We’ve lived so long under the spell of hierarchy—from god-kings to feudal lords to party bosses—that only recently have we awakened to see not only that “regular” citizens have the capacity for self-governance, but that without their engagement our huge global crises cannot be addressed. The changes needed for human society simply to survive, let alone thrive, are so profound that the only way we will move toward them is if we ourselves, regular citizens, feel meaningful ownership of solutions through direct engagement. Our problems are too big, interrelated, and pervasive to yield to directives from on high.
—Frances Moore Lappé, excerpt from Time for Progressives to Grow Up

Friday, April 30, 2010

The End of the Long Summer

from Yes! Magazine. Somehow I missed this article earlier in the month. It is a review of a book by Dianne Dumanoski entitled, "The End of the Long Summer".  Based on the review, it appears that the author (of the book) makes a good case for system change if we as a human species are going to prevent climatic and environmental catastrophe, but in the review there is never any mention of the system that needs changing. You see, in the US it is a real career killer if one, in any way, criticizes the capitalist system.