Can We Mandate Introspection?

Professor J,

Isn't that what fantasies are for? ;)

Your story about the lack of earthworms is a familiar one. The cost of a manicured lawn is far more than people should be willing to pay, and I suspect that few people have actually calculated the very real and long term cost. Those trucks make me cringe. My yard would probably make lots of other people wince as it is organic and dandelions and violets are welcome. Beekeeping presents a different perspective of what is beautiful. Recently at the recycling center near my house I saw hundreds of bees flying in and out of soda and beer cans. Maybe I should rename my honey Tipsy Honey. :)

Once again you have provided a thorough answer and detailed accounting of the struggles and the cost.

I liked this sentence from your post, "One small thing is to quite silently agreeing that a "little" eco-injury is okay."

I'm currently listening to a course on meditation and one of the precepts covered in an early lecture is to cause no harm. At least not as far as we are able. Of course we are able much more that we care to recognize. We could often do the right thing and for the right reason but, we (as you pointed out) have allowed ourselves to tell ourselves lies. Causing great harm not only to the earth and its creatures, but to our own disconnected spirits and minds. We seem to care little for the victims of our actions whether its the next generation or ourselves.

This disconnection, in my own humble opinion, is the root of the problem. So few people take even a moment on occasion to think about the repercussions of their actions and choices. We are consumed with consuming, and what good consumers we are. The ramifications of our actions (many of which are mindless) have far reaching effects without and within. We drive our cars to work or home and don't even remember how we got there. Our over worked over distracted minds are numb. A larger part of your plan would need to be to get people to think about their actions.

And that is painful.

Our (feigned) ignorance is so much more comfortable than facing the actual problems we are faced with. So we continue to distract and avoid in nearly ever area of life from relationships, community, and our part of the responsibility for all the things that have come undone and need to be healed, strengthened, and cared for.