled to create continual economic growth. It has led to the dangerous destruction of our ecosystem and is on a collision course with climate change because the remedies required to preserve the ecosystem necessitate decreasing as well as different practices of consumption and production. From the ecological perspective less is more, it is prudent and responsible, in fact urgently necessary. From the capitalist point of view, it is a disaster, a severe decrease in economic activity, a reversal of economic growth, a depression.

As long as we remain within the system and logic of capitalism, we can neither make human needs a priority, nor take the necessary steps to avert a crisis of mass extinction of our species and most others that is caused by the pollution from our wasteful industrial societies, which are increasing in size each year, driven by the imperatives of growth. Every proposal for dealing with our ecological situation seems to be accepted or rejected based on its ability to generate profit rather than results.

The bottom line is that what's good for the environment is bad for profits. Confronting that is a first step in having a real discussion. However, the health of our ecosphere is not negotiable, it is a prerequisite for life itself - to chose capitalism over the ecosphere is to chose death.
Music: David Rovics
Thanks to The International Forum on Globalization, C-Span
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