Growth? We need it but not the kind you think.

I love this idea for growth that is of true benefit, rather than the destructive kind fostered by dinosaur thinking.

"Later, when there is continual growth - of ideas, of community, of fun, of friendship, of compassion and of understanding - we will wonder how we ever bought into the myth of perpetual material growth on a planet of finite material resources."

I found it in a post by Corrina Gordon-Barnes over at Ooffoo called "When all flights are grounded"

Here is another excerpt;

"Dear Prime Minister,

When all flights are grounded, we will not understand. We will feel that the world as we know it is tumbling down. We will protest about the restriction of freedom and demand our right to travel where we choose. ... we will not know how to contain our anger. You must be ready for this.

When the great giant chain stores clear out, we will holler for their return. ... You must expect our fear.

When the cash machines spit out our cards, we will look at each other in panic. We have forgotten, you see, that shelter and food and warmth are our birthright. We have imagined that we must buy such things.

When pineapples and coffee disappear from the shelves and when animal protein becomes rare, know that there will be outrage. When the private car is no more, we will hurl abuse and accuse you of dragging us back to the dark ages.

Oh yes, we will fight and hold on, we will kick and scream. When the whole fabrication comes crashing down around us, we will ask: Why did you not see this coming? ... We have so few models, you see, for anything other than our current reality and our safety lies with the known. So at first, we won’t like it, not one bit. Of all this you can be guaranteed.

Later, as we are forced to adapt and as we notice ourselves becoming stronger, more interesting, more skilled human beings, we will sorrow at how much we wasted - not just of our precious natural world that can never be refurbished, but how much we wasted of ourselves. How we contorted ourselves out of all proportion to fit a system which made no sense when actually it was our authentic selves and our passion that were needed.

Later, when we study health not medicine, when our holidays are full of peace, quiet and exploration, when the grind is replaced by time with our loved ones, when we enjoy fresh air and no traffic jams, when eye contact with strangers feels comforting and when our elders our honoured, we will marvel at how we used to believe ourselves to be islands.

Later, when we equitably share our skills, our products and our time, when our material needs are met and when that deep feeling of safety and sufficiency is our core, we will shake our heads and smile as we remember how we once thought plastic could buy our happiness.

Later, when the hedgerows are buzzing with life, when we are reminded of what carrots are meant to taste like and when our farmers are revered, we will catch ourselves needing so much less than we ever believed was necessary."

Thanks to Dave Hampton for the heads up on this.