Global Warming & Deforestation – Do You Continue Doing Art?

[Ancient]

This post is about doing what you love, what fulfills you – in a time when our actions, but also our inactions, are causing major damage to our world and harming our fellow earthlings, paving the path towards not just our own extinction. For those familiar with the Kardechev scale – humanity is speeding towards 'The Great Filter.' I would love to hear your thoughts and ideas on this. Do you continue doing what you love and what fulfills you? (as long as it's not adding fuel to this fire, of course) Or do you put your own interests aside to aid more concretely in the fight to save this planet?

The science is clear; the situation is quite dire. Global warming is not showing any sign of slowing down. Forests are being cut down at alarming rates, and the human population continues to rise – further accelerating the greenhouse emissions and exploiting our natural resources.

I sincerely admire and applaud past and present people who devote their lives to a just cause, standing up against what's being done to our only home, to injustice and inequality – sometimes with grim personal sacrifices as a consequence. I'm also puzzled by my own selfish creative desires and aspirations. Doing what I love doesn't come as easy as it used to. Is it justifiable to spend your time on things not directly correlated to stopping what's being done to our planet?

Son: "Dad, what did you do when you found out that earth was heading towards a tipping point, from which there's no turning back?"

Dad: "Son, I made a movie about aliens."

Son: "What?"

Dad: "Mhmm... That was fun."

Son: "But... but..."

Dad: "No 'buts' my son, I'm free to spend my time as I chose."

We all have our thing, a connection to something that speaks to us beyond words – calling on us if you will. Not for the sake of a great purpose or mission. Just for the sake of it. For me, this thing is telling stories. For you, this thing could literally be anything. That thing which is not a thing but more a way of life, a process in which we lose ourselves for a moment – in a good way, is something deeply spiritual and sacred. Deprived of this, whatever it is, life is dull and empty for reasons I quite don't understand, and it is, for this reason, I'm perplexed by these people who devote their lives to something that seems to be so uncreative and unfulfilling on a personal level. Should I finish my novel, or should I go and save our forests from being cut down?

I used to believe my stories could add value to people's lives, just as others' art and works have inspired me and added tremendous value to my life. And maybe they can, but you wouldn't tell stories around the campfire if the entire camp was burning. You'd run around with buckets, desperately trying to save your own and your tribes' home.

I was watching a documentary about Greta Thunberg the other day. There was a scene where she was sitting in the sailboat, sailing across the Atlantic towards the US to speak at the UN. The wind was howling as it gripped the sail – rocking the sailboat from side to side with water splashing up against the window behind her. She cried as she spoke into her recorder.

"There's so much responsibility. I don't want to have to do this. This is too much for me. However, I know how important this is – what's at stake."

I cried too. I really felt for her. Deep down, she just wants to be a girl, doing what she loves, which is being around horses, among many things. Not saving the planet. But she feels it's necessary to make the sacrifice because no one else will do it for her. Now, I haven't achieved anything remotely close to what she has when it comes to saving the world – but I understand what she meant with those words.

Take this with a grain of salt; I'm sure you understand what I'm referring to here. Is it justifiable to spend your time on things not directly correlated to stopping what's being done to our planet?

What are your thoughts on this?

PS; FYI I also posted this thread on Reddit before I thought of posting it here.

[Native spirit]

Man is the scurge of Mother earth they destroy everything. steal what's not theirs.
The human population is growing so quickly in some countries. it is stretching resources to the limit.

Mother earth will only take so much she will hit back.
you will have more earth quakes. they build on flood planes causing flooding.
Along with deforestation.

more volcanos erupting. it will all happen.
Man broke the umberella in which we live under.
they broke it by putting stuff into space. leaving it there making a mess as they do here.
They act surprised when it falls down again its pathetic.
that is my view anyway


Namaste

[ajay00]

Veganism is a great way by which each of us can put the stopper on global warming. It is said that the meat industry is a major contributor to greenhouse gas emissions.

https://www.scientificamerican.com/s...use-hamburger/

https://www.sciencedirect.com/scienc...11601X15001315


This will also reduce the brutality to which animals are subjected to in the slaughterhouse, and help create an ethical culture of nonviolence and morality in human society. Reduction of suffering inflicted on other sentient beings, especially birds and animals, is also considered meritorious in many religions.

This is probably a topic better suited for a different sub-forum. I can see where this will eventually end up and the word contentious comes to mind.

[Happy Wanderer]

Originally Posted by JustASimpleGuy

This is probably a topic better suited for a different sub-forum. I can see where this will eventually end up and the word contentious comes to mind.

Can't agree. Surely one of the advantages to becoming more spiritually aware is that we become as one with the natural world, for I believe 'God' (however you perceive that Power) has just as much of a presence (if not more so) in the natural world as he/it does in the cluttered, materialistic and often self centred place that mankind inhabits.

Anyway, to address the original topic, I'm afraid I don't do a lot in practical terms to be a 'rainbow warrior'. I do a lot of sewing and generally making stuff out of old things, so in my small way I am keeping rubbish out of landfill and turning it into something useful. Oh, I also write to my local member of parliament at what he probably considers annoyingly frequent intervals, complaining about the failure to implement sufficient policies to reduce carbon emissions.

I've been a vegetarian for almost 60 years, making a nuisance of myself both at home and school and later with my employer, insisting a vegetarian option should be included on the canteen menu. This was at a time (here in the UK anyway) when vegetarians were all considered to be head cases.

Thankfully attitudes are changing, though that seems to be bringing with it a polarisation between people wanting to protect our planet, and the climate change deniers. I don't really understand how they think their arguments are a valid challenge to 97% of scientists of the world, who believe mankind is responsible for global warming.

Originally Posted by Happy Wanderer

Can't agree. Surely one of the advantages to becoming more spiritually aware is that we become as one with the natural world, for I believe 'God' (however you perceive that Power) has just as much of a presence (if not more so) in the natural world as he/it does in the cluttered, materialistic and often self centred place that mankind inhabits.

Anyway, to address the original topic, I'm afraid I don't do a lot in practical terms to be a 'rainbow warrior'. I do a lot of sewing and generally making stuff out of old things, so in my small way I am keeping rubbish out of landfill and turning it into something useful. Oh, I also write to my local member of parliament at what he probably considers annoyingly frequent intervals, complaining about the failure to implement sufficient policies to reduce carbon emissions.

I've been a vegetarian for almost 60 years, making a nuisance of myself both at home and school and later with my employer, insisting a vegetarian option should be included on the canteen menu. This was at a time (here in the UK anyway) when vegetarians were all considered to be head cases.

Thankfully attitudes are changing, though that seems to be bringing with it a polarisation between people wanting to protect our planet, and the climate change deniers. I don't really understand how they think their arguments are a valid challenge to 97% of scientists of the world, who believe mankind is responsible for global warming.

I rest my case. Us vs. Them, the very definition of contention. One "side" painting the other "side" in derogatory terms. How's this spiritual?

[lemex]

Originally Posted by JustASimpleGuy

This is probably a topic better suited for a different sub-forum. I can see where this will eventually end up and the word contentious comes to mind.

Not really as there is spirituality in everything even in what we do. It is also about putting spirituality in practice. It is also important to listen to what is not said which I find as interesting. Each generation has their own cause that is important. We had ours did we not. Spirituality I think, applies. There is a balance to find. How well we understand spirituality is what I also see. You are right though, keep the reply spiritual and do not digress into topics off the mark.

[Altair]

Not just the immaterial, but the natural world as well, is spiritual to me. I think it is very important to protect and preserve ecosystems and wildlife populations, and support policies that aim to do this. I also support more sustainable lifestyles.... IOW sustainably produced food, less car dependency, less travels by plane. We ought to think about what kind of world we wish to create or leave behind. Many species die because of humans, and it's for bogus reasons such as fake medicine ((eating bear testicles for virility etc.)), useless products ((made of ivory)), or food we do not need to thrive ((like beef)).

As for your question: ''Is it justifiable to spend your time on things not directly correlated to stopping what's being done to our planet?''

Well yes, it's justifiable, because people also have to make a living and find happiness. The trick is to find a balance between caring for our world and others whilst also embracing our own individuality. This need not be at odds.

Ancient asked:

What are your thoughts on this?

Thoughts:
Earth as a whole is a Being we call Grandmother.
The Green thin layer that supports and nurtures Life we call Mother.
As a two legged species who is nurtured and supported by
my Mother and Grandmother, I give Thanks and am Grateful
and try to always treat my Mother and Grandmother and all Life
with Respect and honor the Spirit in all things seen and unseen.

What we do to our Mother and Grandmother we do to ourselves.
In this time there seems to be many selfish practices that are set
on consuming all of Life.

We should take personal responsibility in caring for our basic
Life sustaining elements, Fire, Rock, Water, Green.
I can only manage my own Heart thoughts and mental thoughts
that lead to my actions.
Which leads me to pray for all my Living relatives, the winged and the
four legged and two legged, the creepers and crawlers and swimmers
the one legged and the unseen and unborn.
Also including those I failed to mention or am unaware of.
Prayers that the Source of the Divine Love and Divine Light increase
especially into the dark places and bring Life/Love/Light.

Just my unadulterated thoughts.
* ** * ***
^^ ^ ^ ^ ^^

[Miss Hepburn]

Originally Posted by JustASimpleGuy

This is probably a topic better suited for a different sub-forum. I can see where this will eventually end up and the word contentious comes to mind.

Yes, Strong Opinions seems better suited, and maybe would have gotten more views.
Newbies do this often ---no harm done, tho.
lemex's point was well taken. Earth - spirituality --I can see the relationship. :)