Friends;
I'd like to add a few brief points to the questions around
global capitalism and global catastrophe.
1. I agree with both Mark & Carl that capitalism is a
SOCIAL RELATION of class exploitation, and could well survive a
major demographic contraction. Nevertheless, such a contraction
could certainly qualify as a "catastrophe." Hence one can
believe both in the survival of some form of capitalism AND a
global collapse of contemporary civilization.
2. The supply of fossil fuels may yet last a while longer,
thereby prolonging agricultural collapse (such fuels can be
replaced as sources for electricity and transport, but NOT as
sources for fertilizers, pesticides, etc). However, the
prolonged, delayed, and extremely powerful forces of global
warming as diverted into thermal circulation via the oceans have
already been set in motion, with unpredictable results. Once
unleashed, these forces now are largely outside of our control,
and no amount of green technology can undo what has already been
set in motion. Those of us that oppose capitalism should be wary
of falling prey to the same arrogant ideology of human
omnipotence that enticed capital to lead us down this path to
begin with.
--Peter Grimes