Poor Piou-piou and Lilly; I do hope they feel better very soon.
Tax for a lot of off topic musing: Frida inspecting me carefully
Most ideas seem to be contested these days, so the decisions made (or not made) by the lawmakers are the issue, I think. And it seems to me that the amount of friction or inertia that anybody who wants change has to overcome is usually overwhelming, so change happens in tiny increments and very slowly, and it happens only as a result of a lot of moral strength and persistence if by altruistic agents of change, or (alternatively) by bribery of one shade or another, if somebody or other is going to profit by the change. The sudden late introduction of wrecking motions on environmental legislation is a typical example of a red flag for me. Lobbyists wielding bribes are usually behind such acts, and corporations that can afford both are the drivers. I'm not ready to call corporations the ruling class, but by hook or by crook they often call the shots these days.But I agree with Karl in this case that the ideas of the ruling class have become the ruling ideas, especially about how nature is treated and wanting "things"
I see your point, but what about the people too busy just surviving to worry about anything beyond their immediate struggle? Just trying to make ends meet can be, and for many is, mentally exhausting. Meanwhile those of us in the chattering classes (where I include myself) often feel powerless to do anything about the ills we see, and that can be emotionally debilitating. And then there are just the indifferent, who I suspect are very numerous. Charismatic leaders are needed to get them engaged. For an example of that I'd cite Jeremy Clarkson, who is not in any way my kind of person. But his series on farming has transformed the public perception of the industry, and of sustainable and organic farming. The (literally) pig ignorant petrol-head turned organic farmer has a huge following, and is now actually doing some good I think. Amazing. Individuals can make a difference, if they have that rare quality to be able to catch the attention of the otherwise indifferent and channel it for good. History is sadly full of examples of such individuals who had it and channelled it for ill.I was also impressed by Mary Oliver's use of "we", including both the writer and the reader. If my disagreement with what is going on stays passive or personal, is it not having the same result as validating ?
Tax for a lot of off topic musing: Frida inspecting me carefully