The New Era We Are Entering

 

Linn Cove Viaduct, Blue Ridge Parkway, as seen from above the Rough Ridge Lookout on the Tanawha Trail

In my last article, I thanked my readers for their comments on the previous blog post I had made, and I focused on how collapse is now the focus for our lives. Changes are coming that will not be pleasant, and I think that everyone here knows this, given the amount of time and effort those who read these pages have put into understanding ecological overshoot, its symptom predicaments, and the outcomes expected. I thank you again for reading this collection of material that I have spent the last 5 years working on.

I'm not ready to retire yet - I still find tons of new material and subjects that bother me which need explaining to help others see things more clearly. I'm not the only one out here doing this (thankfully), but I seriously do appreciate you taking the time to read my articles.

I just recently returned from a two and a half week trip to the mountains for a much needed break from the daily stress and strain of trying to keep track of where all this is leading us. I'm making the assumption that this will be my last trip to the mountains due to the cost and/or unavailability of energy and resources to do so in the near future. I hope (there's that hopium bug again) I'm wrong, but the analysis I've been paying attention to lately tells me that I'm probably not, unfortunately.

So, the new era we're entering - get ready for this. OK, so that video is actually somewhat sarcasm. I saw this article from Dave Pollard and it came to mind right off the bat. It was one of a rather large number of songs which appeared on Megasound's list of Introduction Themes (for wedding parties). Back when that song was popular, I never thought I'd be using it in this fashion. Then again, much of what I now know wasn't even on my radar back then. 

Recently, I have spent a great deal of time dialing into psychology and the roots of how we got to this point in time with regard to ecological overshoot. A varied mix of biological imperatives coupled with sociological narratives known as cultural programming and the masking of wetiko colonialism combined with the simple fact that our living arrangements are inherently unsustainable due to our behavior of technology use mean that there was literally no way for this to turn out any different. Understanding this and rejecting notions that our species was somehow different than the way we actually are is an extremely important concept to master, as if one believes a fairy tale fantasy instead, he or she will undoubtedly buy into comforting narratives (reassuring lies) instead of the cold, hard reality (inconvenient truth).

I have chosen to look at all of this from a factual perspective rather than injecting colorful opinions designed to see our species as something other than what it is. Labeling us "good" or "bad" or finding other false dichotomies to describe us misses the point. We can't be labeled or explained so simply. We love to think of ourselves as "above" all the other species because of our intelligence and innovating and constructive abilities. If we're so intelligent, why are we causing the extinction of so many other species? Why do we generate so many narratives about saving other species when in reality we are actually doing the opposite of saving them? As long as we continue employing technology use as our way of living (the basis and foundation supporting civilization), not only are many other species doomed to extinction, so are we. 

Many people have said something like, "Yeah, but if we build a sustainable civilization..." Well, unfortunately, that is a common myth. I hate to break it to anyone going on about such a concept - there is no such thing. My last article dealt with a whole set of myths based on perpetual motion. Such fantasies exist only in our minds as they are false beliefs. Traveling to Mars, setting up lunar bases, and mining expeditions to asteroids were all part of the article, mainly as part of a 90-minute video involving Tom Murphy and DJ White.

Denial of reality has skyrocketed over the past couple of years and continues to amaze depress me with how rampant it is. Partly to blame is the sheer amount of propaganda, making it difficult to ascertain what is and what is not real. For instance, there is a group making absolutely unbelievable claims about pollution loading that simply aren't true, so Steve Bull made a post directly refuting these claims and explains what is behind these lies (dark money and propaganda). Honestly, if you want simple, truthful, and factual analysis explaining what is actually real versus what is nonsense relegated to fantasies, myths, and fairy tales, look no further than Steve's articles.

It's important to be able to make sense of everything that is happening; otherwise one can easily be fooled by misinformation or disinformation. This is often used to keep people in the dark about the real goals of things that are taking place. It can be safely assumed that the predominant basic goal of most programs is to keep industrial civilization humming along as cheaply and easily as possible. Little if any thought or consideration is given to how this will affect the environment, most of society, and almost no consideration at all given to other species. Understanding this simple fact is why it is so easy to determine that those in power have no interest in helping anyone but those in their own social and professional circles. A general lack of empathy is the notorious marker and can be seen in practically all current legislation and job eliminations (getting rid of anyone with authority or knowledge or ethics is of the utmost importance so that the grifting may continue).

Keeping this in mind, what one will see unfolding everywhere is the elimination of guardrails within society. Scientific ventures - gone. Safety rules - taken away. Organizations designed to help those less fortunate - funding removed. Legal protections - zapped. Constitutional guarantees - ignored. Public services - neutered. Medical interventions - disappeared. Needless to say, combined with the financial and infrastructural collapse either here now or coming in the near future, many parts of life we once took for granted are going away much quicker than anyone anticipated. The worst part of this is that all of this "happening quicker than expected" is by design.

Had more rational minds prevailed, perhaps collapse could have taken a more leisurely route, without the sudden jolts that are about to overtake us. Then again, an argument can be made that this is actually better in the long run, and only time will tell if that assessment is actually correct. 

Something that must be kept in mind is that not only are the civilizational systems around us collapsing, so are the natural systems as Lyle Lewis points out here. Definitely check out that article, as it highlights how most people actually miss the reality underneath the veneer of narratives such as "restoration" and "treated" and "improved."  The truth is that "ecological change doesn’t operate at the scale of individual justifications. It operates at the scale of systems. And systems don’t recognize ownership boundaries. They don’t stop at property lines, agency jurisdictions, or management units. They respond to what happens across the whole landscape.

Which means decisions made in one place don’t stay in one place. They accumulate—and they spread. Across forests. Across districts. Across agencies. Across years."

Likewise, ecological change also comes from things other than pollution loading, like climate change. In a post I made at the end of April, this study pointed out what is going to happen in the Rocky Mountains:

"As the world heats up, shrubs are invading and taking root on our most important land.
Deep in the Rocky Mountains, researchers recently finished a 29-year study that proved something horrifying.

MORE HEAT = MORE SHRUBS
In heated plots, shrubs increased by 150%, crowding out crops and other useful plants.
When temperatures rise, shrubs will dominate all other plants, posing dangers to biodiversity.

MORE HEAT = BAD FUNGI
Crops need nutrient-rich fungi to grow, but increased temperatures are killing them. Shrubs DON’T need nutrient-rich fungi to grow, so they will continue to spread.
Rising temperatures actually lead to an increase in a different kind of fungi… one that decomposes good plants faster.

MORE HEAT = DRY SOIL
Soil in heated plots dried up by 20%
When the soil is too dry, nutrients become less available to plants. That means lower yields and less healthy food.

MORE HEAT = FLOWER EXTINCTION
In heated plots, multiple wildflower species went completely extinct.
Wildflowers are critical to the food chain, so if wildflowers go extinct, our entire food system will be in danger."


So, this new era we are entering is one where ecological collapse will add pressure to the ongoing sociological, financial, and civilizational collapse, multiplying the ultimate effects we experience as time moves forward. Understanding this will not make any of it feel better, but knowing and accepting it will help us adjust our expectations accordingly and help to allow us to experience and focus more on what joy is available. One way that might help is understanding the difference between the circle and the arrow, as Elisabeth Robson explains in this beautiful tribute to the cycle of life which always works in a circle.

That is where I'll leave it for today; another good place to look for joy is in nature, and today's pictures come from Heritage Point Regional Park and Amicalola Falls State Park!