The 10-20%: Gaining Advantage
A canoe outing.
Humanity has gained a lot through the past twelve decades, at least some of humanity, but with what consequences and do we really care anyway. Call the achievements progress, call them what you want, with sciences, technology, a general increase in knowledge and an almost unfettered desire for more, our values and attitudes have driven the societal colossus almost it would seem in spite of known limits and damages caused. We know about many of the degraded consequences, but still we continue to strive for more, more growth, more income, more stuff and we don’t seem to care from where it comes or from what wretched set of circumstances. And our society is completely geared up to encourage us in our pursuit of gain. We are so completely entrenched in commercial, industrial, institutional and government warenomics our heads quite literally might as well be buried in sand. Most everyone is clawing to achieve a 10-20% advantage and betterment without realizing or apparently caring their gains are almost inevitably resulting in a 10-20% loss elsewhere.
The list of serious issues is long indeed, for the most part, if not directly then certainly indirectly, driven by our values, attitudes and an insatiable hunger for more access to and use of energy. The alarming thing about it all is an almost total reluctance to step back, to look at what we are doing to this planet, our only planet, and begin to curb, drastically, our desires and deliberately reduce our demands upon the looming limits. I can only conclude in the end we all have a pathological case of ‘me first’. How else do you explain going forward, in full view of environmental disasters, our iron grip upon ‘business as usual’ and a 10-20% advantage clamour? We simply want more and equate gains made with the good life.
The manifestation of gain can and does take various forms. Gain is not just about cash, but increased personal wealth is often in the mix. The gain we pursue may be as simple as taking advantage of a small sale, saving us a few dollars or at the other extreme negotiating to agree a multi-million dollar contract. Politically, pursuit of an election win through advantageous campaigning may be the means we seek in order to gain power and control in a whole variety of matters. Of course competitive win pursuits come in all shapes and sizes, for example as a toddler keeping control of a toy or in adult high stakes games of one form or another. Whatever the pursuit, in the end the gain desired is all about more as an absolute or in comparison and the problem with this obsession is someone, some group or some environment is in turn diminished or degraded and often no one connects the dots or even if obvious, takes any notice.
Where does this get us? In the end in a lot of trouble. The values, attitudes and beliefs associated with gain compound and the problems increase in number and scale. Some of course will argue society is so much better off today than a hundred years ago. In many respects they will be correct, but it is important to remember an upside has a downside. Currently Australia is experiencing disastrous wild fires in a drought stricken continent amplified by climate change scientists tell us is a consequence of burning fossil fuels to get to work to gain a ‘living’ and buy a ticket to Australia for the next holiday of lounging on a beach. We simply do not do enough connecting between actions and consequences. We demand low prices for high quality only attainable on the backs of the low paid workers controlled by the companies who produce what we desire. In short seeking or protecting gains is ubiquitous and a slowdown in our pursuits for more just does not seem to be happening at any scale required to curb the steady incremental, insidious and even sinister results.
Certainly not all this clamour for more arises from greed. Rather, everyday habits and acquisitions to participate in and acquire more of the good life seem to be the focus. Just people getting on with an eye on the lookout for deals and opportunities to improve their lot in life. This is why going forward it will be so very important for societies to provide opportunities for easy adjustment away from degrading and diminishing actions. In turn people will need to dramatically decrease their expectations jumping off the 10-20% advantage bandwagon. Quite simply, we are rapidly arriving at a moment in time when the only sensible choice will be to cut back and simultaneously ensure our future actions do not degrade our home, this planet.