Hi David,

Thank you very much for your comments. The Cambodian experience that you outline seems to be very much along the lines of what I talk about and point out in my essays. It sounds really great! And yes, much of what is touted as “development” is actually very destructive. A friend of mine Serge Latouche wrote a book on the question of “Should we refuse development” (faut-il refuser le développement — I don’t think it has been translated). In our view “sustainable development” is an oxymoron. Development as it is practiced to date cannot ever be sustainable.

I see that you attached your comments to Part I, so I am not sure if you read Part II. I do not want to presume. My response to your question is in Part II and more so in the following essay at: https://fourth-transition.medium.com/repowering-the-planet-the-intelligent-way-introduction-and-summary-4ef44c9d17b9 and subsequent parts.

In brief, we have ample evidence that humankind is now under intense selection pressure, not in a very long term genetic sense, instead in a social-cultural-psychological sense. What differentiate humankind from other life forms is its ability to evolve extremely rapidly culturally. I outline this in the above essays. There is no ecological niche for the current parts of humankind that are theistic, hierarchical and dualist in their thinking, decision-making and modes of social organisation. In turn, we do know that there is a niche for a non-dualist life form seamlessly integrated in EL. That is, HE have no future. At this late stage, any transition towards a non-dualist way is most likely to be very painful.

In the above perspective, I am not worried about HE having access. There is no point in blaming anyone for the present dire situation. I see the matter as enabling everyone to evolve. All can play a part. Those who do not transform will unavoidably fall by the wayside.

You may know of Thich Nhat Hanh. He recently died. Last year fortunately his Plum Village community published what is in a way a summary of his great legacy: Zen and the Art of Saving the Planet, Penguin Random House, UK. In a way my work has to do with what he is talking about. My work integrates insights, practice and poesy (Theoria, Praxis, and Poiesis in Greek). The latter is about inventing the world anew, based on insights and practice. In this matter of integrating the three, I see a vital difference between ways that to this point rested on there being solid grounds under one’s feet to walk on, as far as the eyes could see, and the present situation where the whole of humankind is pressing by the edge of that thermodynamic cliff, with most people remaining blind and the ground already crumbling under our feet… I call thinking and acting by that cliff, Cliff-edge Zen ;-)) A matter of life and death, with no room for errors.

If you have not read it, please have a look at https://fourth-transition.medium.com/repowering-the-planet-the-intelligent-way-introduction-and-summary-4ef44c9d17b9 and subsequent parts. It expands on Life on the cliff’s edge ;-))

Cheers

Louis