Life and Times

A Short History of Progress by Ronald Wright

Ronald is a Historian and documents the rise and fall of specific civilisations and cultures with regard to today's society. He warns of a impending limit to growth or "Dark Age" ahead similar in message to Jane Jacobs.

Failed civilisations that he highlights are at Easter Island and ancient Sumer, who out stripped their resources until there was nothing left to sustain the human population. Maya and Rome civilisations expanded and declined due to poor governance but left lasting legacies in local and adjacent areas. One interesting fact he highlights is the effect that smallpox had on North American aboriginals. He says, "When the Pilgrims arrived in Massachusetts, the Indians had died out so recently that the whites found empty cabins, winter corn, and cleared fields waiting to their use."

Discovery of the "New World" no only brought new land but high yield crops which originated there, including, maize, beans, squash, pumpkin, potatoes, chili, tomatoes, cocoa beans and pineapple. None of these were indigenous to Europe contrary to public preconceptions. Wheat and barley were relatively low yield crops prior to that and required high labour to harvest them.

Longer running civilisations in China and Egypt were blessed with very fertile soil that could support large populations and made land management easier.

He views the capitalist systems as one huge pyramid scheme, always requires the "next big" thing to create expansion. This will lead us to a dead end he warns but he feels the direction is correctable. We need to live off the interest not the capital of nature. Live within the output of nature. It has been estimated that we were consuming 125% of nature's yearly output in 1999.

Originally posted elsewhere in 2004, re-posted in honour of her passing:

Jane Jacobs writes in "Dark Age Ahead" that education has become
credentialing. Rather than teaching people critical thinking skills,
guiding people to where they can excel and exhibit creativity.
Graduation from college or univeristy merely becomes an admission
ticket to be eligible for the workplace. Likewise, high school grants
admission to college or university.

Students merely put in their time and write the tests or exams. The
real academic environment is lost in large classes. Downsizing in the
academic community has resulted in a vacuum.