Hello and thank you for the reflections, critiques and new information.
I will pop your comments into the other thread with the film, so it’s fair.
You know, for some time now, I’ve been having growing doubts about the efficacy of technology, politics and power in their ability (inability?) to save this planet for future generations.
So this is more of what this film reinforced for me. That it’s just kindness, gentleness towards each other and other beings and our planet that is going to save us. By ‘save us’, I don’t mean that we’ll come out of this with a habitable and pleasant planet. That would be a lovely bonus. What I mean is that we’ll live and die with grace and kindness and courage; because apart from being frightened of what may happen to me, my family, my Buddhist community and my body and the terrible things that the most vulnerable will face - what bothers me in my heart is the fear that I will lose my kindness as my kilesas take over. I hope it will not be so.
And I really think that simplicity, wanting less are part of kindness towards our environment, each other, ourselves and other beings.
@Javier I found the links very interesting. Thank you. The tone of the final article was very passionate and fair enough coming from that author’s point of view. But what would be great going forward is if people like that contact people like Michael Moore and Jeff Gibbs - not just because they have a following and influence - but because in the end, dialogue and sharing knowledge and making critiques in a kind, direct manner, may move us in the right direction. So I hope any misinformation in the films is questioned and there is transparent dialogue. But I hope it’s not mean.
And I hope all this improves the wider knowledge and caring of the general population.
You know, that thing about the mention of population being racist blew me a way. I’ve experienced a little racism myself; it’s stupid. But the population being too high is something I view from a Buddhist perspective - at the moment I am celibate with every intention of continuing in this way. I like it. It’s for me, a reduction in the rabid and rapid consumption that my mind and 5 senses engage in. It’s a simplification. A moving inwards. A letting go of what I want. It’s a movement towards more peace and more kindness and more capacity to give. That’s only in small ways because I’m nothing special - but still, it’s something I’ve noticed and 'am grateful about. This is how I took the thing about population. This is only partly what I meant when I said Buddhists had something to offer - or to be more accurate during this Vesak season, and to give credit where it’s definitely due - this is something the Buddha has already offered us all.
Thank you again.