Human Extinction?

Below is my latest email (slightly edited) to a few friends and family.

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If anyone has the time or interest, & it takes very little time, read the Conclusion (starting on pg 86) of this 2016 scholarly Thesis.  https://core.ac.uk/download/pdf/54848306.pdf

It provides evidence of how neoliberalism essentially has (over decades) squashed the environmental movement relative to protection of our habitat.  

That has been accomplished via 3 avenues:  legislation (interpreted to include Free Trade Agreements enforced by private "courts" via the WTO), assimilation (corporations partnering with NGOs & gov'ts, corps determining policy, etc.), and financial coercion (through debt via mega banks, the IMF, & the World Bank).   It has been an assault on not only the enviro movement, but also on any social movement which opposes neoliberal policies.  Those policies include worldwide privatization, deregulation, liberalization of Finance (without adequate oversight), austerity for commoners, and mega corporate hegemony in general.

This is one of several scholarly papers which tend to support my contention that neoliberals now rule society with the aid of their political puppets... regardless of Party.

Most of the "Green" talk by the Establishment in DC today is all in the framework of neoliberal philosophy & neoliberal economics.  It's an oxymoron. It's window dressing.  It's tinkering around the edges of the Crisis.

When the political Establishment talks about "following the science", they mean the medical science.  They don't pay much attention at all to the science of ecology.  That lack on their part might be the 1st step on the path to eventual human extinction.  That's entirely within the realm of possibility.  To avoid it, we need a paradigm shift in ethics & our worldview.

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Not only my opinion.

Be Well

INTOLERANCE on the Political Right and the Political Left

 https://theintercept.com/2021/08/23/portland-police-proud-boys-protest/

Portland's bizarre experiment, indeed.  The Portland, OR Police Chief apparently is not aware of this:  when protesters and counter protesters are in the same place at the same time, the job of the police is to keep the two groups separated.  Hello.

Instead, there were multiple incidents of physical attacks, and even a bit of shooting at one another.  So, what's all this hate, lack of civility, and idiocy about?  From an email of mine (edited)--

The Criminal Childish Boys (AKA, proud boys) are not insisting on individual rights; they are insisting on totalitarianism - they expect everyone to believe & act as they do, even if it contravenes other peoples' rights (e.g., the right to wear a mask during a pandemic, or the right to voice an opinion, or the right to be in public without being attacked).  The Left has a much milder version with something similar to totalitarianism - their "Political Correctness" and "Cancel Culture".  

Intolerance spans the entire political spectrum.  "Think & act as we do, or we'll denigrate & harass you... because we know what's best for everyone."  On the one hand (the Right), "God told us"; and on the other hand (the Left), social evolution told us.  In either case:  "We're right, & you're wrong.  Period.".

Both the Right & the Left are "True Believers" in the worst sense, although, the Right is a tad worse about it than the Left.  Not too much worse, though.  One thing is clear to me after being a keen observer of American politics since Mr. Benson's American Gov't class at HPHS in 1956:  both the Right & Left are intolerant of "the other side", and almost totally so.  Of course, that's a general statement; I'm sure there are a few exceptions.  Those exceptions do not invalidate the general statement.  

 Until that intolerance is overcome, our country will continue to be divisive and often violent.  What a genuine tragedy.  The Big Picture is way beyond Right & Left, but it seems too few see it.  The Media don't help.  Whether corporate or noncorporate, ALL of them are slanted one way or another.  Most likely, that's because of intolerance for "the other".  There's no objective News at all anymore.  Perhaps there never was.

Political prejudice reigns supreme (in general) among people on the Right & the Left, which means each views "the other side" as ALL (or at least, an overwhelming majority) having the same characteristics as the few who are running the show on each side.  As long as that continues, we will not have a civil society.  Ever. 

 The truth is, no group ever has been as homogeneous as what the Right & Left say the other side is today.  I've known some super fine people in my life.  About half were on the Right, & half were on the Left.  They all were civil to each other.  The younger folks of today could take a lesson from that.

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Not only my opinion.  Be Well

MULTIPLE APPROACHES and TOOLS are required to attain sustainability

The articles below propose that it may not be wise to focus on only a single approach when tackling the implementation of sustainability.  The complexity of a paradigm shift in this arena requires multiple approaches and tools.  Specifics are given.

https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0921800921002019

[Integrating the green economy, circular economy and bioeconomy in a strategic sustainability framework]

https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2210422416300843?dgcid=raven_sd_recommender_email

Exploring the governance and politics of transformations towards sustainability

From watching/reading the Corporate Media, one would rarely ever be aware of the tremendous comprehensive work being done in the field of sustainability...for at least the last twenty years.  Some of it goes back forty years plus.  More writers and activists should spread the word.  Once in awhile, I get the feeling that some people think "Going Green" is simply a matter of passing laws.  Passing laws may not be easy, but it's a picnic compared to the research and implementation of sustainability for Spaceship Earth. 

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Not only my opinion.  Be Well

Political Corruption Reigns Supreme in the USA

Here's how to combat it peacefully---

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PJy8vTu66tE&list=WL&index=70

The video is about six years old, but still applies today.

Another of my comments on it is posted here---

https://twitter.com/ScottHa85992272/status/1404229654702137355?s=20

I've been preaching this for about 20 years, and Harvard Prof Lessig explains it better than I ever could.  Every adult in the world should watch this short video.  Here is PRECISELY how corruption operates in the USA.  It has been going on for decades, and continues today.

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Not only my opinion.  Be Well

"We Are a Plutocracy: Jeffrey Sachs Slams Biden for..."

 At the link below is a brief, 3-part post of mine.  For Parts 2 & 3, look below the photo at the link.

https://twitter.com/ScottHa85992272/status/1400936951021191168?s=20

The piece is from Democracy Now.

In general, Plutocrats are committed to unlimited growth and overconsumption. If ever we are to reach sustainability goals on Spaceship Earth, we must stop allowing the Super-Rich to rule the roost. Step One would seem to be: get private mega donations out of political election campaigns.

The Plutocrats claim such money is "free speech". Not when it's given to candidates or their campaigns, it isn't. It's then nothing more than corruption, buying influence. The use of it would be free speech if the donor used it to run an ad in the media, expressing support for the candidate. This is not rocket science. 😌 It's merely common sense.

Get mega money out of politics.

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Not only my opinion. Be Well

The real reason why we're still in Afghanistan...

and never will leave completely unless we undergo a paradigm shift in economics.

https://campbellmgold.co.uk/archive_blowing_in_the_wind/afghanistan_mineral_riches.pdf  [Article by James Risen.]

Almost fifteen years ago, the USGS and the Pentagon discovered the probability is extremely high that Afghanistan is awash in mineral riches totaling about one trillion dollars.  Not only common minerals such as iron and copper are buried there, but those crucial to modern day industry (e.g., lithium) as well.

The world is at a point where mineral resources - especially rare earth minerals - are more and more difficult to access.  Afghanistan has never been mined to any significant degree.  Done in 2007, the USGS used highly sophisticated aerial survey equipment in a study which shows the country is ripe for extremely productive mining.

World leaders who are not pursuing sustainability are prone to believe that when it comes to critical natural resources, it's a "dog-eat-dog" world.  Sometimes such thinking results in long-term planning involving resource wars, or financial wars, or best case - diplomacy.  For decades, we've had all the above on planet Earth.

One way or another, the richer countries are going to get access to needed natural resources.  That's especially true when the country is on an unsustainable path, which currently is the case in the USA and many other well-off nations.

Sustainability is one of the keys to a peaceful future.  Ecological economics is the best path forward.

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Not only my opinion.  Be Well

A final word from a conservative on the criminal, plus - a commonly held reason by two opposites for ____________

 Here's my latest email to family and a few friends.  It contains must-see and must-read materials at the links provided.

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A guy who might just be a real conservative (not a neoconservative) speaks out re the criminal who no longer is in office.  Schmidt is well-versed in the Repub Party, & every person who still supports the dangerous buffoonish criminal should listen & watch this extremely short clip.  What he says is painfully obvious.

https://twitter.com/RealTimers/status/1360467985136193538?s=20

Then there's this: a common reason why some support the above criminal, while others support people like Bernie Sanders & Elizabeth Warren - https://www.noozhawk.com/article/randy_alcorn_its_time_for_america_to_defuse_economic_disaffection_20210207?emci=9ada8b01-a96f-eb11-9889-00155d43c992&emdi=5fc2ad15-c06f-eb11-9889-00155d43c992&ceid=6171896

Forget "White Nationalism" (even though there is some of that), forget "Socialism" (even though there's some of that) - here's the MAIN REASON why people support such disparate politicians.

............... Not only my opinion. Be Well

The King of the Ecological Wake-Up Calls

 Frontiers | Underestimating the Challenges of Avoiding a Ghastly Future | Conservation Science (frontiersin.org)

This speaks for itself.

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Not only my opinion.  Be Well

Keynes, the Neoliberals, & Today's Crisis - Plus - the Power & Importance of a Narrative in Macroeconomics

 The new political story that could change everything | George Monbiot - YouTube

After relaying some crucial history, Monbiot presents his idea for a new "restoration story".  He may be on to something important here.  One thing's for certain:  presently re macroeconomics, the Powers-That-Be are engaged with pretty much same-ol', same-ol' stuff, or SSDD.  Given the worldwide socio-eco-econ-ethical Crisis upon us, that will never do.

We are in dire need of a new politics, and a new restoration story to promote it.  That doesn't mean we necessarily have to throw out capitalism; however, it does mean we must recognize that capitalism has become so distorted as to be unrecognizable.  Adam Smith certainly wouldn't recognize it, especially with all the mega businesses, the essentially monopolistic enterprises, the shrinking Middle Class, the gross inequality, the excessive damaging and/or utter destruction of ecosystems, the crony relations with government, and the perpetual wars waged in order to access or control natural resources.  That's not capitalism; it's plutocratic fascism pretending to be economics.

In addition to Monbiot's view, another possibility for a new narrative is found in Ecological Economics.  The two aren't that far apart.  Eco-Econ has been around about 30 years, but very few on Main Street seem to know anything about it.  The main reason for that is the past and present dominance of neoliberal economists in high places, both public and private.  Neoliberal economics has failed, but still rules the world.  Why?  Many reasons, but I suspect the primary ones are as follows.

1.  Money buys influence and power.

2.  Plain old propaganda continues.

3.  Main street people are distracted to a point beyond the pale.

4.  Every so often, those in high places throw a bone to the rest of us.

It's an old, old story.

The good news is that things are beginning to change all around the world.  People are waking up, which means the plutocrats are doubling down.  Be aware.

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Not only my opinion.  Be Well

"Americans Are Now Getting a Mild Taste of Their [Our] Own Medicine"

 It has come home---

“Americans Are Now Getting a Mild Taste of Their Own Medicine" of Disrupting Democracy Elsewhere | Democracy Now!  

Short, informative interview.

Take note:  Nairn (an alternative, award-winning journalist & author) admonishes us not to embrace the Establishment because of Trumpism.  He's talking about the neoliberal Establishment.  That's what we've had for decades.  Utilizing Edward Bernays style propaganda, it's a softer version of Trumpism... more subtle, classier, and much more effective.  Presently, it's the dominant political & economic ideology in the world.  It's all about "atomizing" society, & having Big Biz be in control utilizing Crony-Casino-Monopoly-Disaster Capitalism.  Gov'ts will exist strictly as window dressing.  We're almost there... just a micron or so away.  Neoliberalism does not favor democracy at all.  It does favor the appearance of democracy in order to mollify the masses.

Notable people have recognized this for years, and they're all across the political spectrum.  Here are only a few of them:  Noam Chomsky, Paul Craig Roberts, Bill Moyers, Barry Commoner, Ron Paul, Rand Paul (to a lesser degree), Naomi Klein, C.W. Mills, Glenn Greenwald, Lori Wallach, Ellen Brown, Bernie Sanders, Ralph Nader, George Monbiot, Jason Hickel, and many more.

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Not only my opinion.  Be Well

RE: "SAVE AMERICA"

 A reminder--- I'm not a Republican OR a Democrat.  I've studied USA politics since 1956.

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https://twitter.com/ScottHa85992272/status/1346972530318462976?s=20

and

https://twitter.com/ScottHa85992272/status/1346977984796831745?s=20

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Despite the fact that our various systems (political, economic, & social) here are flawed to various degrees, I love this Land. For many years, I've watched various aspects of it change and some aspects remain pretty much the same. There's good, and bad, and everything in-between here.

Hands down, Trump is the worst politician ever elected to high office

in our country. His words and actions are egregious, dangerous, and embarrassing beyond the pale. The fact that he was elected to the Presidency is quite a testament to the power of propaganda, as well as to the degree of ignorance apparently rampant among too many of us. Thank heaven he was soundly defeated in the recent election.

His prior election was not mainly due to votes for him, but rather because of votes against the ESTABLISHMENT candidate, Clinton. People in the Rust Belt of America - and elsewhere - were fed up to the hilt with neoliberal policies resulting in jobs and manufacturing being shipped overseas or south of the border. Other factors played a part, too, such as deep-seated racism in various parts of the country and the bane of nationalism (as opposed to genuine patriotism). Mainly, though, people voted for Trump as a vote against the neoliberal Establishment.

Such voters apparently thought Trump would improve things. He lied to them, and I guess they believed the lies. And so, our nightmare began.

Biden is no prize, but he's a gazillion times better for us and the world than is/was Trump. So, let's make the best of a new day.

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Not only my opinion. Stay Well

"Getting Back to Normal" is Not Where We Want To Be

Here's what "normal" has meant for decades---

 Neoliberalism, Climate Change, Migration: George Monbiot in conversation with Verso - YouTube

Trumpism is small potatoes compared to the scourge of neoliberalism.  Monbiot writes for The Guardian, & is one of my favorite writers.  In this short clip, he explains how neoliberalism is destroying democracy while claiming to promote freedom.  He also shows how a wannabe autocrat can rise to power in the current neoliberal environment.

At the link below is a review of Monbiot's book, Out of the Wreckage.  Not being one to only warn people of danger and disaster, in the book he offers beginning steps to correct the wreckage caused by neoliberalism.

Out of the Wreckage by George Monbiot review – the thrill and danger of a new left politics | Politics books | The Guardian

In addition to his suggestions, I again encourage you all to work toward the implementation of ecological economics, a la Herman Daly, et.al. [See previous posts on this venue, especially those in May - September.]

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Not only my opinion.  Stay Well 

The Dynasty That Never Was, PLUS - It's Time to Dump Neoliberalism Forever

 Trump hates being Old News.  No one pays much attention to him anymore.  Lately, most of the focus has been on the Neoliberal & his Team.  That's great.  Trump should be totally shunned.  His mental illness is now more visible than ever before.  The more he blabbers about the election, & the more he virtually ignores the raging pandemic, the crazier he looks.  Even Repubs finally are taking note... jumping ship, resigning on their own, making public comments criticizing the Cult Leader.  It's about time.

Trump soon will leave in disgrace.  He'll still be around politics, making noise now & again; but that only will appeal to, at most, about 20% of the USA population... perhaps less.  The man-child finally is Old News.

The biggest testament to the political ignorance of Trump True Believers is their calling Biden a "socialist" (or a puppet of socialists).  Apparently, they know essentially nothing at all about neoliberalism (which isn't "new", or "liberal").  

I think we're the only country in the entire world with a majority of folks who don't have a clue about that ideology.  Everyone else gets it.  Plus, except for Oligarchs (& their puppets), everyone else despises it.  At least it's finally getting mentioned once in awhile in American public discourse.  Again, it's about time.

In my view, until this country fully understands neoliberalism, we will continue to have:  rule by Oligarchs/Plutocrats (whether Repub or Dem), gross inequality, perpetual war, the American "Empire", American hegemony, monopoly-crony-casino capitalism, increasing shrinkage of the middle class, increasing poverty, increasing privatization (which means high fees for "public" services), stagnated wages, less of a social safety net, more pandemics, more suicides (especially among veterans & other young people), more social unrest, more ecological devastation, more mega bank fraud, more propaganda, etc., ad nauseam.  

It's way past time for a paradigm shift which dumps neoliberalism forever.  Except for the Super-Rich, that ideology has been an utter failure.

More and more people around the world - especially in Europe, Canada, a significant portion of South America, parts of Africa, parts of Asia, & elsewhere - are realizing that we all must change our impact on the natural environment.  This is truly a turning point in human history.  Let's make it a good one.

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Not only my opinion.  Be Well

The Pandemic, the Economy, Politics, and the Ongoing Income Inequality in the USA

 The Rich Are Cheering Wall Street’s Latest Records. Americans of Modest Means Are Draining 401(k)s. - Inequality.org

The bottom 50% of income earners in the USA hold only 0.6% of the country's stock holdings.  The poorest 90% hold only 11.8% of the nation's stocks.  The richest one percent hold 52.4% of all stocks.  That's all according to the Fed Reserve.

Due to the pandemic, the Super-Rich are doubling and tripling their incomes.  Those people of modest means are draining their 401k accounts just to pay the bills.  Meanwhile, the politicians have stopped providing relief... or even talking about it with each other.

As I've pointed out in the past, the Great Depression of the 1930's was not so named until halfway through it.  For about five years, people believed it was just a short-term glitch that would disappear very soon.  It should be clear by now that currently we are in a full-blown economic Depression.  Politicians, in particular, need to wake up to that fact.  GDP (loved by the Powers-That-Be as a measure of national well-being) in the USA fell by just shy of 33% in the Second Quarter of this year.

I'm getting the impression that a majority of people believe the vaccine will correct the situation.  For a variety of reasons, don't count on it.  One of those reasons is this:  the covid virus mutates rather quickly.  Another reason:  no vaccine in history ever has been so RUSHED as this one.  Despite the reassurances of everyone involved, that means there's perhaps a 50-50 chance of a monumental problem.  Another reason:  it's highly likely that many small businesses have closed for good.  Vaccine or not, they won't be back.  That's mainly due to dithering or dogmatic politicians.  Another reason:  millions of our fellow Americans still believe covid is no big deal.  That's a serious hindrance to getting back to some sort of "normal".  

If ever again, "normal" is most likely 2-5 YEARS down a rough road ahead.  Why do I say that?  Because of my academic education and field experience in biology, human ecology, and environmental geography.  Is the "2-5 YEARS" prediction guaranteed?  Of course not, it's an educated guess.

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Not only my opinion.  Be Well

Climate Damage, Ecosystems, Predators, Scavengers, & Laws of Ecology

 https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/otters-show-how-predators-can-blunt-climate-damage/

https://blogs.scientificamerican.com/observations/we-should-embrace-scavengers-and-predators/

https://www.nature.com/articles/s41559-017-0421-2

The above articles demonstrate the veracity of:

1.  Barry Commoner's 1971 book, The Closing Circle, especially his First Law of Ecology - "Everything is connected to everything else."; and,

2.  the complexity and value to humanity of ecosystems are equal to or greater than any complexity/value of the technological world.

[NOTE:  In the mid-1970's, I used The Closing Circle as the textbook for an Advanced Ecology course I taught at South Kitsap High School (one of the top high schools in the State of Washington at that time).  I found it then, and still do today, to be one of the most informative books ever written on Human Ecology in particular, and Ecology in general.  It was written for lay people, and in my opinion, should be required reading for every student everywhere.]

Professor Commoner's Four Laws of Ecology---

1.  Everything is connected to everything else.

2.  Everything must go somewhere.

3.  Nature knows best.

4.  There is no such thing as a free lunch.

Currently we are in a socio-eco-econ Crisis which threatens the very existence of organized human society.  Many researchers are working hard to find and broadcast solutions to said crisis.  Too many politicians are not doing enough to implement those solutions.  They talk about it a lot, but do little or nothing.  The same might be said of lay people.  That must change, and soon.

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Not only my opinion.  Be Well

The USA Ongoing Election, Gaslighting, and Empire

 Trump & Crew are either brainless, or are being deceitful.  Some mail-in votes are allowed to be postmarked as late as election day.  It may take up to a week before they get counted.  That's not fraud.  Hello.  Different States have different rules (see links below), and different Counties have different procedures.  Our Oval Office [Mafia-like] DON knows all this.  A short while ago, his legal team could not produce one single instance of mail-in voter fraud during a Court Case.  Nevertheless, The Don continues to sell the Big Lie to his supporters; and apparently, many of them believe it... with no proof.  Incredible.

Here's an official in Clark County, NV explaining things---

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AcpMxX-SO6Q

He shows a lot of patience in the Q&A.

Here's when different States begin processing ballots---

https://www.cnn.com/interactive/2020/politics/mail-in-voting/

Here's Bernie's take on it all well before the election---

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m9DNGSQvvz8

More or less on the mark so far... thanks to Trump's idiotic claim of victory, & then filing lawsuits before all the votes have been counted.

Though he's nearly 4 million votes BEHIND in the popular vote, Trump has received a lot of votes mainly because of this:  his policies reflect a nationalistic neoimperialism that resonates with folks who believe the USA should rule the world.  Not conquer the world in the old sense of "rule", but control the globe by being its police force, by financial boycotts/sanctions, by controlling natural resources in other lands, by assassinations, by military threats & interventionism, by spying on allies, etc.  

Whether they admit it (or are even aware of it) or not, those folks seem to favor the idea of EMPIRE.  It makes them feel secure.  They think it will make their economic/financial situation secure as well.  People like that are drawn to the "strong-man", bullying, crass type of Big Daddy "leader".  That's especially true if he wraps himself in the American Flag and professes adherence to the belief in Big-Daddy-in-the-Sky-Who-Promises-Apple-Pie-By-&-By, which is an utter misinterpretation of the Holy Bible.  

Yes, obviously the above is an opinion.    I base it on History and a keen interest in USA politics.

Everyone Be Well

p.s.  No voter fraud has been shown in the election thus far.  Trump, as usual, is gaslighting; he's just blowing smoke.  The Mob lawyer, Roy M. Cohn, taught him long ago: if you repeat a lie over & over, people will come to believe it.  And that's Trump's primary modus operandi.  Surely everyone knows this by now, eh?

In 2020: On the Circular Economy, Infrastructure, and Sustainability

 The two journal articles at the links below give great insights regarding present and future efforts toward a sustainable world.  [Again, sorry about the copy-and-paste-on-another-page links, but I have no control over that.  As far as I know, that's a Google-Blogger-Blogspot glitch.]

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1.  Title - "Circular Futures: What Will They Look Like?"

https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S092180091931972X

2.  Title - "Infrastructure Is Key to Make Cities Sustainable"

https://www.mdpi.com/2071-1050/12/20/8308/htm

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I've noticed on Twitter and elsewhere online that some environmental activists don't understand what's taking so long in regard to a shift to sustainability.  They are a bit frustrated.  I'm guessing these are mostly young people.  No offense intended.  As an old man who has been in this and a couple of related fields for many years (starting in 1970), I offer the following.

First, along with many others, I fully recognize that time - relative to the socio-ecological-economic CRISIS we're in - is short.  The pace of research reflects that; the pace of implementation in most areas of the world does not.  There are many reasons as to why.  In my opinion, here are only two of those reasons, as follows.

1.  Changing Spaceship Earth to genuine sustainability requires a major shift in attitudes, ethics, lifestyle, production, and consumption.  Resistance abounds.  Ignorance abounds.  Propaganda abounds.  Overcoming all that requires patience, and most of all, persistence.

2.  One of the biggest obstacles (perhaps THE biggest) is the fact that mega money largely controls politics.  The overwhelming majority of national politicians are selected, groomed, and financed by the Super-Rich Upper Crust.  Surely by now this is common knowledge.  Unfortunately, most of the Super-Rich are faux "Green".  They've more or less been forced to talk the talk, but have little to no interest in anything ecological or sustainable.  They're short-term thinkers.  Until we get big money out of politics, little will change other than the Crisis getting worse and worse.

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Not only my opinion.  Stay Well, & Persist

The Social Dimension: "I" and "We"

 At the link below is a book review that is well worth the read.

https://www.sciencemagazinedigital.org/sciencemagazine/23_october_2020/MobilePagedArticle.action?articleId=1631113&app=false#articleId1631113

In terms of racism, for many Caucasian people I don't think it's skin color so much that causes them distaste and fear.  I think it's the (unwarranted) fear of losing their culture.  They don't seem to understand that any particular group culture can be preserved in a multicultural society.  Even within a single "Race" different ethnic groups have done so.  Here in the USA, the Germans, Italians, Jews, Irish, Russians, and others have all done it.

As a former Biology and Ecology teacher, the uproar over the concept of human "races" is odd to me.  In the taxonomy and phylogeny of the human, any subdivision [Kingdom-Phylum-Class-Order-Family-Genus- Species-Variety] below species is pretty much meaningless.  In other words, what matters is the species level; and all of us belong to Homo sapiens.  To any reasonable & rational person, physical differences (e.g., skin color) are of no significance; but often, cultural differences do matter in one way or another.

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Not only my opinion.  Stay Well

The Election Here in the USA

 This election is not about anything the Deceitful Don talks about. Instead, it's about democracy, decency, divisiveness, deceit, the bad side of tribalism, hate, & ignorance. Renowned reporter Risen nails it here---

https://theintercept.com/2020/10/21/trump-presidency-summary/

As a psychological gaslighter, almost everything Trump says is a lie... and a blatant lie.  Whatever he says (99% of the time), the exact opposite is true.  It's a genuine tragedy for us and the world.  What makes it comical as well is that his lies almost always are obvious.  Yet he persists in lying.  He appears to be about as psychologically developed as perhaps an eighth grader.  How can I say that with any authority?

A wise man once said:  you don't have to be a master carpenter to recognize a shack.  Trump is a psychological shack.  Anyone who isn't one of his cult members can see that.  Vote accordingly.

Reminder:  I'm not a Republican or a Democrat.  I don't care much for Biden, but he's orders of magnitude better for the world than is Trump.

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Not only my opinion.  Be Well

Biden, Trump, Voting, Politics, the Ecosphere, and Propaganda

Preface

We rarely ever know what's really going on in politics.  Whatever we do know about it has been filtered through public and private Oligarchs, as well as the Corporate Media.  Whistleblowers effectively are criminalized, and soon essentially marginalized or forgotten, or both.  Though they've made great progress in the last ten to twenty years or so, alternative media sources often simply don't get the exposure necessary to have a significant impact.

Decades ago, the "Dean of American Journalism", Walter Lippmann, referred to the American public as the "bewildered herd".  He also stated:
1)  "Democracy is much too important to be left to public opinion."; and,
2)  "The effort to calculate exactly what the voters want at each particular moment leaves out of account the fact that when they are troubled the thing the voters most want is to be told what to want.".  [Emphasis added]
Incidentally, Lippmann was a political "liberal".

The point being:  I believe for the most part, Main Street has little to no idea what the "good-guy" Elites really have as a worldview, and even less idea of how much we are propagandized by the Movers-and-Shakers in high places.  Some people are aware, but way too few.
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Biden, Trump, Neoliberalism, the Ecosphere, and Politics

There is no doubt that Neoliberalism in politics, finance, and economics has been a major contributor to the following:
1)  income inequality;
2)  social inequality;
3)  privatization and austerity;
4)  ecological/environmental damage and destruction;
5)  increased susceptibility to disease;
6)  lost manufacturing;
7)  a much less resilient economy; and
8)  several other maladies.
Neoliberals have managed to rule the roost right through today primarily by the use of massive Edward Bernays style propaganda.  It saturates the public and private spheres every day.  It promotes false ideas of both "freedom" and "capitalism".  It wraps its supporters in the American flag, Big Daddy in the Sky, and the American Dream.  It ignores the reality of what Nature is telling us.  Its supporters claim to be "Moderates", when in fact they are Corporatists, essentially NeoFeudalists... or the puppets of same.

It has been clear for quite awhile that Trump is an unmitigated disaster.  In any arena of national life - emergency management, economics, health care, stewardship of natural resources, diplomacy, national security, statesmanship, ethics, monetary policy, fiscal policy, & yes, even politics - he is inept, incompetent, and dangerous.  On top of that, he's a psychological gaslighter and serial liar.  [Again, a reminder - I'm not a Democrat or a Republican.]  He's not a Neoliberal, but he is a wannabe fascist.

The Democratic Party is firmly controlled (at the highest levels) by Neoliberals and/or Corporatists.  That's been true since Bill Clinton's Admin and is still true today.  The "Progressive" surge in the last few years essentially has been marginalized*** by the DNC and its so-called "Moderates".  Those Corporatists include Pelosi, Schumer, Perez, Obama, Biden, Harris, and any other "Establishment" Democrat.
***[How long does Ocasio-Cortez get to speak at the Dem Convention?  Ten minutes?  Oh, I forgot - one minute.]

Joe Biden is either a Neoliberal or one of their puppets; that's true even if he doesn't realize it.  In any case, he's firmly in the back pocket of the Financial Sector and Wall Street.  Nevertheless, he's orders of magnitude better for the country than Trump.  In November, Trump must be kicked out of office.  Again we have the Evil of Two Lessers, but Trump is much, much worse than Biden.

Trump's policies relative to the ecosphere are egregiously outrageous, arguably criminal.  Most sane people know how damaging his actions have been to our social fabric, our standing in the world, and our peace of mind.  I suspect, though, that not enough know how horrible his impact has been on the nonhuman portion of Nature.  Please:  vote him out of office in a landslide.
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Conclusion

The first step in the path forward should be crystal clear:  if you care at all about the human part of Nature, Nature in general, and the world in general, then vote Trump back to private life.  If you want to help "save the world", here's your chance.  Just do it.  Thanks in advance.  Younger generations thank you, too.
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Not only my opinion.  Be Well