I Made a Mistake

I’ve actually made a lot of mistakes, and seemly continue to do so, and probably will until I’m very dead. The specific mistake I’m referring to is teenager-esqe arrogance. Somehow it carried through until just very recently. I don’t have the answers… I never did. I have a few ideas of what could be cool, and might work, but answers? The Truth? Nope. Education is a bitch. If you’re really learning, it’s a continual process of revelations of ignorance. Every bit of new information shames your long-held, uneducated beliefs. By the end, you get to that point where you can barely move, unable to speak, as the level of you unknowledge is fathomless. People come to you for answers, and all you can do is say, “I… I...

Book Going Offline, for now.

My first book, The Sharp Knife of Forced Simplicity, Volume 1: The Numinous Rebellion was published almost exactly three years ago. I’ve learned a lot in that time. I’ve learned how the publication process works – at least with a certain business model of publishing. I learned what it feels like to see your name attached to words, on a bookshelf in a stranger’s house. I’ve learned about the overwhelming importance of proper and thorough editing. I’ve learned how hard it is to get honest feedback from friends, and I’ve learned that there’s nothing more disappointing than a lukewarm reception. I’ve learned that, obviously, views change through the years. I’ve learned that inspiration comes in shades....

Paper: Threats to Global Sustainability

[This paper isn't due until Monday - I finished it Thursday night. Enjoy!]   Executive Summary: Impediments to Establishing Global Sustainability   Ron Khare The purpose of this paper is to identify and clearly explain the single largest challenge to the establishment of global sustainability. Our working definition of “global sustainability” is the perpetuity of natural resources. The definition of “civilization” is ever-increasingly complex urbanization. This is distinctly different from “community,” with which it is often confused.   Summary The only real factor that prevents global sustainability is civilization, or more specifically, the cities upon which civilization is based. Civilization’s basic structure is exploitative,...

Random opinions from my student blog…

[unedited. enjoy.]   [As an aside, I'm also reading Derrick Jensen's book "Endgame, Volume 1: The Problem with Civilization" - the main thrust of which is that civilization itself is unsustainable and will end, probably sooner than later, and that we should be actively dismantling it.]   Preface and Chapter 1 RUNDOWN!!  (woo!) I forget – are we suppose to sum up each chapter section? I could do that, but I’d rather give my reflections on the readings. Preface - Ah jeez. I’m two pages in and I already have a lot to say… this is going to be a rough course. The first thing I tripped over was his listing of trends that have been responsible for the growing food crisis. Ethanol is not responsible for the food crisis, nor has ice...

The Jeavons Paradox (or, The Reason We’re Screwed)

Reading: The Efficiency Dilemma (which you can read HERE!)   The better (more efficient) we are at doing something industrial (using coal power, increasing miles-per=gallon), the more we end up doing it. That is, rather than see an overall decrease of gasoline consumption due to more efficient motors, we see a net increase in fuel consumption – more people driving more hours. The more electricity we can squeeze out of coal, the more plants we build, the more power we use. There’s just one small neuron that makes this link happen in the brain. Just one tiny bit of information – the better we are, the more we are – is the turning point for the rest of society and civilization. You’re heard me repeat the adage: “If...

Just a Picture

ok, actually two: