The perpetual consequences of fear and violence : rethinking the future / Chris Maser.

Format:

Book

Author/Creator:

Maser, Chris.

Language:

English

Subjects (All):

Violence--Philosophy.

Violence.

Social conflict.

Fear--Social aspects.

Fear.

Social ecology.

Human ecology.

Physical Description:

373 pages ; 23 cm

Place of Publication:

Washington, D.C. : Maisonneuve Press, 2004.

Summary:

Arguing that current conflicts in the war on terrorism are doing tremendous damage to future generations, this timely analysis draws on the work of nonviolent leaders like Gandhi to provide alternatives to responding to increased levels of fear and anxiety with violence. Seizing on the surprising example of Northwest salmon as a paradigm, contemporary clashes like the "War on Terror" are dissected with an eye toward the "political ecosystems" they endanger. Also included is a meditation on what citizens can do to change their own "political ecosystems" by considering the long-term political and ecological effects of the even the smallest decisions.

Contents:

Part I The Grip of Fear

Chapter 1 How Fear Rules Humanity 25

A Story of Fear 26

We the Puppets, Fear the Puppeteer 38

Putting Ourselves in Perspective 54

An Alternative to War 63

Part II How Fear Guides Our Thinking

Chapter 2 When Fear Infiltrated Culture 71

Hunter-Gatherers, the Original Affluent Society 71

What Hunter-Gatherers have to Teach Us? 77

The Steps toward Social Fear 80

Development of Language 80

Technology and the Abstraction of Life 83

Domestication of Animals 88

Invention of the Irrigation Ditch 91

Consolidation of Personal Power 92

Establishment of "Rights" 98

The Industrial Revolution and the Rise of Capitalism 105

Lessons Lost to Fear 118

Part III Perpetuating Fear and Violence

Chapter 3 In the Name of Justice 127

Justice, to What End? 140

Creating Community in the Light of Justice 150

Experiencing Community in the Shadow of Justice 158

Justice in History 166

Indigenous Americans 166

Black Americans 168

Democracy and History 171

The Luxury of Violence 180

And Justice for All 190

Chapter 4 Fear's Classroom 193

Abuse of Children 196

Child Abuse is the Root of Human Violence 199

Breaking the Cycle of Child Abuse 206

The Abuse of Women 210

Who has the Right to a Woman's Body? 214

Population 215

Chapter 5 One Species' War Against Itself 221

Piece-Thinkers and Systems-Thinkers 222

The Right of Personal Survival 231

The Paradoxes 237

Our Human War against Nature 241

Conscious Violence 241

Passive Violence 243

Chapter 6 The Tyranny of Small Decisions 249

How Salmon Integrate the Ecosystem 249

From the Forest to the Sea and Back Again 249

The Salmon's Plight 252

Chapter 7 The Corporate Bid to Own the World 267

The Corporation is Born 269

When People become Commodities 279

Chapter 8 Demanding Patents on Life 292

Biopiracy, Genetic Engineering, and Patents 297

Legalizing Biopiracy 299

Cruel Agriculture 301

Agriculture and Genetic Engineering 304

Hybrids and Patents 309

Of Seed Barons and Stolen Harvests 311

Suicide Seeds 314

Raiding the Commons 316

Poverty is Human-Made 319

Humanity's Task 321

Chapter 9 Ask the Children 325

The Counsel of Children 327

Finding Peace 336

Innocence and the World of Imagination 339

Education, Democracy, and the Future 342

Where's Utopia? 348

A Parting Exercise 356.

Notes:

Foreword ([4] p.) inserted.

Includes bibliographical references (pages [359]-373).

ISBN:

0944624421

OCLC:

52455393