paul’s “axioms”, etc.

Almost every morning as I read the newspaper and listen to the news, my mind begins to attempt to deal with at least some of the “axioms, principles, doctrines” in the “poem” below. And perhaps on too many occasions—like today–I feel I’ve just gotta get the thoughts down and “digitized” before doing something more substantial like: cleaning up the mess from yesterday’s watershed lesson for grandson Landon; transferring chicken-yard compost to a garden area; putting folded clothes in appropriate drawers; working on the little heavily-illustrated applied ecology book; finally getting around to building my casket so others won’t have to worry with this; fixing a bicycle tire flat and going for a long ride; eating, … . … Mañana.
…………………

paul’s “axioms”, etc.

The Second Law of Thermodynamics.
(Every action has unintended consequences.
Order in one system creates disorder in another.
As energy is transformed it tends toward “uselessness”.
Artificialization destroys dynamic homeostatic symbioses …
Or “nature”.)

The Precautionary Principle.
(Brother Dr. John Russell prescribed chloroquine
For my immediate family’s time in South America in the 1980s.
Nevertheless, we never used it
Because of known detrimental side-effects
Even in that time 40 years ago. ….
PLEEASE! Always take care with the halogens.
We need them!
But used carelessly and in excess
They do harm!
And yes, this includes
The chlorine in DDT, mirex, chlorpyrifos,
And common salt.)

An Ethic of Reciprocity.
(With our heart and soul, and in daily actions and long-term plans,
We must profoundly, comprehensively, holistically consider
ALL others, especially relatively powerless havenots
Including other species, …
And especially in this particular Anthropocene time
Of plutocracy and severe disparity.
“To live,
We must daily break the body
And shed the blood of Creation.
When we do this knowingly, lovingly, skillfully, reverently,
It is a sacrament.
When we do it ignorantly, greedily, clumsily, destructively,
[Trumpianly]*
It is a desecration.
In such desecration
We condemn ourselves
To spiritual and moral loneliness,
And others to want.”**)

We can’t always wait for the Scientific Method
And good statistical analysis.
But generally, it is best to do so.
(Physical therapist brother Charlie
Swears by Echinacea
And good friend Dr. Darryl
By saw palmetto.
“And what the heck,
It can’t hurt, can it!?!”
However, …
Are we really taking Echinacea and saw palmetto?? …
And in the way indigenous folk used it???)

Live in solidarity …
Sabiamente, Simply, Smally, Slowly, Steadfastly, Sharingly, Sustainably.
(Morally and ethically,
What other option do we have?)

Be very, very skeptical of folk’s “Axioms”.
(You just have to accept it pablo! …
We’ve always had “disparity”!
In today’s world, human systems
Are SO much more efficient.
We’ve always had slavery. …
And you can have good slavery …
And be good to the slaves.
Women and children have always had a rightful place
Below men, below the patriarch!
Homosexuals, transsexuals, bisexuals, etc. aren’t normal.
Humans have always been at War.
Abortion is murder.
Guns don’t kill … .
On the whole …
Plastics, biocides, synthetic chemicals,
The Green Revolution, industrial ag, transnational corporations, artificialization
Have been/are good.
Mail-in voting is
More corruptible
And less democratic
Than other options.
There must be a Krishna, … /Yahweh/Yazad, … /God/Allah
In The Way of My Faith
And the way I believe in a “God”!
Haven’t you read the Mahabharata, … /Avesta/Bible/Qur’an?
No need to worry!
Don’t fret about COVID-19 or the Spanish flu.
It’s in God’s hands.
Capitalism is the best economic system–
Socio-political/economic system–
We have ever had
Or ever will have!
We are living in the best of times!!!)

paul
……………………….
*My personal insert.
**Wendell Berry

pbm
[ 7 S’s / VV->^^ ]