Comments on: On Avoiding “Existence Failure” http://www.fragmentsfromfloyd.com/culture/on-avoiding-existence-failure/ Photos and Front Porch Musing from Floyd County Virginia Sat, 11 Feb 2012 14:25:42 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3 By: Jeff http://www.fragmentsfromfloyd.com/culture/on-avoiding-existence-failure/comment-page-1/#comment-5297 Jeff Fri, 16 Jan 2009 23:42:19 +0000 http://www.fragmentsfromfloyd.com/?p=1608#comment-5297 One of my favorite songs is by Procul Harem and is entitled "In Held 'Twas In I". Early in the song, a spiritual seeker makes an arduous climb to the meditation retreat where the Dalai Lama is. When he arrives, the seeker asks the Dalai Lama the meaning of life. The Dalai Lama replies, "Life is like a beanstalk, isn't it?" And then the song continues with a drum roll and instruments. What does this have to do with the failure to plan in the 1970s? Humans, like all forms of life, are beanstalks, reaching for the sun to grow, not caring about anything else but growth. And then, along comes the blight or the ant with sharp incisors .... One of my favorite songs is by Procul Harem and is entitled “In Held ‘Twas In I”. Early in the song, a spiritual seeker makes an arduous climb to the meditation retreat where the Dalai Lama is. When he arrives, the seeker asks the Dalai Lama the meaning of life. The Dalai Lama replies, “Life is like a beanstalk, isn’t it?” And then the song continues with a drum roll and instruments. What does this have to do with the failure to plan in the 1970s? Humans, like all forms of life, are beanstalks, reaching for the sun to grow, not caring about anything else but growth. And then, along comes the blight or the ant with sharp incisors ….

]]> By: fred http://www.fragmentsfromfloyd.com/culture/on-avoiding-existence-failure/comment-page-1/#comment-5275 fred Tue, 13 Jan 2009 12:31:44 +0000 http://www.fragmentsfromfloyd.com/?p=1608#comment-5275 Thanks for noticing. This particular elephant is in everybody's room and I won't make friends pointing it out. I learned that 40 years ago. And being able to say "I told you so" is no comfort at all. I've been having vague recollections, in reading the Transition Initiative material, of a book I read in the early 70s. I just ran upstairs and miraculously found it (not even remembering its name but recalled the cover). The Diseconomics of Growth: There is a Limit to Economic Growth Imposed by the Limits of our Natural and Human Resources. Pub date: 1972 What is facing us has been facing us from long enough back that we could have planned for it. We failed, our leaders failed, our scientists and engineers failed. Now we reap the whirlwind. Thanks for noticing. This particular elephant is in everybody’s room and I won’t make friends pointing it out. I learned that 40 years ago. And being able to say “I told you so” is no comfort at all.

I’ve been having vague recollections, in reading the Transition Initiative material, of a book I read in the early 70s. I just ran upstairs and miraculously found it (not even remembering its name but recalled the cover). The Diseconomics of Growth: There is a Limit to Economic Growth Imposed by the Limits of our Natural and Human Resources. Pub date: 1972

What is facing us has been facing us from long enough back that we could have planned for it.

We failed, our leaders failed, our scientists and engineers failed. Now we reap the whirlwind.

]]> By: Kathy http://www.fragmentsfromfloyd.com/culture/on-avoiding-existence-failure/comment-page-1/#comment-5273 Kathy Tue, 13 Jan 2009 05:05:00 +0000 http://www.fragmentsfromfloyd.com/?p=1608#comment-5273 I am excited about your plan to write something thorough about Transition Towns for Earth Day. I sent your links to all my activist friends in So Cal. I am excited about your plan to write something thorough about Transition Towns for Earth Day. I sent your links to all my activist friends in So Cal.

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