Expand or Restrain?

I usually enjoy British journalist George Monbiot. His recent article in the Guardian from the Copenhagen Climate Conference is definitely worth reading. He argues that political fault lines now lye beyond liberal/conservative and are better labelled, expanders and restrainers. He argues that now, more than ever, we need to exercise restraint in how we live. We cannot expand endlessly, we cannot continue to (ab)use our planet the way we are used to. He takes a swipe at those expander's (and their copies of Atlas Shrugged that they cling to) who believe there are no limits for their growth. We need to move from an 'Age of Heroism' towards an 'Age on Accommodation'.

The problem, which Monbiot does mention, is that at heart humanity is desperately trying to pursue its 'better angels', as Lincoln put it. This is difficult for us creatures, in the hyper-real, consumer capitalist, liberal society in which we live. I would not be the one to cast the first stone to the expander's. Even now I'm thinking of all the 'things' I want to own. But what does that all matter? Even if the world doesn't end in my lifetime? No, Monbiot is right, this issue is so much bigger than Climate Change, it is about defining ourselves as humans. I don't know how else to end this post, than with the words of 1970’s Anglican Kenyan-theologian, John Mbiti, who coined a famous statement of humanness. It is expressed in terms of sharing: “I am because we are, and since we are therefore I am”

Amen.