Category 3, the so-termed Deep and Conscious Simplicity, if it has to be achieved, must have its origins in the status quo (we cannot launch it from Mars). And in the transition period, it will contain all kinds of experiments, crude and superficial included. So it does not do good to belittle the experiments because there is no way to evolve a Deep and Conscious Simplicity that is cut off from the current reality. Any sophisticated and sustainable lifestyle must be conceived and executed from the current cities, factories, farms and boats. From wherever they are conceived, they will have the limitations of their source. What is Mr.Elgin doing now for food, transportation, clothing, energy, communication etc when the Deep and Conscious Simplicity is not yet a reality? A person working in a CF bulb factory or renewable energy company is well aware of his or her limitation (where else will he or she go?) but is making an experimental response to the status quo. Mr.Elgin has the gift of intelligence and elegant expression and has done a lot to respond to the status quo. Are all those responses Deep and Conscious? None of them crude and superficial? I don't know. There is great value in studying and analyzing the benefits and limitations of an experiment but it is a disservice to arbitrarily categorize experiments in a negatively critical manner. With true and deep respect to Mr.Elgin, I'd say he is just being glib in this piece.
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On Oct 21, 2014Shilpa K. wrote :
Agreed. "Superficial" can be better than "hopeless" and motivate deeper changes; "crude" is not always as crude as the "mainstream" seems to think...
On Oct 21, 2014 Ragunath wrote :
Category 3, the so-termed Deep and Conscious Simplicity, if it has to be achieved, must have its origins in the status quo (we cannot launch it from Mars). And in the transition period, it will contain all kinds of experiments, crude and superficial included. So it does not do good to belittle the experiments because there is no way to evolve a Deep and Conscious Simplicity that is cut off from the current reality. Any sophisticated and sustainable lifestyle must be conceived and executed from the current cities, factories, farms and boats. From wherever they are conceived, they will have the limitations of their source. What is Mr.Elgin doing now for food, transportation, clothing, energy, communication etc when the Deep and Conscious Simplicity is not yet a reality? A person working in a CF bulb factory or renewable energy company is well aware of his or her limitation (where else will he or she go?) but is making an experimental response to the status quo. Mr.Elgin has the gift of intelligence and elegant expression and has done a lot to respond to the status quo. Are all those responses Deep and Conscious? None of them crude and superficial? I don't know. There is great value in studying and analyzing the benefits and limitations of an experiment but it is a disservice to arbitrarily categorize experiments in a negatively critical manner. With true and deep respect to Mr.Elgin, I'd say he is just being glib in this piece.