Hitting the wall and revolution

Let’s today step out of the normal boundaries of analysis of our economic crisis and ask a radical question: What if the crisis of 2008 represents something much more fundamental than a deep recession? What if it’s telling us that the whole growth model we created over the last 50 years is simply unsustainable economically and ecologically and that 2008 was when we hit the wall — when Mother Nature and the market both said: “No more.”

This doesn't come from a radical web site or magazine.  It comes from one of the top columnists in the New York Times  Thomas Friedman.

My friend Corvin thinks Thomas Friedman is a bellweather for the ruling class in the US  .  If that's true than maybe change is coming because Saturday's was extraordinary.  He didn't give us answers of what we can do instead but he pointed to some important steps that some governments are taking to take the opportunity of the economic crisis to move to more sustainable models of economic growth.  But most of what we are hearing is that we can sustain the life style to which we in the Global North have become accustomed if we can just find the technology to limit global warming.  The truth is that unless we face the fact that we have hit the wall in terms of the growth economy and find other ways to live, the problems will not be solved.  Looking at some of the alternatives that point the way to the radical changes we need is what Transforming Power is all about. 

Another article in the media that caught my eye this week end was in the Globe and Mail, a paper that is moving right by the day making me question why I read it at all.  In Saturday's Arts section they had an interview with beat poet Lawrence Ferlinghetti who is ninety years ago and still going strong,  He said about Obama, "You know, just because he is black, everyone thought he was a revolutionary. He's no revolutionary. Obama is a centrist. And as far as any on the left who thought he was a revolutionary, I think the air is going out of his revolutionary balloon daily."

I mentioned it to my brother who responded, "he's a revolutionary in some ways."  And that's true. Obama is no radical or revolutionary in the left-wing sense of the word but he is a revolutionary in the way he is redefining what strong leadership is, redefining masculinity, and inspiring masses of people to believe in their ability to make change.  Leaders help us to be our better selves or our worse selves.    Obama appeals to our better selves and it is we not he who will make revolutionary change as a result.

And speaking of Obama, did you see the Rock Obama on last night's SNL? Because of stupid CRTC rules I can't get it on the SNL site but if you can, watch it.  Hilarious.