Comments on: Welcome to the Minimalist Century http://moreminimal.com/2009/11/welcome-to-the-minimalist-century/ Making More of Less Mon, 26 Jul 2010 22:24:00 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.0.1 By: Marahttp://moreminimal.com/2009/11/welcome-to-the-minimalist-century/comment-page-1/#comment-830 Mara Sun, 14 Mar 2010 00:28:51 +0000 http://moreminimal.com/?p=503#comment-830 catching up with your earlier posts and have just read this one. agree very strongly with this point of view, and with your other post about not confusing minimalism with reductionism. am working on my own essay on current conditions and minimalism. catching up with your earlier posts and have just read this one. agree very strongly with this point of view, and with your other post about not confusing minimalism with reductionism. am working on my own essay on current conditions and minimalism.

]]> By: Leading Eco and Green Bloggers on the Web | EcoSalonhttp://moreminimal.com/2009/11/welcome-to-the-minimalist-century/comment-page-1/#comment-802 Leading Eco and Green Bloggers on the Web | EcoSalon Mon, 22 Feb 2010 18:39:30 +0000 http://moreminimal.com/?p=503#comment-802 [...] Chris writes from the perceptive that we’ll finding new ways to live and work in the “Minimalist Century,” whether we like it or not. In fact, The Minimalist Century is the name of a new website [...] [...] Chris writes from the perceptive that we’ll finding new ways to live and work in the “Minimalist Century,” whether we like it or not. In fact, The Minimalist Century is the name of a new website [...]

]]> By: Chris Baskindhttp://moreminimal.com/2009/11/welcome-to-the-minimalist-century/comment-page-1/#comment-787 Chris Baskind Thu, 04 Feb 2010 23:19:23 +0000 http://moreminimal.com/?p=503#comment-787 You actually have very little argument from me. Nations will act in their own interest, and we cannot insist otherwise. And you're right -- the Indian and Chinese juggernauts are just getting stoked. <br><br>That being said, the planet has finite resources. Per capita energy consumption in the developing world (if you'll forgive the somewhat condescending term) will never reach that currently enjoyed by the United States. We'll run out cheap fuel long before then, and neither China nor India will be able to tolerate the local impact of burning an unlimited amount of coal.<br><br>At that point -- hopefully before -- they'll act in their own interests. No Neo-Colonialists need apply.<br><br>I do not advocate enforced poverty anywhere, including here at at home. Nor am I calling for asceticism. In any case, it really doesn't matter what we want. Here's the truth: The 21st century will be about increasingly ferocious competition for dwindling energy and material resources. The West will no longer enjoy hegemony over the world's goods, and will need to become more efficient. The East must contend with demand outstripping supply. Everyone gets to develop renewable energy technologies and live within the constraints of reality. <br><br>No amount of sloganeering will change these facts. You actually have very little argument from me. Nations will act in their own interest, and we cannot insist otherwise. And you're right — the Indian and Chinese juggernauts are just getting stoked.

That being said, the planet has finite resources. Per capita energy consumption in the developing world (if you'll forgive the somewhat condescending term) will never reach that currently enjoyed by the United States. We'll run out cheap fuel long before then, and neither China nor India will be able to tolerate the local impact of burning an unlimited amount of coal.

At that point — hopefully before — they'll act in their own interests. No Neo-Colonialists need apply.

I do not advocate enforced poverty anywhere, including here at at home. Nor am I calling for asceticism. In any case, it really doesn't matter what we want. Here's the truth: The 21st century will be about increasingly ferocious competition for dwindling energy and material resources. The West will no longer enjoy hegemony over the world's goods, and will need to become more efficient. The East must contend with demand outstripping supply. Everyone gets to develop renewable energy technologies and live within the constraints of reality.

No amount of sloganeering will change these facts.

]]> By: Betterredthandeadhttp://moreminimal.com/2009/11/welcome-to-the-minimalist-century/comment-page-1/#comment-786 Betterredthandead Thu, 04 Feb 2010 22:20:58 +0000 http://moreminimal.com/?p=503#comment-786 Ha! the 20th century will pale in comparison to the 21st century in terms of consumption, the Indians and Chinese are just getting started, and they aren't listening to the likes of Greenpeace, WWF and the Optimum Population trust trying to implement ENFORCED Poverty - they are interested in raising the standard of living in their countries, and they could care less if we all live like monks to show them the error of their ways.<br><br>I hate to have to let you know this, but humans exist by consuming, just like every other living thing on this planet - it doesn't matter if it is organic or not...<br><br>Liberate the third world from the western environmental neo-colonialism! Ha! the 20th century will pale in comparison to the 21st century in terms of consumption, the Indians and Chinese are just getting started, and they aren't listening to the likes of Greenpeace, WWF and the Optimum Population trust trying to implement ENFORCED Poverty – they are interested in raising the standard of living in their countries, and they could care less if we all live like monks to show them the error of their ways.

I hate to have to let you know this, but humans exist by consuming, just like every other living thing on this planet – it doesn't matter if it is organic or not…

Liberate the third world from the western environmental neo-colonialism!

]]> By: surihttp://moreminimal.com/2009/11/welcome-to-the-minimalist-century/comment-page-1/#comment-785 suri Wed, 03 Feb 2010 22:11:35 +0000 http://moreminimal.com/?p=503#comment-785 and also what we need is to have less babies ... there´s no way we can solve all this problems without doing something about the population problem ...Don´t know why people always avoid this subject and also what we need is to have less babies … there´s no way we can solve all this problems without doing something about the population problem …Don´t know why people always avoid this subject

]]> By: Chris Baskindhttp://moreminimal.com/2009/11/welcome-to-the-minimalist-century/comment-page-1/#comment-784 Chris Baskind Wed, 03 Feb 2010 17:30:32 +0000 http://moreminimal.com/?p=503#comment-784 I stand by the statement. China and India have their unique problems, but we'll all ride together on the efficiency train. I stand by the statement. China and India have their unique problems, but we'll all ride together on the efficiency train.

]]> By: gvanderleunhttp://moreminimal.com/2009/11/welcome-to-the-minimalist-century/comment-page-1/#comment-783 gvanderleun Wed, 03 Feb 2010 02:42:18 +0000 http://moreminimal.com/?p=503#comment-783 "Rajendra Pachauri, Chair of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change"<br><br>Not exactly a man who is covering himself in glory of late, what? “Rajendra Pachauri, Chair of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change”

Not exactly a man who is covering himself in glory of late, what?

]]> By: gvanderleunhttp://moreminimal.com/2009/11/welcome-to-the-minimalist-century/comment-page-1/#comment-782 gvanderleun Wed, 03 Feb 2010 02:41:03 +0000 http://moreminimal.com/?p=503#comment-782 "We’ll all be learning to use less, reuse more, and find greater value in the things we have close at hand." As the populations of China and India would say, and DO say every day: "What do you mean 'we,' white man?" “We’ll all be learning to use less, reuse more, and find greater value in the things we have close at hand.” As the populations of China and India would say, and DO say every day: “What do you mean 'we,' white man?”

]]> By: zsa zsahttp://moreminimal.com/2009/11/welcome-to-the-minimalist-century/comment-page-1/#comment-776 zsa zsa Wed, 20 Jan 2010 15:57:50 +0000 http://moreminimal.com/?p=503#comment-776 I love this line and I hope this will continue to be true in the months and years to come: "We’ll all be learning to use less, reuse more, and find greater value in the things we have close at hand." <br>This made me remember what an old professor used to tell us: keep your lives simple, minimize clutter and you'll realize how much more efficient you will become! I'm all for minimalism and simplicity! I love this line and I hope this will continue to be true in the months and years to come: “We’ll all be learning to use less, reuse more, and find greater value in the things we have close at hand.”
This made me remember what an old professor used to tell us: keep your lives simple, minimize clutter and you'll realize how much more efficient you will become! I'm all for minimalism and simplicity!

]]> By: Jennifer Goetzhttp://moreminimal.com/2009/11/welcome-to-the-minimalist-century/comment-page-1/#comment-765 Jennifer Goetz Sat, 02 Jan 2010 20:19:20 +0000 http://moreminimal.com/?p=503#comment-765 I agree as well. Unfortunately minimalism is not mainstream, or is only mainstream inasmuch as it becomes fashionable and sexy, not because society actually recognizes the need to consume less. I'm just wondering how we can transform thought toward responsible consumption. I agree as well. Unfortunately minimalism is not mainstream, or is only mainstream inasmuch as it becomes fashionable and sexy, not because society actually recognizes the need to consume less. I'm just wondering how we can transform thought toward responsible consumption.

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