30 May 2011
This post is a response to Charlotte DuCann’s beautiful and heartfelt post over on the Transition Norwich blog arguing that Transition needs to more explicitly embrace activism. It is wonderful to see, whether through that blog, through Transition Voice, or through the emerging social reporting project, new voices coming through in the Transition blogosphere. Charlotte speaks powerfully to the split that some of those engaged in Transition feel, that they almost need to keep their activism ‘in the closet’ in order to remain engaged. She states that she sees her post as a ‘working document’, and invites reflections, so here are a few of mine.
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26 May 2011
I am currently reading Carl Sagan’s excellent book ‘The Demon-haunted World: science as a candle in the dark’, which I picked up for a song in a second hand bookshop when I was last in London. Although published in 1996, it is as relevant to today as when it was published. Its focus is on the need for critical thinking and for a grounding in science, and it contains a great chapter called ‘The Fine Art of Baloney Detection’. Here he sets out what not to do when trying to assess the validity of an argument, and common ways that people make flawed arguments. One of those is creating a straw man, which he defines as “caricaturing a position to make it easier to attack “. Having spent Monday morning debating on ABC Radio in Australia with someone who has done just this, I wanted to offer a few thoughts on being a straw man.
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23 May 2011
The ‘In Transition 2.0’ team have had a sneak preview of Rob’s now-complete manuscript and meetings are well underway to co-ordinate this huge film effort. We’re consulting with various Transition bods to ensure we use all the resources at our disposal and create a film that reflects the diverse goings on in Transition around the world. Some contributors from the first film have been in touch to get involved with this second one and lots of other interesting people have responded to my first call out.
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3 May 2011
Nelson Mandela Bay Transition Network's ‘introduction to food gardening workshop’
It’s time to share news of all those wonderful Transition activities that you busy Transitioners have been up to this past month… The first alert – in case you haven’t already heard – is to tell you that the Transition Network is now on Facebook…have a look! Starting the rounds down in Australia, Transition Town Triangle Plus and Clean Energy for Eternity recently held a meeting to set out a ground breaking plan developed by Beyond Zero Emissions to move Australia’s energy systems on to renewable technologies in just 10 years… you can do it!
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3 May 2011
FC United is a supporter-owned football club in Manchester, formed by Manchester United fans opposed to the Glazers buyout of the club. They play in the Northern Premier League and aim to raise £1.5 million for a new ground, and have already raised £700,000, in part through a very well supported share launch. Might a similar model also enable the rapid acceleration of Transition at the community level?
Here is a last minute addition to the ingredients for the forthcoming ‘Transition Companion’. It is especially timely as OVESCO in Lewes’s share option has managed to raise £286, 600 is only £20,000 short of its target … if you live in an around Lewes, get your shares before 27th May!!
Money isn’t a neutral thing. The decisions we make with our investment choices either prop up and reinforce an economic model rooted in a past of cheap energy prices and climate irresponsibility, or they can help to bring forth a new, revitalised and more appropriate way of doing things.
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This post is a response to Charlotte DuCann’s beautiful and heartfelt post over on the Transition Norwich blog arguing that Transition needs to more explicitly embrace activism. It is wonderful to see, whether through that blog, through Transition Voice, or through the emerging social reporting project, new voices coming through in the Transition blogosphere. Charlotte speaks powerfully to the split that some of those engaged in Transition feel, that they almost need to keep their activism ‘in the closet’ in order to remain engaged. She states that she sees her post as a ‘working document’, and invites reflections, so here are a few of mine.
