[Grovenet] A little more inconvenient truth . . .

[David Morelli]

On Jun 23, 2006, at 11:49 AM, Phoenixacm at aol.com wrote:

>
> David,
>
> You are overlooking several facts.
> 1 - None of us is an island.   A 100% change in one person  
> inevitably influences others.
> 2 - A 100% change today is not a 100% change tomorrow.   New  
> problems and new solutions continue to be created.   If I am doing  
> everything I can today, that won't be everything I can tomorrow, or  
> next month, or next year.
> 3 - My personal opinion is that most people on Grovenet don't  
> influence each other.   (Yes, I know I'm going to be flamed for  
> that one.)   I see the same arguments happening day after day,  
> month after month.   I see people becoming more entrenched, not  
> influencing each other.   I also see people being hostile, vicious  
> and snotty to each other.   I only read about 5% of what is posted  
> in an attempt to minimize my exposure to snottiness.   What makes  
> you think that those mythological lurkers are reading any more than  
> I am?
>
> Jane B-P


We are coming at this from different directions, which is not a  
surprise.

Forming a group to provide positive reinforcement is a good  
approach.  It works well in a variety of situations.  And I expect  
that it would help the members reduce their impact upon the  
environment and strengthen their understanding of social issues.

I am thinking that, as you say, none of us is an island.  I don't  
think that there is such a thing as "personal salvation" in this  
global issue.  We share the same boat.

If I modify my habits to conserve 100 kilowatts per month that would  
be a big deal for me.  If others increase their consumption by a  
similar amount, we haven't really gained much.  I agree that  
leadership by example is preferred over leadership by coercion.  But,  
somewhere the leaders must learn the skills necessary to communicate  
their methods for others to follow, and they must learn some method  
to communicate the rationale so others will want to  follow their  
actions.  That means that the "leaders" must be in contact with, and  
learn the language of the rest of the population.  Otherwise they  
just appear to be "elite" and they may walk alone.

That is my understanding.  I do not claim to have the skills needed  
to communicate with those who disagree with me.  I keep trying to  
engage them in conversation so that I may learn their objections and  
their reasons for holding them.  I keep trying to address their  
objections by going to their reasons.  In the process, I fail often.   
Possibly most of the time.  I lay that failure upon my lack of  
understanding, and I don't believe that I will learn more of the  
alternatives by distancing myself from them.  I understand that  
others do not feel that way.

It might be humorous, but most cooks know that you can raise the  
temperature faster in a pot by putting a lid on it.  Yet, they don't  
apply the same understanding to adding green house gasses to the  
atmosphere.

David