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    benjaminalloverKen Layne
    10/11/13 2:22pm

    Though I have a visceral, instant recoil at the notion of myself as part of any religion, I suppose that's sort of the reason weirdoes like me (secularist, humanist, okay environmentalist) don't have very much political influence as a group. We are not politically organized, or organized at all.

    The tiny town I live in was almost completely built by community volunteer organizations 100 to 50 years ago (Lions Club, Kinsmen, Masons, Rotary Club, Horticultural Society, Arts Council) From the hockey arena to the parks to the clock tower to the medical centre to the high school, all of it came from neighborhood organizations. Almost every adult, and every kid, was involved in one (or many) of these community groups. That has all died. The average age in these organizations is like, 85 now, and they can't accomplish the fundraising necessary for larger scale community projects.

    My hope (and point) is that the digital age may provide a new avenue for folks to converge around ideas and principles and beliefs to accomplish civic goods, and to re-establish these crucial rhyzomatic, self-organizing, community sustaining networks. But finding others online who identify with a label such as 'environmentalist' has nowhere near the impact on our lives as the connections we used to make with actual neighbors, to affect change in our own backyards and main streets.

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      YoDADDYKen Layne
      10/11/13 12:21pm

      "the hack writer Michael Crichton".

      Right(rolling my eyes)

      Crichton backed up his writing with facts and numbers. I took the time to read some of his books and enjoyed them. Here's what I thought of the ones I remember.

      Jurassic Park - Good

      Sphere - Good

      State of Fear - Good

      Congo - Good

      Andromeda Strain - Good

      Prey - Good

      AirFrame - Good

      Timeline - Good

      Books I've read and enjoyed by Ken "The Hater" Layne - zero

      Besides that, good article.

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        jlf3YoDADDY
        10/11/13 1:05pm

        His qualifications as a climatologist are reasonably scanty. His "evidence" against climate change is not correct, in the main. He's an okay writer, although his work is very formulaic. But, people like predictability, which is why formulaic writers make money. But, his thoughts on climate change make him sound like a nutbar.

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        misterblisterYoDADDY
        10/11/13 1:21pm

        YoDADDY: Mr. Crichton's books are enjoyable, and it's wonderful you found the time to read so many of them, but he was a hack writer. That's indisputable. His novels are full of stock characters, indulging in cliched behavior, and uttering clumsy dialog, in service of a gaudy story. What does the fact that you haven't read or enjoyed any books by Ken Layne have to do with anything?

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      agentverdeKen Layne
      10/11/13 11:32am

      "Corporatism is unconcerned with harmless faiths like American Christianity, which is now little more than a befuddled cheering squad for the very rich."

      I'm...not so sure about this assertion.

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        TaternutsAnonKen Layne
        10/11/13 11:59am

        Just break it down for me. Do we get to nail Al Gore to a cross or not?

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          Claudia GeorgeKen Layne
          10/11/13 12:32pm

          Considering how traditionally misogynistic and racist environmentalism and its predecessors have been, this should scare the crap out of people. (Not saying I hate the earth, but environmentalism is, for a lot of people, about control. Population control, for instance? That's about controlling women's bodies and brown bodies for a lot of people. Also, God may not exist, but the upside to that is that there's always going to be an element of privacy to any relationship you have with God. Not so much with the environment.

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            ThisMachineKillsNeoliberalsClaudia George
            10/11/13 1:02pm

            A history of misogyny and racism? Well I guess it really is a religion then.

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            Box-of-FireClaudia George
            10/11/13 1:35pm

            I find your comment quite strange. It is almost sarcastic. But, to get down to your last statement, I've found more comfort, redemption, salvation, understanding, and peace in the presence of nature, either viewing grand vistas, or looking at all that goes on in my backyard, then I ever have in private moments "with god."

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          FavelaKen Layne
          10/11/13 12:21pm

          It sounds like Environmentalism was the true first religion of America, practiced by the Native Americans who were here before. Respect the land, give it the reverence it deserves.

          Then they were destroyed by the real "savages": Christians.

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            smugFavela
            10/11/13 1:53pm

            To the noble savage horseshit guy: you fucked up, chief. This person made 2 separate, true, unrelated statements. The only savagery is to attack someone over it, without any context. I don't see where they say early euro settlers were polluting the earth.

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            Favelasmug
            10/11/13 2:01pm

            I appreciate it, but just ignore NSHG, I don't want to feed the trolls. All they want is attention. I told him if he wants to disagree without including the Native American massacre denial stuff to go ahead, otherwise it's deleted the same way a holocaust denier would be.

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          dollyrkrKen Layne
          10/11/13 11:37am

          there is nothing more annoying than people who call themselves "spiritual."

          everyone on Earth is "spiritual" under it's definition. anyone who looks at the stars or a rainbow feels amazeballs but there is a HUGE difference between having imaginary friends and having wonder & cherishing life.

          This entire argument is invalid.

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            Severedollyrkr
            10/11/13 5:43pm

            There are PLENTY of things more annoying than people who calls themselves spiritual.

            Such as people who look at a beautiful mountain landscape and think of how rich the coal inside that mountain would make them.

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            dollyrkrSevere
            10/11/13 5:47pm

            Clearly you don't live in Los Angeles. Here, you can do both!

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          DUCK-HAMSKen Layne
          10/11/13 12:41pm

          What is wrong with some of the comments on here. There's a massive (negative) assumption of environmentalism. Some people need to get their heads out of their asses and read what they are actually writing. Who gives a shit if someone wants to eat raw or cares about the environment. Unless you are taking it personally because you realize you aren't a positive force on this earth, stfu.

          And who actually writes tl;dr as a comment and who stars that?

          Whatever, ... sign me up!

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            Floyd hillKen Layne
            1/06/14 10:57am

            Eventually, we will be able to have inquisitions where you are either for the earth or against the earth and may the low ward have mercy on yo war sowul!

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              SmitrosKen Layne
              10/11/13 11:20am

              This dovetails interestingly with recent posts in John Michael Greer's blog The Archdruid Report.

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