collective - Blog - The Philosophy Of Freedom Steiner2024-03-29T11:32:19Zhttps://philosophyoffreedom.com/profiles/blog/feed/tag/collectiveFighting Climate Change With Freedom Or Force?https://philosophyoffreedom.com/profiles/blog/fighting-climate-change-with-freedom-or-force2015-08-17T01:48:48.000Z2015-08-17T01:48:48.000ZEthical Individualisthttps://philosophyoffreedom.com/members/theethicalindividualist<div><table border="0" style="width: px;">
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<p><a href="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/3293847218?profile=original" target="_self"><img src="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/3293847218?profile=original" width="555" class="align-full" /></a><strong>Global Footprint</strong><br />
Since the dawn of civilization, the planet replenished its resources faster than humans consumed them. Starting around 1970 that changed, we began to take more from the planet each year than it could restore. Since then, the gap between our rate of consumption and the planet's rate of regeneration has widened.</p>
<p>Its only mid-August but we have already used an entire year’s worth of the Earth’s natural resources according to the Global Footprint Network. For the rest of the year we will consume more than the Earth can replenish. This natural resource debt is not sustainable, how can we change?</p>
<p><strong>Individual versus collective action</strong><br />
There is a continuing debate within the environmental movement about the relative merits of individual versus collective action. We are autonomous individuals as well as members of a local and global collective. I thought I would compare various possibilities of collective and individual action.</p>
<p>To act we need an “idea” of what to do and a “desire” to do it.</p>
<p><span style="color: #800000;"><strong>1. Collective idea and collective desire</strong></span><br />
<strong>Example:</strong> A democratic collective (State) agrees on an idea (environmental law) and the collective (citizens) desire to obey to avoid penalties (fines, jail).<br />
<strong>Result:</strong> The planet is saved but individual freedom is lost due to threat of force.</p>
<p><span style="color: #800000;"><strong>2. Collective idea and individual desire</strong></span><br />
<strong>Example:</strong> A collective (NGO) agrees on an idea (recycling) and individuals who desire to act do so on a voluntary basis.<br />
<strong>Result:</strong> Individual freedom is saved but the planet is lost due to lack of participation.</p>
<p><span style="color: #800000;"><strong>3. Individual idea and collective desire</strong></span><br />
<strong>Example:</strong> Individual eco-friendly inventions and marketing (solar powered toothbrush) and the collective desires it because of mass marketing.<br />
<strong>Result:</strong> The planet is saved but individual freedom is lost due to mind control.</p>
<p><span style="color: #800000;"><strong>4. Individual idea and individual desire</strong></span><br />
<strong>Example:</strong> Individual accepts eco-friendly ideas that she desires to act upon. Taking the global and her individual situation into consideration the necessary changes are made.<br />
<strong>Result:</strong> Individual freedom empowers diverse individual action and the planet is saved.</p>
<p><a href="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/3293848711?profile=original" target="_self"><img width="750" src="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/3293848711?profile=RESIZE_1024x1024" class="align-full" /></a><strong>Mature free individuals</strong><br />
To meet the challenges of our time will take fully functioning mature individuals we are capable of unbiased scientific understanding of life situations (free thinking) and have a desire to live a life that expresses their highest ideals (free action). Nothing can stop you if you think universally and act individually.</p>
<p><strong>Impossible dream?</strong><br />
Is their really any other solution than the need for human development? Is this an impossible dream? Not if we start with ourselves. The global footprint is the total of individual footprints.</p>
<p><strong>Ethical individualism</strong><br />
Rudolf Steiner's <a href="http://philosophyoffreedom.com/hoernle-translation-1916" target="_blank">Philosophy Of Freedom</a> presents a way of life called <a href="http://philosophyoffreedom.com/ethical-individualism" target="_blank">Ethical Individualism</a>. It is about being inspired by your ideals, setting real goals, and realizing them without doing harm.</p>
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