Comments on: Agriculture: Unsustainable Resource Depletion Began 10,000 Years Ago

By: Butter vs Margarine Facts

Butter vs Margarine Facts — Mon, 28 Feb 2011 04:35:19 +0000

Wow. I have always wondered about that and until now never did really understand it. This does make sense that because the males were more fit and stronger, they did most of the hunting and other survival jobs. The women were more of like helpers in the villages.

By: Pylon

Pylon — Thu, 18 Jun 2009 07:17:07 +0000

“since women could not gather food in winter.”

Actually this makes sense in temperate areas; fire-making and maintenance is a critical skill and essential to the survival of the tribe in winter, and women traditionally tend the fires in almost all cultures.

By: admin

admin — Thu, 18 Jun 2009 06:56:36 +0000

“since women could not gather food in winter.”

its a shame that he starts with such a patriarchal perspective – simply to say that there was less food available in northern climes would have been enough. and what exactly does his conclusion say if anything?… just another pontificating bloke?

accepted, that skin colour and vit d may not be connected, although this has no impact on the premise of the article….

By: Ken

Ken — Wed, 17 Jun 2009 22:09:01 +0000

"selection for lighter skin colors that has allowed people living in northern climates to use limited sunlight to accomplish the metabolic transformations of chemical precursors into Vitamin D" Mad dogs and .... Not everyone is convinced Vitamin D had anything to do with lightening of skin, or its darkening (Kalahari Bushmen are not 'black') SEXUAL SELECTION AND HUMAN GEOGRAPHIC VARIATION

By: admin

admin — Wed, 17 Jun 2009 17:02:47 +0000

hi magnus
glad you found us! good to see what you are trying to do in N.Portugal too. more of the same, and business as usual will not get us out of this mess, thats been 10000 years in the making, at least. the plough is as much a weapon in the war against nature as the sword is in human wars, it is all interconnected.

dmitry orlov touches upon social inertia in the following article, personally if someone isnt receptive to the idea that their whole culture is genocidal and ecocidal i see really little point trying to convince them, it is such hard work, although healthy debate does encourage sideways thinking sometimes.

a related problem is how overwhelming what needs to be done can be – how much devastation has been wrought in the name of civilisation, that needs to be repaired – social, poitical, community, environmental, and for freedom etc the more i learn about soils, forests and sustainable polycultures the more i realise how damaged this beautiful planet is, but also how easy it could be to turn it around now, while there is still abundant energy.

we need more people who understand civilisations death wish, and want to work against it, and for life (obviously incorporating a proper understanding that death is part of life) and diversity.

keep on talking (while doing)
andy

By: Magnus Wolfe Murray

Magnus Wolfe Murray — Tue, 16 Jun 2009 22:42:08 +0000

Great essay indeed. Important to point out that our current problem is deep-rooted – and our entire system of civilisation needs an overhaul.
The problem I keep running into is that of acceptance: of this story, of the alternatives which are so obviously necessary. Of a belief in the status quo and that, if it has carried us along thus far (millenia) so nicely, why can’t it continue. I see population collapse as inevitable, as the timing needed for global re-education and transition is overwhelming. Not to mention the forces rallied against such a change (those very powerful forces that benefit from short term financial gain)

Glad to find this site.
Magnus

By: techno peasant

techno peasant — Tue, 16 Jun 2009 20:04:39 +0000

we need an army of permaculturists, using what we know about soils, forests, edibale plants etc to create diverse food forest polycultures.
the earths natural state is a forest, and humans nature place is within healthy and carefully managed forests. bare soil bleeds nutrients and harms the microbe, bacterial and fungal friends. agriculture as we have practised it is more about domination, exploitation and control than about feeding people…

we can use our brains and opposable thumbs to speed up the earths healing processes, and we need to now.