In the late 1970's I worked for a government department with the dystopian title of "The Ministry of Works."
In one of those dreaded "Restructuring" plans in government departments, the Departments of Labour and or Personal was rebranded as the Department of Human Resources! To this day I can remember my dad being apoplectic about it, saying it was a pathway to fascism by dehumanising us.
Another term like this is "Ecosystem services", commodifying our life support systems was a fatal mistake.
Further to the first sentence: "I recently pointed out that few people are capable of recognizing the links between the past and the present."
When I was a kid, I used to see blizzards of moths at the streetlights, those blizzards no longer exist, those 'people', species, provide "Ecosystem services" no more!
When I first dived in the Hauraki Gulf half a century ago, I'd get back to the boat or rocks with metres of kelp trailing from my Reg or BCD, those kelp forests no longer exist, their 'ecosystem services" have also been terminated!
If you didn't know something existed, you don't miss it when it's gone
Unfortunately, you and I know when certain items and events DID exist. It was wonderful, and now we know what we’ve lost. I never used the phrase “ecosystem services” in my classes except to point out how flawed this phrase is. The relatively slow addition of these many dehumanizing phrases has hidden them from the view of most people. So it goes …
A Ph.D. stands for Doctor of Philosophy. However, it was only after I began my tenure-track position a the University of Arizona that I began a serious effort to learn philosophy. I studied the writings of philosophers from Socrates to the present day.
In the late 1970's I worked for a government department with the dystopian title of "The Ministry of Works."
In one of those dreaded "Restructuring" plans in government departments, the Departments of Labour and or Personal was rebranded as the Department of Human Resources! To this day I can remember my dad being apoplectic about it, saying it was a pathway to fascism by dehumanising us.
Another term like this is "Ecosystem services", commodifying our life support systems was a fatal mistake.
Further to the first sentence: "I recently pointed out that few people are capable of recognizing the links between the past and the present."
When I was a kid, I used to see blizzards of moths at the streetlights, those blizzards no longer exist, those 'people', species, provide "Ecosystem services" no more!
When I first dived in the Hauraki Gulf half a century ago, I'd get back to the boat or rocks with metres of kelp trailing from my Reg or BCD, those kelp forests no longer exist, their 'ecosystem services" have also been terminated!
If you didn't know something existed, you don't miss it when it's gone
Unfortunately, you and I know when certain items and events DID exist. It was wonderful, and now we know what we’ve lost. I never used the phrase “ecosystem services” in my classes except to point out how flawed this phrase is. The relatively slow addition of these many dehumanizing phrases has hidden them from the view of most people. So it goes …
Guy, you're turning into quite the philosopher! Thanks for your mission of promoting learning at all levels.
A Ph.D. stands for Doctor of Philosophy. However, it was only after I began my tenure-track position a the University of Arizona that I began a serious effort to learn philosophy. I studied the writings of philosophers from Socrates to the present day.
“the label change of elected people - it went from 'public servant' to 'politician'. “
Recent changes have all been in the wrong direction. I suspect this pattern will continue indefinitely.
Yes, I agree. BTW - my original comment was deleted...do you know why?
Of course I know why: I mistakenly removed it. Sorry!
No problem! Was just wondering.