Dear Sir/Madam,

 

 

I am not alone in believing that the world is heading towards disaster, because of the non-sustainability of our growth-dependent economy and the materialistic lifestyles it engenders (see my previous letter). In order to avoid it we have to make some very radical and rapid changes, not just to our economy and lifestyles, but also to the values, attitudes and aspirations which underlie them. At the moment, however, the prevailing attitude is to deny or play down the seriousness and urgency of our situation and to reject the need for radical change.

 

The essential thing to realise about ourselves is that we are not "fallen angels", but animals, the planet's "Greatest Ape ", in fact. This was implicit in Darwin's Origin of Species, published in 1859, and has been widely accepted, at least in scientific circles, for over 100 years, but the implications have yet to sink in.

 

Like all other animals, we are programmed to struggle for survival and advantage in the natural environment. With the advent of civilisation, however, this struggle was increasingly transferred, for most intents and purposes, to an artificial "socio-economic environment". Nowadays this generally boils down to individuals and groups (families, companies, etc., even nations) striving and competing to make money in the local, national or global economy. Our behaviour, which evolved to ensure our survival in the natural environment is now operating to ensure our survival and "success" in the "socio-economic environment" (i.e. social status, power and wealth, which again largely boils down to "money"). The Problem (that is Problem with a big "P") is that we are so preoccupied with our "socio-economic environment" that we have lost sight of what is still our absolute dependency on the natural environment and its long-term ability to support us. 

 

Our primitive, animal nature, it is worth noting, is completely blind to Earth's long-term ability to support us. All it sees is its own very narrow interests in the present and immediate future. It is our higher, more enlightened, human nature which recognises the importance of the environment, not just for ourselves, but also for our children and coming generations. 

 

 Protecting and maintaining the natural environment and the long-term ability of our planet to support us (we will soon be 7-9 billion) should be our absolute priority. The reason it is not is because our "more animal than human" nature is preoccupied with the struggle for position, wealth and advantage in the socio-economic environment.

 

How can we (along with the highest and mightiest and most respected in the land) be so blind and stupid? Because facing up to it is a very frightening experience; added to which we are overwhelmed by incentives and encouragement not to do so: from the media, from our politicians, from a growth-dependent economy, from multibillion dollar credit and advertising industries . . . .

 

Our free-market economy harnesses man's primitive, "more animal than human" nature as its driving force (his competitiveness, fears, greed etc), directing it towards maintaining or improving his position in the socio-economic environment and hierarchy. 

 

"Never mind the natural environment - that can take care of itself", was the general attitude until quite recently.  Slowly we are beginning to realise that this is not the case, that human activity is having a profound effect on the environment and that the economy (the household of man) is dependent upon and can only function within the limits inherent in the household (ecology) of the planet. 

 

Why then are we still giving first priority to the economy rather than to the ecology of our planet? 

 

One, because we haven't yet fully faced up to the situation; two, because we are in a kind of double-bind: dependent on a non-sustainable, growth-dependent economy for virtually everything, which in turn is dependent on our non-sustainable, grossly materialistic lifestyles; and three, because, from a narrow, personal and subjective point of view, our position/situation in the socio-economic environment and hierarchy, rather than in the natural environment is still what seems to be most important.

 

There is now heightened awareness of the importance of the environment, but still little sign of us switching priorities and giving it the absolute priority it requires. Instead, we are still attempting to protect and maintain the environment within the limits of the economy, rather than the other way around. There is a certain logic to it, of course: protecting the environment requires money, which in turn requires a healthy economy . . . .  You have to take a step back to recognise that in the long-term a healthy economy depends on a healthy environment and that ultimately it is the latter which is the more important. Unfortunately, most people are unable to step back and see beyond the horizon of their socio-economic environment, especially those who are particularly "successful" (i.e. are making a lot of money), or very comfortably situated, within it. To a greater or less extent, of course, it applies to all of us.