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The World Without Us
by Alan Weisman
by Alan Weisman
If you are like me “The World Without Us” will cause you want to do one of two things.
A: Find a remote wilderness and build a cabin. Add a few chickens, goats, cows ect. and live off the land with as much peace of mind you can muster until man destroys the planet. Or
B. Say "AWWW F**K IT", and put all regular, old fashioned light bulbs in all your lamps and turn them on. Leave your house, with the air conditioner running, get in your Hummer, and drive across the country…..just because you can. Eat as much factory farmed meat as you can stand on the way…..’cause you are crazy like that!
Steal a truck loaded with nuclear waste and drive it Thelma and Louise style into the Grand Canyon, committing a spectacular environmental suicide.
I feel better now.
This book is a very good book, but it is a tad, well, depressing. I recommend it because (not only do I want to drag you down with me) of its important information. We all need to be informed.
The World Without Us examines what the earth would be like if man were to just disappear. How long would it take the earth to rid itself of all traces of us? Turns out not very long geologically, but bronze statues and Barbie and Ken in the landfill will stand the test of time.
One point the author makes, our problems (well most of them) could be fixed, or greatly improved, if all women of child bearing age would agree to have just one child. I don’t see this happening but, I do think maybe we should stop glorifying women who have litters of children.
That would be a start.
A: Find a remote wilderness and build a cabin. Add a few chickens, goats, cows ect. and live off the land with as much peace of mind you can muster until man destroys the planet. Or
B. Say "AWWW F**K IT", and put all regular, old fashioned light bulbs in all your lamps and turn them on. Leave your house, with the air conditioner running, get in your Hummer, and drive across the country…..just because you can. Eat as much factory farmed meat as you can stand on the way…..’cause you are crazy like that!
Steal a truck loaded with nuclear waste and drive it Thelma and Louise style into the Grand Canyon, committing a spectacular environmental suicide.
I feel better now.
This book is a very good book, but it is a tad, well, depressing. I recommend it because (not only do I want to drag you down with me) of its important information. We all need to be informed.
The World Without Us examines what the earth would be like if man were to just disappear. How long would it take the earth to rid itself of all traces of us? Turns out not very long geologically, but bronze statues and Barbie and Ken in the landfill will stand the test of time.
One point the author makes, our problems (well most of them) could be fixed, or greatly improved, if all women of child bearing age would agree to have just one child. I don’t see this happening but, I do think maybe we should stop glorifying women who have litters of children.
That would be a start.
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Dan
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Feb 13, 2012 11:36am
Wasn't there a show on the History Channel with the same name?
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Yes. It was not as depressing as the book. I really liked the show though......in it cats rule and dogs drool, unfortunately.
Too late: already had three children. (for me at least lol, I guess two more couples will have to dedicate themselves to just not having children or being champion spinsters)
Great review. Specially liked the part about stealing a truck loaded with nuclear waste and driving it Thelma and Louise style into the Grand Canyon. (Heh-heh.)Want to hear something wild? An economic geologist friend told me that it won't be long before landfills become economic to mine. I wonder if that can be considered a form of recycling.
Kat wrote: "Great review. Specially liked the part about stealing a truck loaded with nuclear waste and driving it Thelma and Louise style into the Grand Canyon. (Heh-heh.)Want to hear something wild? An e..."
Interesting. Delayed recycling.......I like it!
SubterraneanCatalyst wrote: "Too late: already had three children. (for me at least lol, I guess two more couples will have to dedicate themselves to just not having children or being champion spinsters)"I don't have any children, so that's one to cover you :)
Understand, I don't judge those who have a couple kids.....but the Duggers or the Octomom, or that Kate with 8 kids women, them I wonder about.
Stephanie wrote: "SubterraneanCatalyst wrote: "Too late: already had three children. (for me at least lol, I guess two more couples will have to dedicate themselves to just not having children or being champion spin..."I kind of judge myself for having three LOL. I just told my husband yesterday "oh if we were seriously wealthy I'd have a few more!" and of course he guffawed. Well- I guess for me- it's just that I love my kids so much. They are all so beautiful to me and in them I see my husband and myself and it's just I am just a sap and a half.
But really yes, your driving the Hummer with nuclear waste thing- I hear you on that. I really liked this review because I've seen the show- I didn't even realize it was based upon a book! I thought it was just another 'What IF this crazy thing happens!" disaster trope show on Discovery or TLC. Anyway- it's very easy to feel that everything is practically in vain given how we are close the tipping point for the point of no return I believe? Or past it.
Ah but I recycle like a maniac! And turn off water when I brush my teeth! etc etc.
I think our society is doing that as it is, about the kid thing. I took an economic history class and it turns out that the better off we are - i.e. the better standard of living we have - the less kids we have. We don't need them anymore to work the farm and we choose our enjoyment over having more kids.
Not to mention that, as average female educational attainment gets above primary school level, the birth rate slows dramatically.
Richard wrote: "Not to mention that, as average female educational attainment gets above primary school level, the birth rate slows dramatically."Then I must be very educated then:)
Seak (Bryce L.) wrote: "I think our society is doing that as it is, about the kid thing. I took an economic history class and it turns out that the better off we are - i.e. the better standard of living we have - the less..."That makes sense. Or if Newt gets his way, they can all be janitors.
SubterraneanCatalyst wrote: "I love my kids so much. They are all so beautiful to me and in them I see my husband and myself and it's just I am just a sap...."Becoming a mom turns even the toughest chick into a gooey puddle of sap. :)
Kat wrote: "SubterraneanCatalyst wrote: "I love my kids so much. They are all so beautiful to me and in them I see my husband and myself and it's just I am just a sap...."Becoming a mom turns even the toughe..."
I wish you'd met my mother. Gooey as hell in front of an audience, cold as an iceberg or hot as a blowtorch in private. Awful person, should never have had children.
Not a Cult of the Mother enabler, me.
Kat wrote: "which brings us back to the importance of birth control being readily available to all who desire it"AMEN! The conservative attack on Planned Parenthood terrifies me...back to the bad, bad old days of back-alley abortion and self-induced miscarriage. I mourn for the young women of today, so much I thought was settled, a done deal, that improved women's lives, is back under attack.
It is, in the original sense, tragic.
Richard wrote: "Kat wrote: "SubterraneanCatalyst wrote: "I love my kids so much. They are all so beautiful to me and in them I see my husband and myself and it's just I am just a sap...."Becoming a mom turns eve..."
My condolences! My parents were no walk in the park either LOL :]
SubterraneanCatalyst wrote: "RMy condolences! My parents were no walk in the park either LOL :] "Quite a lot of serious readers seem to have had the same experience. I wonder if there is a causal link?
Kat wrote: "Richard wrote: "The conservative attack on Planned Parenthood terrifies me..."If studying military history has taught me anything, it is the importance of a quick and decisive counter attack. Ex..."
Every year, I donate a month's income to them. Their work is too important not to support!
Richard wrote: "SubterraneanCatalyst wrote: "RMy condolences! My parents were no walk in the park either LOL :] "Quite a lot of serious readers seem to have had the same experience. I wonder if there is a causal..."
I can't be sure- I do know that I read deeply and obsessively as long for as I can remember and I hyperfocus. It was certainly an excellent escape given my childhood.
Wow....I love all my smart friends here. My mom is actually one my friends here on GRs. All I can say is that every mother does the best they can with the knowledge and skills they have at the time. Our parents often became parents young wether they were ready for it, or wether they even wanted to. My mom had four kids before the age of 28. I can't imagine that......so I cut her some slack for not being perfect.
I'm glad you all were born, and here, no matter how poor your mothers were at there jobs.
Richard wrote"Every year, I donate a month's income to them. Their work is too important not to support! "Bravo!
Stephanie wrote: "Our parents often became parents young wether they were ready for it, or wether they even wanted to."Mine were 40, and they had a nanny who did the work. They weren't any nicer to the sisters who came 10 and 9 years before me, they just were crappy people, narcissists, and revoltingly judgmental.
And believe me, abortion was readily available to a woman in my mother's class, safe and performed in a surgical setting. She had one long before I was born.
She was a pedophile, my father knew it and still gave her custody of me because it was easier for him not to have a kid around. Lovely people, my parents.
Richard wrote: "Stephanie wrote: "Our parents often became parents young wether they were ready for it, or wether they even wanted to."Mine were 40, and they had a nanny who did the work. They weren't any nicer ..."
Wow. Now that's bad parents for damn sure! Sorry you had to endure that.
It wasn't a barrel of laughs, but tell you what...I got no fear for scare anymore! The worst has happened, so what'cha got? And knowing where bottom is makes fun and light and happiness all the more delectable. I think I get more out of fun, as I define it, than most people who had "happier" lives.
Oddly enough, then, I'm not sorry! *smooch*
Stephanie wrote: "One point the author makes, our problems (well most of them) could be fixed, or greatly improved, if all women of child bearing age would agree to have just one child."I think most religious fundamentalists will disagree: and their children will fill up the world, carrying the same genes. So mankind will disappear in holy wars rather than dying a slow, lingering death.
Heads I win, tails you lose. ;)
Nice review. I more or less shared your feelings but felt perked towards the end at the knowledge that we can only screw things up so much :)
Riku wrote: "Nice review. I more or less shared your feelings but felt perked towards the end at the knowledge that we can only screw things up so much :)"Thanks! I know....we are good at screwing things up.
