Insights · June 17th, 2015
In a few hours, on June 18, 2015, the climate change debate may change, as will discussion on the future of global economics and capitalism itself. The awaited, now partly leaked, statement from Pope Francis reportedly will warn of the impending destruction of the ecosystem if humanity does not chart a new course. Like a lot of people I will be watching this closely both for its actual words and for its impact. One writer, Paul Farrell of Market Watch led the way in pre-analysis with an opinion piece entitled “Pope Francis/s anticapitalist revolution launches on Thursday.” From that headline you might think he was about to take a negative view of the Pope’s reported position paper, but instead he rather soberly documents that a revolution involving billions may just be in the future.
Farrell, collecting material from various sources, believes that Pope Francis will leave no room for compromise and will intreat that…
Capitalism is threatening the survival of human civilization, destroying non-renewable resources for personal gain, has lost its ethical code and moral compass, has no respect for Earth’s natural resources, and is killing our planet, civilization and people. Further, that capitalists worship money, pursue personal wealth in a way that destroys the common good, and see the working class as consumers and machine tools.
If this is an accurate description of what is coming on Thursday, Farrell concludes that the impact will be “a revolution leading billions to take back their planet from a fossil-fuel industry that’s lost its moral compass…”
I will come back to this after tomorrow. I should note that a couple of weeks ago I made a TV appearance in one of those 30-minute TV news show segments where opposing ideas are supposed to square off. Along with as Seattle City Councilwoman I argued against oil drilling the Arctic, against the Speaker of the Alaska House and an oil blogger from Alaska. If you’d like to see that click here.
