Lately I have been trying to clarify my thoughts and feelings especially in regard to the climate scepticism I outlined in my last post. It revolves around the feelings we have in the west to our consumption and the effects that has on the planet. (Self loathing one commentator called it)
In addition there is a sense that we benefit in world trade from the poverty in other parts of the world. Guilt. Mixed in there too is a love for the environment and a growing desire for a planet wide peace; an idealistic hope that nation states will act in broader ways more akin to ‘enlightened self interest’.
All this where my scepticism begins. I just have to accept some science that says we are causing climate change but I can’t personally know that. It is a faith I have. I have always been sceptical in matters of faith. I am concerned because all the liberal humanistic outcomes I would like to see in the world have been lumped in with issues of global warming. I am sure many supporters have jumped on the bandwagon because the issues seem to fit well together. I just think that is a dangerous situation in politics but I am too ignorant to really know why.
In my last post there was also an apparent contradiction about man not being at the centre of the universe yet my blog is focussed on it all turning upon man. (from the quote of Dietrich Boenhoffer in the first post) This is not hard to clarify as I mean that in human affairs now, more than ever in history, everything is determined by humans. God is properly sidelined and there is only an occasional hiccup thrown to us by nature to let us know we are not totally in control. But in a grander view it only matters to us. If we fuck the planet too thouroughly we may die but she won’t. We do not mourn for dinosaurs. Something superseding humanity is unlikely to mourn for us. Merry Xmas !
Friday, December 18, 2009
Tuesday, December 8, 2009
I am a Climate Sceptic !
I am not sure if I qualify as a climate sceptic. I am not a born again believer when it comes to popular notions of climate science and I am a natural sceptic in all things, so I suppose I am a climate sceptic. I will have to clarify however as it is never as simple as a news headline.
I don’t doubt people who tell us the climate has changed. I can see within in my lifetime how the weather patterns have shifted. I don’t doubt that humans are having a negative impact on our world and I am consuming more than my fair share. I don’t doubt the high probability that CO2 is the cause of the change in weather but a few things make me sceptical about the certainty of all this. They are mostly human things too. It all turns on humanity after all.?
The latter is the starting point. It all turns upon man. Are we really the centre of the universe? That is a religious perspective held by many and has a parallel in the popular discussion of climate science. That is after all what I am talking about; the popular science. I have no science degree to comment on anything deeper and surprisingly neither do many people who pronounce loudly on the issues.
Then there is a human propensity to believe people when they say the sky is falling. Again, it is a religious notion that there will be some kind of judgement day. Many of us can be made to feel guilty quite easily and if you’ve been a churchgoer then it is certainly part of the territory.
So all of the above just makes me edgy when politicians and other advocates begin pushing these same buttons on climate . One gets the feeling that a manipulation born of nothing more than belief and a desire to be popular is driving all kinds of leaders. Because they often know little of the science themselves they belittle any opposition with name calling and not a lot of evidence. It does not give one hope for a sensible outcome.
As someone who does walk deliberately in the Christian tradition, all be it a non-theist one, the response to caring for my descendants future may be similar to someone harping on about carbon footprints. But I would be careful about making religious statements and talking of catastrophic outcomes. Whatever happens I doubt the planet is threatened by our puny species and our end will not come as a catastrophe unless there is an equally unlikely worldwide nuclear war. What might happen is going to be gradual. We will learn more. If it is getting obviously worse because of humans we have the capacity as a species to change things rapidly. If it turns out not to get worse and/or climate change is, in due course, found to be influenced by factors outside of our control then a whole lot of trust will be smashed. Changes that we want for the good of humanity may be reversed by the powers that will come to the fore in that political meltdown. I have a bad sense that may be the catastrophe of this century.
I don’t doubt people who tell us the climate has changed. I can see within in my lifetime how the weather patterns have shifted. I don’t doubt that humans are having a negative impact on our world and I am consuming more than my fair share. I don’t doubt the high probability that CO2 is the cause of the change in weather but a few things make me sceptical about the certainty of all this. They are mostly human things too. It all turns on humanity after all.?
The latter is the starting point. It all turns upon man. Are we really the centre of the universe? That is a religious perspective held by many and has a parallel in the popular discussion of climate science. That is after all what I am talking about; the popular science. I have no science degree to comment on anything deeper and surprisingly neither do many people who pronounce loudly on the issues.
Then there is a human propensity to believe people when they say the sky is falling. Again, it is a religious notion that there will be some kind of judgement day. Many of us can be made to feel guilty quite easily and if you’ve been a churchgoer then it is certainly part of the territory.
So all of the above just makes me edgy when politicians and other advocates begin pushing these same buttons on climate . One gets the feeling that a manipulation born of nothing more than belief and a desire to be popular is driving all kinds of leaders. Because they often know little of the science themselves they belittle any opposition with name calling and not a lot of evidence. It does not give one hope for a sensible outcome.
As someone who does walk deliberately in the Christian tradition, all be it a non-theist one, the response to caring for my descendants future may be similar to someone harping on about carbon footprints. But I would be careful about making religious statements and talking of catastrophic outcomes. Whatever happens I doubt the planet is threatened by our puny species and our end will not come as a catastrophe unless there is an equally unlikely worldwide nuclear war. What might happen is going to be gradual. We will learn more. If it is getting obviously worse because of humans we have the capacity as a species to change things rapidly. If it turns out not to get worse and/or climate change is, in due course, found to be influenced by factors outside of our control then a whole lot of trust will be smashed. Changes that we want for the good of humanity may be reversed by the powers that will come to the fore in that political meltdown. I have a bad sense that may be the catastrophe of this century.
Tuesday, September 15, 2009
Tour de Timor
Well the tour has come and gone and I feel proud and honored to have taken part in the first major sporting event in this new country. There would be many things to talk about but I'll have to pick just a few.
Looking back now it feels very much like we were all cooperating , officials, cyclists, volunteers and the people of Timor, to make this special event a success. It was more than a race. It was also billed as Race for Peace as the President wanted to create something positive along with the race after many years of visitors coming for conflict resolution type reasons. As a race it was remarkably well run over 5 days of racing with some hard climbing over large and beautiful mountains. People lined the course everywhere and my arms were sore from waving. Actually they were more sore from all the potholes. This was a road race on mountainbikes over very patchy roads but that was part of the appeal for me. The bike was perfect for it and I only had one flat tyre and a broken chain on a really horrible downhill section on day 5. I finished 77th overall after a couple of bad days but I was rarely near the elite young men at the front who were hours faster over the 450klm.
Looking back now it feels very much like we were all cooperating , officials, cyclists, volunteers and the people of Timor, to make this special event a success. It was more than a race. It was also billed as Race for Peace as the President wanted to create something positive along with the race after many years of visitors coming for conflict resolution type reasons. As a race it was remarkably well run over 5 days of racing with some hard climbing over large and beautiful mountains. People lined the course everywhere and my arms were sore from waving. Actually they were more sore from all the potholes. This was a road race on mountainbikes over very patchy roads but that was part of the appeal for me. The bike was perfect for it and I only had one flat tyre and a broken chain on a really horrible downhill section on day 5. I finished 77th overall after a couple of bad days but I was rarely near the elite young men at the front who were hours faster over the 450klm.
A wonderful sense of place remains strong with me. The mountain villages , beautiful people and pretty views were worth the pain of day4.
Thank you Timor Leste. I hope to be back some time soon.
Friday, June 26, 2009
Tour de Timor !
I'm not sure why I found the idea exciting but when I was puttering around the kitchen a couple of Saturdays ago and the Radio National news announced the Tour de Timor I knew I wanted to go. It took a few days to think about it but I knew I would.
So I have my tickets booked and I found a nice frame and fork to race with alot of old bombproof gear that I could build it up with. I plan to leave it behind if there is a need for it. It has turned out rather sweet.
The race itself should be a lot of fun with the major challenges being my first visit to a developing country and the unknown nature of the accomodation and food. It seems like a brilliant way to see alot of this new nation and meet its people. I hope there is a good field of locals and internationals.
Check it out www.tourdetimor.com
So I have my tickets booked and I found a nice frame and fork to race with alot of old bombproof gear that I could build it up with. I plan to leave it behind if there is a need for it. It has turned out rather sweet.
The race itself should be a lot of fun with the major challenges being my first visit to a developing country and the unknown nature of the accomodation and food. It seems like a brilliant way to see alot of this new nation and meet its people. I hope there is a good field of locals and internationals.
Check it out www.tourdetimor.com
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