KMO welcomes Thomas Homer-Dixon, author of The Upside of Down, back to the program to discus the potential, connectedness, and resilience of adaptive systems like ecosystems and economies. Is restoring the growth trajectory of the global economy a viable means of securing long term prosperity? What impact is technology having on employment, and is full employment a workable or even desirable goal? Later, Tad reads from his forthcoming book, Carbon Shift: How the Twin Crises of Oil Depletion and Climate Change Will Define the Future

You can find a transcript of (large portions of )this interview here:

http://community.livejournal.com/the_recession/241224.html

Thomas Homer-Dixon first appeared on the C-Realm Podcast in episode 36: Locus of Agency. I also played a portion of one his public talks in episode 86: Moments of Contingency.

Music by Jeff Andrews.

"C" stands for consciousness

Episode 86: Moments of Contingency



In this episode, KMO plays a talk that he recorded in Austin, Texas this past weekend. James Howard Kunstler addressed the Congress for the New Urbanism and emphasized the need for trains and sleazy waterfront flop houses for sailors. After that KMO plays a clip from a Thomas Homer-Dixon talk that amplifies a theme touched on in Jim Kunstler's contribution and ends with a call to unspecified action.

The full Thomas Homer-Dixon speech of which I played a short segment can be found here:

http://www.ecoshock.net/eshock08/ES_080404_Show.mp3

Episode 36: Locus of Agency



In this 36th episode of the C-Realm Podcast, KMO talks with Thomas Homer-Dixon, author of The Upside of Down: Catastrophe, Creativity, and the Renewal of Civilization about the fragility of our vast centralized systems, the need for resiliency & diversity, and the possibilities for renewal and reinvention which only present themselves in historical moments of disintegration and collapse.

Thomas Homer-Dixon has a great website, so I'll direct you there rather than put together a bio for him here.

To read about Zachary's thoughts on scientific materialism and consciousness, check out his blog: http://web.mac.com/jupiterspaceport/iWeb/Cyclotron%20Majesty%27s%20site/Blog/37845EBD-62A4-4C9A-96B2-C29CDD288638.html

Thomas (Tad) Homer-Dixon is the author of The Upside of Down: Catastrophe, Creativity, and the Renewal of Civilization, and if all goes according to plan, he'll appear on episodes 34 & 35 of the C-Realm Podcast.

You can get a preview here: http://www.theupsideofdown.com/video.html

Is the Deadly Crash of Our Civilization Inevitable?

By Terrence McNally,

link: http://www.alternet.org/story/47963/

An interview with Thomas Homer-Dixon about our choice of crises and collapses.

Excerpt:

TMN: It's going take playing the film backwards to save ourselves.

People have heard about the litany of crises in your book, but what's unique I think is the stance you're willing to take about what's going to happen. Jared Diamond says that there are two main factors that define whether societies succeed or collapse. Societies that survive practice long-term thinking and are willing and flexible enough to change their values when they no longer serve them.

What do you feel will save us from ourselves? What is The Upside of Down?

THD: My difference with Diamond is that I don't think we're going to really begin those conversations in a proper way until we face some crises or breakdowns. In other words, my impression of his argument is that collapse is something we have to avoid, in all cases and in all forms. On the other hand, I believe there is a spectrum of forms of collapse. At one end is the ideal, optimistic future where we solve all our problems and we live happily every after. At the other end is catastrophic collapse. We have tended not to fill in all the spaces in between, but that's actually where things might be very interesting. There may be some forms of disruption and crisis that will actually stimulate us to be really creative. Most importantly, they may allow us to get the deep vested interests that are blocking change out of the way.

(...)

There will be times of frustration and fear and anger on the part of many people when fundamental verities and patterns of life are suddenly challenged. They'll be scared. And in those moments, extremists can take advantage of the situation and push our societies in directions that are very bad. Those of us who are nonextremists need to be prepared to push in other directions and create something that's good.