“The unhealthiness of the world today is in direct proportion to our inability to see it as a whole,” said Dr. John Parker, quoting Peter Senge. He was the main speaker at the Green Times’ 100th Issue Celebration last week at the pioneer of green hotels, the Vineyard in Newlands, discussing the Culture of Addiction with relevance to Consumerism.
Dr. Parker is a psychiatrist at Lentegeur Hospital, the champion behind the greening of the hospital and also a lecturer at the University of Cape Town.
The event started with a guided walk by horticulturalist Chris Van Zyl (pictured below), through one of my favourite spots - the ancient Vineyard Hotel gardens, along the banks of the Liesbeek River. Close to the hotel’s bukashi composting system, where all their organic waste is transformed into nutrients for the garden, we spotted the last little piece of the vineyard, which delivered 87 bottles of wine last year.
Why do we continue to live lifestyles that don’t serve the planet, even if we know of the dire consequences in the long run?
“Addiction is not just about drugs,” John said, “we are also addicted to unsustainable behaviour.” It’s about the need for immediate gratification, as opposed to taking the long-term view of the future of the planet and thinking larger than your own momentary needs.
John (pictured below) shared slides of the development of the human brain and indicated how the frontal cortex only developed relatively recently, whilst the reptilian and limbic parts of the brain goes back billions of years. So this is a relatively new part of the brain, which is also the area that enables one to hold back and consider the long-term impacts of decisions. This is what triggers philanthropic behaviour and is the source of the shift that is needed on our planet, and especially in our country.
The limbic brain wants what it wants now – whether it’s a drug, a dress, that new car or gadget, or even the chocolate you did not intend to have. If this urge is satisfied, it provides a sudden high or feeling of relief. Yet the long-term consequences are catastrophic – debt, family disintegration, relationship and health setbacks.
Childhood deprivation plays a role
“Early childhood deprivation plays a big role in the development of addictions,” said John. Responding to my question whether he was referring to material or emotional deprivation, he said they’ve only been able to measure material deprivation… Yet most probably emotional deprivation will also contribute to the tendency to become addicted.
Our society’s culture promotes the satisfaction of immediate needs, especially via the media and advertising industries. This influences our actions, leading to an unsustainable lifestyle of monoculture and consumerism. John referred to the work done by the Common Cause Handbook, which we have featured before here and can be downloaded here.
Decision making is tied to values, which cluster into two groups: extrinsic and intrinsic values.
Extrinsic values are driven towards external consumption and targets and are concerned with the perceptions of others. This is the home of consumerism - equating personal happiness with the purchasing of material possessions and consumption. Keeping up with the Joneses, impressing my neighbours with my ostentatious house and cars. This happens at all levels of society. Wearing the right clothes labels, walking around with certain branded shopping bags, displaying a big flat TV screen is often more important than nutritious food, even in poor areas.
Intrinsic values are concerned with doing the right thing, with the community and bigger-than-self problems. Here we can take a long-term and planetary view and consider the future for all. This is where the focus rests on the greater good and the inner satisfaction and joy which this leads to.
Green thinking is lead by your intrinsic values. So how to motivate our nation to consider their intrinsic values and do what is best for the world? One solution is by focusing on our common intrinsic values, as we all have those. This is what ties us all together. At a deeper level, we share more similarities than differences. We all care about our future and that of our children. Perhaps these values have just become somewhat dormant in terms of the dominant culture?
John’s talk (here embroidered upon by Elma) lead naturally into the Story of the Green Times. This will be shared in a special community issue next week.
Green Times had joined the first Carpool Week and therefore asked guests to share lifts when travelling to the party. Andy le May arrived on his electric scooter, the E-Whizz. We were also proud to participate in the OcSober initiative, therefore no alcohol was served.
Heartfelt thanks go to our generous juice sponsors, Woolworths, Scheckter’s Organic Energy Drink and Organic Apple Juice from Elgin Organics. Thank you to the Vineyard Hotel for hosting us and the excellent vegetarian catering.
Conservation story rendition
The evening came to a meaningful close with a rendition of ‘In The Withaak’s Shade,’ an early conservation story by Herman Charles Bosman, poignantly told by professional storyteller and one of our key sponsors, Dorian Haarhoff, as well as a poem he wrote for our editor:
Blind Faith
(for Elma)
star nosed mole
you work the world
below in a network
of passages.
you recycle oxygen
as a blood protein
keeps you breathing
in the CO² dark.
acrobat of tunnels,
you somersault
then reverse,
push up mounds
in the middle of lawns
that sprawl across
the moneyed world
that drink all that water.
some say you make
the ground unpalatable
for cattle and sheep.
there are those who
wish to poison you,
skin you for your pelt,
pest that you are
making piles of soil,
ground though grass,
reminding us of
the work you daily do.
you stir the earth
so we can grow patches
of carrot and cabbage.
catch maggots
faster than the
eye can follow.
down there, hidden,
you aerate the earth
eating the worm
that devours the roots.
furred mammal
you nest your young
near a larva larder
in a leaf lined chamber.
feed them mother’s milk
nuzzle them fur close
before they dig
their own channel.
wind in willows Mole
mild mannered,
fed up with chores,
you take to the countryside,
ride the river with Rat,
challenge conceited
Toad of Toad Hall,
befriend Badger,
find Otter’s missing son.
shrewd woman,
you sense vibrations
with your whiskers.
true to your collective noun -
not a herd, flock nor litter
but a labour of moles.
burrow on in blind faith.
excavate all the old beliefs.
you with your second thumb,
a sickle-shaped bone
rising from your wrist,
with your subway of words
cut down our aged ways.
Dorian
Sept 2011
————————————————-
Photos by Ruben Swart (see full set here)
Thanks again to our drinks sponsors:
Leave a Reply or Follow