“Religious communities have historically been designed to counteract the forces of alienation. That's why so many successful social movements have relied upon the strength of spiritual communities and a large base of their organizing has been through them.” Has BeensSpiritualForceSocialCommunityReligiousSuccessfulMovementAlienationSocial MovementsReligious CommunitySpiritual Community Author:Tim DeChristopher
“My values are primarily motivated by love for other people. I value the non-human world in large part because it's so vital to human beings. Even my appreciation for wilderness grows out of an understanding of how important wilderness can be for people.” PeopleWorldHumansImportantValuesGrowsUnderstandingHuman BeingsAppreciationWildernessMotivated Author:Tim DeChristopher
“I don't think a worship of nature is necessary to mount a really strong defense of the environment.” ThinkingStrongEnvironmentWorshipDefense Author:Tim DeChristopher
“We need to reject not only outdated fossil-fuel technology, but also an outdated economic system and an outdated corporatist political system. The progressive view is that we are smart enough and ethical enough to not have to be subservient to corporations. We can create our own resilient, localized communities.” NeedsEnoughPoliticalCommunityViewsTechnologyEconomicSmartCorporationsFuelRejectsProgressiveEthicalFossilsFossil FuelPolitical SystemsResilientEconomic SystemsOutdatedSubservient Author:Tim DeChristopher
“That's why there is such alienation, depression, and despair in our society - because the means we're employing doesn't lead to the ends we desire, no matter how hard we work, nor how much "stuff" we accumulate.” MeanEndsMatterHardDesireStuffDespairOur SocietyAlienationEmploying Author:Tim DeChristopher
“Excess consumption doesn't make people happy. We can continue to provide for our needs, but we can't continue the endless pursuit of ever more consumer goods. There is no energy source that can provide enough consumer goods to meet our human and emotional needs; there never has been, and that's why it's been such a fruitless pursuit.” PeopleNeedsHumansHas BeensEnoughEnergyEmotionalSourcePursuitEndlessConsumersGoodsExcessConsumptionMaking People HappyEnergy SourcesEmotional NeedsNo Energy Author:Tim DeChristopher
“It's really hard to change the world when your first priority is making sure that the little world around yourself doesn't change.” WorldFirstsLittlesHardPrioritiesChanging The World Author:Tim DeChristopher
“Respond to stressful times by turning towards each other, rather than away from each other.” StressfulAway From Each OtherStressful Times Author:Tim DeChristopher
“Being forcefully rattled out of our consumer mentality - our addiction to comfort and convenience can create an opportunity for us [people] to reconnect with what we really value and with the qualities of life that really can sustain us - which include reconnecting with our roles as citizens, community members, and human beings.” PeopleHumansValuesOpportunityCommunityHuman BeingsQualityRolesCitizensComfortMembersAddictionConsumersMentalityConvenienceQuality Of LifeReconnecting Author:Tim DeChristopher
“Going through intense change with an ignorant and apathetic citizenry, driven by a corporate agenda, is a really, really scary proposition. But going into it with an educated and empowered citizenry that feels it can determine the course of its society and can hold its corporations and governments accountable has a lot of power and potential to it. To me, that's what makes activism so important.” FeelsImportantGovernmentCoursesDetermineScaryDrivenActivismIntenseIgnorantEducatedCorporateCorporationsAgendasPropositionsEmpoweredCitizenryApatheticReally Scary Author:Tim DeChristopher