Some COVID-inspired introspection on the work of the Suzuki Elders

by Marilyn Daniels I see the “work” taken on by the Suzuki Elders as having two components: the “work” of being and becoming an Elder (in the sense that First Nations hold the term); and the “work” one takes on as an elder (in the sense of life stage interchangeable with ‘older’. I feel that… Continue reading Some COVID-inspired introspection on the work of the Suzuki Elders

A tale of a trillion trees

by Stan Hirst A fine alliterative title, but it presents a problem in visioning. Just what does a trillion trees actually look like? What size area would, or could they cover? The story starts with Kenyan Wangari Maathai (1940-2011) who, while serving in the National Council of Women in 1976, introduced the idea of community-based… Continue reading A tale of a trillion trees

If we want to solve complex social and environmental problems we need to think in terms of systems

by Leyla Acaroglu  — Condensed with permission from “Problem Solving Desperately Needs Systems Thinking,” originally published at Medium June 26, 2018. Most of us are taught, from a young age, that in order to solve a problem, we simply need to break it down to its core components and solve for x. We learn science… Continue reading If we want to solve complex social and environmental problems we need to think in terms of systems

Given how little effect you can have, is it rational to vote?

Voting is underway at the Sonora Community Centre to elect a new Osoyoos town council. The turnout has been steady and busy. Polls close at 8 p.m. If you haven't already voted, bring two pieces of ID and get down there!

by Julia Maskivker For far too long, the accepted wisdom among scholars of politics has been that the interests of the individual and the interests of society are not in harmony when it comes to voting. The American economist Anthony Downs, in his foundational book An Economic Theory of Democracy (1957), argued that a truly… Continue reading Given how little effect you can have, is it rational to vote?

Why the idea that the world is in terminal decline is so dangerous

by Jeremy Adelman From all sides, the message is coming in: the world as we know it is on the verge of something really bad. From the Right, we hear that ‘West’ and ‘Judeo-Christian Civilisation’ are in the pincers of foreign infidels and native, hooded extremists. Left-wing declinism buzzes about coups, surveillance regimes, and the… Continue reading Why the idea that the world is in terminal decline is so dangerous

The tree of knowledge is not an apple or an oak but a banyan

by Jonardon Ganeri In European societies, knowledge is often pictured as a tree: a single trunk – the core – with branches splaying outwards towards distant peripheries. The imagery of this tree is so deeply embedded in European thought-patterns that every form of institution has been marshalled into a ‘centre-periphery’ pattern. In philosophy, for example,… Continue reading The tree of knowledge is not an apple or an oak but a banyan

Why hasn’t evolution dealt with the inefficiency of ageing?

by Jordan Pennells Life pits the order and intricacy of biology against the ceaseless chaos of physics. The second law of thermodynamics, or the thermodynamic arrow of time, states that any natural system will always tend towards increasing disorder. Biological ageing is no different, making death inevitable. However, one of the least-addressed questions of ageing… Continue reading Why hasn’t evolution dealt with the inefficiency of ageing?

The Blind Men and the Elephant – A Picture of Relativism and Tolerance

by Erlene Woollard and Patricia Plackett The Blind Men and the Elephant is a famous Indian fable that tells the story of six blind sojourners that come across different parts of an elephant in their life journeys. In turn, each blind man creates his own version of reality from that limited experience and perspective. The… Continue reading The Blind Men and the Elephant – A Picture of Relativism and Tolerance

Climate change conversations: how to have them without everyone walking out of the room

by Don Marshall and David MacQuarrie 2019 Salon on Climate Change Conversations The Suzuki Elders presented a Salon on February 28, 2019 on climate change conversations. The important byline was “How to have them without everyone walking out of the room”. Attended by 33 participants, the Salon was essentially a pilot exercise to explore the… Continue reading Climate change conversations: how to have them without everyone walking out of the room

Climate: A New Story

Climate: A New Story by Charles Eisenstein North Atlantic | 2018 | 320 pages Having read this book and also watched the video below of author Charles Eisentstein himself reviewing it, I have convinced myself it is a powerful narrative to begin to comprehend the significance of these times in terms of survival of the kind of diversity… Continue reading Climate: A New Story