BURTON REPLY

I thank Mr.. Hutchinson for his reply and offer the following response in
the spirit of principled debate and honest dialog.

My reply appears in ALL CAPS in order to distinguish it from RH's text, it
is not a form of shouting.

Before going on to the replies, may I make a request that hence forth my
name not be associated or commingled with Mr.. Hanson's.  This is a personal
request that I would be most grateful for the list to observe.

Now on to the replies appearing below....


-----Original Message-----
Date: Friday, August 27, 1999 3:43 PM
Subject: energy limits (physical and mental)


>
>The recent provocations by Burton and Hanson have both raised interesting
>questions at the outer limits of the WSN list.


IT WAS MY ERROR OF FORM AND PRESENTATION TO COME OUT OF THE BLUE AND COME ON
SO STRONG WITH THE CHALLENGE AND PROPOSAL.  I HAVE LEARNED FROM THIS
MISTAKE.
>
>Burton's proposal is seemingly reasonable, but fails to take into account
>the organizational nature of the list.  Most of us are in the academic
>world.  We are here for various reasons, but our being here means that we
>are pursuing careers.  We have chosen not to make changing society our
>main goal.  We enjoy the freedom to think and write about what we want,
>and do not like collective projects that we are not in charge of.  The
>academic world is basically anarchic (yes, meant pejoratively, apologies
>to the syndicalists).  A common project such as the one Burton proposes
>could never be imposed on the list, or agreed on by the list, no matter
>how noble the intention.  (Notice the main reaction:  none.)  We forge on,
>inefficiently, unwilling to give up our personal niches.

NOT WANTING TO BE INFLAMMATORY, BUT I THINK A FORM OF "PASSIVE EVIL" IS NOT
ACTING WHEN IT IS WITHIN OUR POWER TO DO SO.  THIS WAS A MAJOR LESSON OF THE
HOLOCAUST.

WHILE IT IS NOT EXACTLY EVIL FOR THE WSN TO NOT WANT TO PUSH ITS BOUNDARIES
AND MAKE ACTION-ORIENTED CONTRIBUTIONS TO THE GLOBAL CRISIS AND/OR PROBLEMS
WHEN TIME IS CLEARLY RUNNING SHORT IN MANY AREAS, IT CERTAINLY RAISES THE
QUESTION IN MY MIND:  ARE WE BECOMING LIKE THOSE WE OPPOSE?  AFTERALL,
HAVING LITTLE OTHER CHOICE, WE TAKE MONEY FROM THE RICH VIA THE TAX SYSTEMS
THAT SUPPORTS THE ACADEMY (PLUS HIGH-PRICE TUITION) AND WE GENERALLY HAVE
LIFESTYLES THAT EMULATE THE DOMINANT PARADIGM IF NOT COMPLETELY BUYING INTO
IT.  AT WHAT POINT ARE WE AT THE VERY LEAST OBLIGED TO GIVE UP OUR FEAR AND
LAZINESS AND GIVE SOMETHING BACK THAT WILL ACTUALLY MAKE THINGS BETTER.  AT
WHAT POINT DO WE STOP ACTING LIKE "VICTIM ANARCHISTS" AND WIN BACK OUR
COLLECTIVE DIGNITY THROUGH "RIGHT ACTION."

I LOVE TO SIT ON MY BUTT AND WRITE BOOKS TOO, IN FACT I AM DOING SO NOW, BUT
I BELIEVE WE OWE THE WORLD SOMETHING MORE.  AND ONE PERSON TRYING TO CHANGE
THE WORLD FROM A POSITION OF SPONSORED ISOLATION HARDLY SEEMS RATIONAL OR
EFFECTIVE.

INDEED THE PUBLISHING WORLD IS GOING CRAZY PRINTING SAVE THE WORLD DIATRIBES
FROM EVERY PERSUASION, AND YET WHEN ONE IS DONE READING BOOKS AND ARTICLES
THERE IS SCARCELY ANYTHING TO DO IN TERMS OF PRACTICAL ACTION.  IN THIS CASE
KNOWLEDGE APPEARS TO ACTUALLY BE DISEMPOWERING US TO ACT.

I HAVE BEEN AN INVESTIGATIVE REPORTER FOR 20 YEARS AND I CAN TELL YOU THAT
MOST OF THE MAJOR STORIES I DID (THAT MILLIONS OF PEOPLE READ) HAD LITTLE OR
NO LONG-TERM EFFECT; AS EVIDENCE BY THE CONTINUED ABUSES AND WRONG DOING I
HAD SOUGHT TO PUT AN END.  I THINK ANY HONEST EMPIRICAL STUDY WOULD BARE
THIS OUT FOR MOST OF US ENGAGED IN SIMILAR ENDEAVORS.

I BELIEVE IT TAKES THE COURAGE OF CONVICTION TO MOVE BEYOND ONE'S OWN
MOTIVES AND LIMITED EFFORTS, TOO TRUST IN OTHERS AND ACT COLLECTIVELY ACT
FOR THE GREATER GOOD.  THERE IS ALWAYS A RISK OF FAILURE AND DISAPPOINTMENT,
BUT IT'S ONE WORTH TAKING I BELIEVE.

>The rise of the environmental movement and concern for other species seems
>to me to indicate the operation of a very promising negative feedback
>loop.  It doesn't seem nearly strong enough, but there is a shred of hope
>that it can be strengthened.  Again, if hope and "the indomitable human
>spirit" are merely part of our genetic programming (see "The Spirit In the
>Gene," Morrison, Cornell, 99), then we might as well do what we enjoy in
>our time remaining.

I HAVE THE IMPRESSION THIS IDEA SOMEHOW RELATES TO THE NOTION OF CHAOS
AGGREGATING INTO SOME SORT OF SURVIVABLE OUTCOME FOR SOME CONTINUING FORM OF
LIFE (POSSIBLY NOT INCLUDING HUMANS).  AT BEST THIS SEEMS AMORAL, WHICH IS
CONTRARY TO THE HUMAN ABILITY TO ENGAGE IN MORAL REASONING.  AT WORST, IT IS
FATALISM OR NIHILISM OR HAPPY-GO-LUCKISM OR SOME CONVENIENT EXCUSE.

I FOR ONE DO NOT WANT TO BE THE FROG SITTING IN THE SLOWLY HEATING LAB
FLASK.


>I don't expect much, but I agree with the thrust of both of these
>provocations.  Burton is right to be frustrated that this list could be
>much more useful, and ....

I GUESS I HAVE BEEN A SOCIAL SHIT DISTURBER ALL MY LIFE BECAUSE I COULD
NEVER SWALLOW THE EXPLANATION THAT:  "YOU'RE RIGHT TO WANT IT THAT WAY, BUT
IT AIN'T GONNA HAPPEN SO QUIT DREAMING."

IT'S JUST FUNNY HOW OFTEN DREAMS BECOME REALITY, ESPECIALLY WHEN ONE LEAST
EXPECTS IT.  THERE ARE COUNTLESS EXAMPLES OF THIS.  AND THE OUTCOME STUDIES
SHOW THAT THINGS HAVE PANNED OUT EVEN UNDER THE WORST CONDITIONS.

>Arguing about sociobiology is a convenient way to avoid the issue, and for
that reason the defenders
>of WSN orthodoxy have a lot more to answer for than their challengers.

I DON'T QUITE UNDERSTAND THIS.
>
FINALLY, I HEAR THE VOICE OF PRAGMATIC AND PRACTICAL EXPERIENCE IN MUCH OF
WHAT YOU SAY.  BUT I URGE YOU TO CONSIDER THIS:

THINK OF HOW GREAT IT WOULD BE TO HELP CREATE A UNIQUE GLOBAL RESOURCE THAT
COULD BE APPLIED IN THOUSANDS OF WAYS.

THINK OF HOW MANY GRAD STUDENT YOU COULD CONSCRIPT INTO DATA SLAVERY (KINDA
JOKING HERE).

THINK OF HOW GOOD IT WOULD BE FOR YOUR CAREER IF YOU WERE THE CO-DEVELOPER
OF AN ACADEMICALLY AND SOCIALLY USEFUL THING.

I WOULD HOPE IT WOULD BE WELL WORTH A FEW HOURS A WEEK; ESPECIALLY SINCE IT
WOULD PROBABLY AID IN YOUR OWN EFFORTS, TO DEVELOP A KNOWLEDGE BASE THAT
COULD MATERIALLY EVOLVE WST AND CONTRIBUTE TO THE LARGER SOCIAL SCIENCE
ENTERPRISE.

PERHAPS THE WSN LIST IS THE WRONG PLACE TO DO THIS, IN WHICH CASE I WELCOME
ANY SUGGESTIONS.

AGAIN, THANKS FOR THE COURTESY OF YOUR RESPONSE.  AND THE FAVOR OF YOUR
CONTINUING CORRESPONDENCE WOULD BE MOST APPRECIATED.

RANDALL BURTON

>
>Richard Hutchinson
>Weber State University
>
>