Climate Doom But Not Gkoom

Part 1: New World Notes #625, 28:02 (February 25)
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Part 2: New World Notes #626, 29:13 (March 3)
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The human species is doomed, and we'll be gone by 2050, says scientist and ecology professor Guy McPherson. Irreversible, rapidly escalating climate change--caused by our hydrocarbon emissions and their aftereffects--will destroy our habitat sooner than most people expect. And no captain of industry, university president, or politician would risk damaging his or her career to save the species.

Part One: What to do? That's next week's installment. This week McPherson focuses on how serious the climate change situation already is--and how deeply mired in denial are all the leaders and all the institutions of the "civilization" that is responsible for the calamity.

Part Two: First McPherson discusses whether any force will rescue us. Aliens? God? (In each case, probably not). Then he considers the ethical question, How should we behave in the face of our impending demise?

We end with a comic sketch by George Carlin, who--similarly--discusses ways of going out with style.

For both men, it's Doom yes, but Gloom not necessarily.

Introductions (to both parts) by K.D.

 Guy McPherson

Guy McPherson is Professor Emeritus of Natural Resources and Ecology & Evolutionary Biology at the University of Arizona.  His Web site is www.guymcpherson.com .

McPherson's words are from an interview in Winnipeg, Canada, February 7, 2014. Audio courtesy of the producer, Michael Welch, of Global Research News Hour on CKUW-FM, Winnipeg. Lightly edited and condensed by K.D.

Previously broadcast on NWN in May 2014. Files downloaded from the links, above, are identified as NWN #322 and 323.

Corporate Plunder and Popular Revolt

Part 1: New World Notes #623, 28:50  (February 11)
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Part 2: New World Notes #624, 28:51 (February 18)
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Journalist Chris Hedges traces the rise of the Corporate State, the destruction of democracy, and the corporate plunder of society. And he surveys successful examples of nonviolent popular rebellion.

In Part One he discusses how corporations subverted democracy in the US since 1914. And he takes us to some of America's "sacrifice zones"--areas devastated by unrestrained corporate plunder. He concludes with a scathing critique of the Democratic Party for selling out the people to the corporations.

In Part Two Hedges discusses the Obama Administration's assault on civil liberties--a way of suppressing both dissent and popular resistance to corporate plunder, he believes. He ends with examples of nonviolent popular resistance toppling oppressive systems--for instance in East Germany and Czechoslovakia.

Top: Joe Sacco (illustrator) and Chris Hedges (writer).
They co-authored Days of Destruction, Days of Revolt.
Above: Occupy Wall Street, 2012.

Chris Hedges spoke in Seattle on June 29, 2011. Our installments contain most of the full talk, broadcast by Mike McCormick on Mind Over Matters.  Thanks yet again to Mike.

Originally broadcast, as NWN #236-237, in September 2012. Part 1 now contains an updated introduction (February 2020) by KD.

The Map Is Not the Territory

New World Notes #622, 27:28 (February 4):
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Illusion vs. reality in America today. Getting lost on Groundhog Day inspires a reflection by K.D. on S.I. Hayakawa's maxim, "The map is not the territory." The "map" of reality handed to us by the corporations and politicians falsely depicts the lay of the land (so to speak). Inaccurate maps are useful to Established Power, bad for the rest of us.

Plus--making similar points--a selection from Virtual Renderings' new audio collage. Includes commentary by Woody Harrelson, Chris Hedges, and Jordan Maxwell and a timely song by Jackson Browne.

Virtual Renderings' collage is titled, "Ponderings From Within Leviathan." The complete (56-minute) version is available for free download. (Lo-Fi version and program information page are also available.)

Above: S. I. Hayakawa

Below: Suzuki Hayabusa

(Easy to confuse!)

Originally broadcast, as NWN #310, in February 2014. Files downloaded from the links, above, are identified as #310.