Comments on: Open Letter to Depressed Women

By: Aletha

Aletha — Thu, 05 Mar 2009 07:06:48 +0000

I am not of the camp that claims there is no difference between Democrats and Republicans, though how significant the differences are is open to question. I am working on a new post, in which I give credit for some good ideas Obama has, but the purpose of that is to contrast with my theme.

I think women are more or less aware of being coopted by male dominated movements, and that men take more credit than they deserve, but relatively few women who want to be involved in these movements see any realistic alternative.

By: Laur

Laur — Wed, 04 Mar 2009 23:43:34 +0000

Yeah, Aletha, I wish women would somehow see this for themselves, how we are co-opted in these other movements, as happened in the late ’60s.

Re: Obama, I’ve actually felt relieved by *some* of the things he’s done, and then totally not surprised (so not disappointed), by others. I guess I had SUCH a bad impression of him that even seeing a small change from some Bush policies is something.

By: Aletha

Aletha — Tue, 03 Mar 2009 06:08:14 +0000

Unfortunately the environmental movement is no more egalitarian than any other social movement; men get most of the attention and take most of the credit, regardless of who deserves it. There have been so many good ideas women have put forth, that once men discover them, they take over, and who originated the idea is forgotten, the herstory erased in the familiar patterns. I might believe men have any kind of handle on what it will take to reverse climate change when the mainstream environmental organizations stop touting Obama, who keeps putting clean coal and advanced biofuels on the same level as solar and wind energy, as a green President. He is just another Democratic greenwasher, talking a good game about battling corporate interests while they laugh all the way to the bank, knowing his words are just rhetoric, meant to placate the public without rocking the boat. Obama is about as green as he is feminist, appearing as such to the unwary eye, but lacking in substance.

By: Laur

Laur — Sun, 01 Mar 2009 21:26:59 +0000

Well, I attended one day of Powershift this weekend. The conference itself was fine, though if I had been organizing, I would have suggested it be done a bit differently.

Having a feminist conscience in some ways–okay, many ways–makes life a lot harder. How could one not notice that when a man stood up to ask a question, the audience whispered how articulate he was, and when a woman asked a question, which was, IMHO, quite good, those same audience members mocked both it and her. Some would say I am overreacting, but when you notice these same patterns over and over, it is beyond coincidence.

Climate change is going to impact women disproportionately, as everything does, so women should be leading the climate movement, not the other way around.

By: Aletha

Aletha — Mon, 16 Feb 2009 06:57:16 +0000

I also have my moments of doubting things will ever get better, but to me, the point is that this is all a matter of political will. We do have the capacity to turn things around, but whether it will happen before it is too late to do more than slow down the inexorable march of the revenge of nature on this ever so reckless and foolhardy species, who knows. What Obama has proposed is a drop in the bucket compared to what will be necessary. Al Gore was more ambitious, but even his plan would be too little, too late. As long as the powers that be think the economy is the primary issue, there is no reason to hope they will wake up in time.

As for your post being relevant, Robin Morgan says all issues are women’s issues, so by extension. all issues should be relevant to a political party for women.

By: Laur

Laur — Sun, 15 Feb 2009 21:26:30 +0000

I don’t know. I used to agree, that things would get worse before they’ll get better, and I suppose i still do–I just wonder if things ever WILL get better.

I’m currently devouring Peter Ward’s Under a Green Sky, horror reading at its best. I even had a nightmare the other day about knowing the world was coming to an end and trying to protect my parents. Very, very scary stuff.

Anyhow, in the book, Ward talks to a scientist who thinks humanity WILL make changes–but only when it’s so late that climate change will have taken on a life of its own.

And then there are the people who refuse to believe humans are causing climate change (I have some family members for who this is the case) because if they were to face the evidence, they would need to call for government intervention. Not that I’m a big fan of the government, at least in its present form, where it is not a real tool of the people.

I am honestly quite scared about the future and wonder what the point of anything I do in my life is sometimes, when it appears humanity is on the brink of catastrophe. But then, I think if I could make life a bit nicer for other women, even during this ardurous period, my life will have meaning.

I suppose this post isn’t exactly related to the freesoil party, but it is by a depressed, or at least scared, woman!

By: Aletha

Aletha — Tue, 03 Feb 2009 05:28:12 +0000

Yes, it is scary to think about, but unfortunately the powers that be are not nearly scared enough. Things are bound to get worse before they get better, unless people wise up in a big hurry. The pathetic part of it is that the means to save the planet are out there already, but the political will is not, at least not yet.

By: Laur

Laur — Tue, 03 Feb 2009 02:18:00 +0000

I have a bad feeling about the future of humanity. Really scary to think about…

James Lovelock is saying there will probably be less than 1 billion humans on the planet at the end of the century. This is why I worry when I see young children.

By: Aletha

Aletha — Sat, 31 Jan 2009 05:10:21 +0000

Thanks, Laur. That news about warming is not exactly news, but now it is finally getting into the mainstream. It does not mean nothing can be done, but the rapidly approaching tipping points are behind what I said about the world having to clean up its act more than most people can imagine. That means the world has to phase out carbon-based fuels, period, no gasoline, ethanol, biofuels, coal, synthetic fuels, or natural gas. That means reversing deforestation in a big way, no more making paper from wood, for instance. That means recycling virtually all waste. In a nutshell, humanity has to stop fouling our nest. No species can survive that for long.

I doubt all life would perish, even if Earth becomes another Venus; some forms of life are extremely hardy. People are another story. We have trashed this planet thoroughly; either we will learn from our errors, or natural processes will eradicate us.

By: Laur

Laur — Fri, 30 Jan 2009 17:15:49 +0000

Hey Aletha,

I read this pice a few days ago when you first posted it, and it is AMAZING. I’m not able to respond to each of the excellent points you make now, but I wanted to say what you said about protecting the Earth being a reason to live (and live well!) makes a lot of sense. That said, however, I have also just learned that scientists are now saying it is inevitable we will push past a 4 degree warming this century. :-0 Isn’t that a tipping point when life on Earth may not be able to be sustained? Does this not mean there’s nothing more that can be done?

It seems, though, people are still trying; maybe it is not certain, because I am still hearing about environmentalist’s plans to stop this warming.

Thoughts?

Laur