Nothing to see here but the usual vituperative self-loathing. Ooh, aren't we awful!

Just for the record, though, current extinction rates are actually no higher than normal, and the (deep breath) 'International Programme on the Status of the Ocean and the International Union for the Conservation of Nature' is a happy little kaffeeklatsch of twenty or so self-appointed activists with no official standing.

See http://wattsupwiththat.com/2010/01/04/where-are-the-corpses for extinction rates and

http://wattsupwiththat.com/2011/06/21/saving-the-world-and-the-ocean-one-activist-opinion-at-a-time-another-greenpeace-flap-this-one-duped-global-media for the IPSOIUCV. Phoebus, what a name!

This article is spot on. The scale and intensity of the plunder of the natural world has dramatically increased and shows no sign of stopping. I find it amazing that the previous comment seems to think that our industrial society has had no impact and uses a couple of links to support that contention.

I suggest watching Gasland the movie on gas fracking. Or if you watched Four Corners last night on mining in WA. The machines and the amount of mining/damage they can do is almost unbelievable. Also it would be wise of us to remember Nauru and Easter Island - if you use up everything with no thought of the future - even tomorrow - is insane.

It is interesting that even though we know this is crazy we still allow it to continue. Do we feel too powerless to make a change? Are we too busy enjoying the fruits of this pillage? Is it to hard to believe how nuts we are and assume that if it really was this bad someone somewhere would do something about it?

Lillian asks...... "Do we feel too powerless to make a change?"

Lillian, for the small amount of people in the world that actually do care and are very aware of where this is rapidly heading, yes, we are powerless. Most of the human population has been hoodwinked by big business into believing that growth is limitless and can go on forever. The only thing you can do now is learn to live as frugal a lifestyle as possible, get out of debt and learn new skills that will be useful in a world of rapidly diminishing energy.

Like microbes, humanity has been programmed by evolution to devour all in it's path until it reaches constraints on it's insane growth culture. After that, it will reach over-shoot and begin a massive die-off. In the meantime, all we can do is sit back and watch the fun.

Join in where you can since nothing you do can make a jot of difference to the outcome, but make sure you have a default position of making do and survival techniques such as the ability to grow food to fall back on. The more skills you have, the more likelihood you and your loved ones will survive, but remember, the end of growth is not far away.

Yes a very accurate assessment of the situation that all of Earthkind is now in.

This quote by Jules Henry from his 1963 book Culture Against Man, sums up the situation - which nearly 50 years later is much worse and to an unimaginable degree.

In Western Culture today one must make a distinction between the culture of life and the culture of death. In the minds of most people science has become synonymous with destructive weapons, i.e. with death ...Where is the culture of life?
The culture of life resides in all those people who, inarticulate, frightened, and confused, are wondering "where it will all end."
Thus the forces of death are confident and organized while the forces of life - the people who long for peace and a culture of sanity - are, for the most part, scattered, inarticulate, and wool-minded, overwhelmed by their own impotence.
Death struts about the house while Life cowers in the corner

Some people would like to tell us "there is no other way" (Margaret Thatcher). And her benighted present day acolytes would collectively "educate" babies, toddlers, young children to be "faith"-full consumers, as described in This Little Kiddy Went To Market by Sharon Beder.

They would even convene gab-fests which celebrate The (psychotic)Genius of Western Civilization.

This story and the comments attached show paranoia is alive and flourishing!

I don't necessarily ascribe to the paranoia theory, lockhartlofty.

>>This story and the comments attached show paranoia is alive and flourishing!<<

But it does confirm my belief that if you are keen to have your work published in 2011, it is best to write about the imminent demise of civilization as we know it.

The banking system will pauperize the lot of us! Global warming/climate change (correct my terminology if necessary, I find it hard to keep up sometimes) is going to fry us all! About the same time, we'll all be drowned in the rising sea levels! We're running out of food/water/air/home handymen! And don't forget, the Rapture is due (again) soon...!

Myself, I'm concerned about the heat death of the solar system. But will anybody listen...? No-o-o-o-o.