Denver, Colorado--Last night, in the Mercury Cafe' on California Street, a meeting took place that will change the future of America. Dana Miller, head of www.transitioncolorado.ning.com, introduced documentary film director, Dave Gardner, to an eager audience. He strode to the stage with the confidence of a man filled with the knowledge of his years and the understanding of his mission.
On Gardner's website, www.growthbusters.com, you may enjoy a film clip with Billy Crystal titled, "City Slickers", about four guys who lived in the city fifty weeks a year while suffering a lot of "knots in their ropes," but visited the dude ranch to untie those knots in their minds. The late Jack Palance played a grizzled cowboy who knew the secret to life.
As he rode along with a very confused Billy Crystal, Palance, with a cigarette dangling from his mouth, said, "You know what the secret of life is?" Crystal said, "What?" Palance raised his finger saying, "This!" Crystal said, "Your finger?" Palance said, "One thing, just one thing...you stick to that and everything else don't mean sh*t." Crystal said, "That's great, but what's the one thing?" Palance said, "That's what you gotta' figure out."
In the 21st century, America and the human race need to figure out 'one thing' in order to survive as a species. What's that one thing? Right now, Americans stampede on a collision course with their own numbers as they expect to add 100 million people in 26 years by 2035. Americans face the 'perfect storm' of overpopulation, energy decline, resource overshoot and economic collapse.
Ironically, few realize it, most dismiss it and our leaders ignore it at all costs.
However, Gardner understands it with a brilliant movie, "Hooked on Growth: Our Misguided Quest for Prosperity." For a trailer, visit www.growthbusters.com. Gardner said:
· We are hooked on a system that depends on growth.
· It no longer provides the prosperity or happiness we seek.
· It is unsustainable.
· Help the world kick the habit.
URBAN GROWTH | POPULATION GROWTH | CONSUMPTION GROWTH | ECONOMIC GROWTH-NOT SUSTAINABLE
Gardner said, "Locally, nationally, and globally, modern society worships Growth Everlasting above all else. Economists preach the gospel of growth. We've built a system that has us addicted to growth. Real estate developers, chambers of commerce and economic developers are pushers lobbying and propagandizing to keep us hooked. As a professional filmmaker I decided to produce this film as an intervention. Your friends and family, business associates, elected representatives and even your priest all need to see Hooked on Growth, so we can recognize the addiction and begin the recovery. This film examines the superstitions and outdated beliefs we must leave behind in order to become a sustainable society."
Kenneth Boulding said, "Only economists and fools think you can keep expanding population."
Gardner presented the Mercury Cafe' audience with a brief trailer about the movie. You will find yourself 'thinking' in a new way after seeing it. You may enjoy compelling new understandings of what we and our offspring face if we fail to change course. It's a little disconcerting, but, much better to understand your addiction so you can kick it-rather than follow it to a suicidal ending, i.e., the late Michael Jackson so much in the news lately.
World Population Day: Let Overpopulation Topic Out of the Closet
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