Great interview guys. I am glad you brought up the interview regarding "the king of pessimism". I think in some ways, Derrick Jensen (an author and activist that I respect a great deal) seems to share the view point of Marshall Lentini (though he expresses his own brand of pessimism in a more nuanced fashion).
Here is a video with him talking a bit about how he thinks humanity is doomed (due to the unstoppable progression of industrial civilization):
"However it plays out, it's always a good idea to be prepared for various different eventualities and to keep them on the table." (Agreed, and I would say the most comprehensive way one can prepare for all eventualities is forest gardening, for more info: https://gavinmounsey.substack.com/p/in-pursuit-of-an-antidote-for-parasites )
"..And in one's own life, actually enacting that preparation, like what you're doing right now with your excursion into the countryside and actually producing your own food, which is just a really encouraging thing to see you do." (Agreed.)
"..the thing I'm which I'm really excited about I'm really excited about my little village project I wouldn't even say that I'm you know I'm not thinking about the apocalypse while I do it it's just fun for me I just feel that I feel like my life has value I'm not stuck I don't feel like I'm in the rat race I'm literally just digging holes in the ground and you know planting seeds and getting dirty and just trying to live right just going back to the bare-bone basics which is put some amount of calories in your body breathe some fresh air and live.." (Amen Riley!)
"..it's it's so refreshing it's so nice it's really all I want to do so mostly what I think about at this point and but but but they're both connected in a way because I feel like maybe a takeaway from Marshall's thesis is you know this obsession with material comfort and convenience has leads to bad things and that if people felt more comfortable just going back to the basics maybe maybe actually it wouldn't be so doom and gloom right maybe maybe actually things aren't so complicated and I always think about you know more and more I'm just trying to think about all right if I if I'm really upset with the way that the world is headed and I am you know basically all of it is outside of my control but what can I do myself personally like how can I change my reality to live the kind of life that I think is actually makes life great right and beautiful and to appreciate life which is a very precious special thing."
He misses no running water and no internet? Those days may be back soon; for some of us, anyway. Maybe not for Riley who seems to be doing a useful job with his stories. Talking of nation states and political leaders misses the point if social transformation is triggered from above them and Putin, Biden etc are puppets. We can't have an idependent, free discussion on any topic now in Britain and we can't in Russia. They have lots of surveillance but so do we. We are all heading to a Brave New World so moving to another country and having freedom is looking increasingly unlikely. Most people will accept their digital slavery without even acknowledging they are in an open prison.
Great interview guys. I am glad you brought up the interview regarding "the king of pessimism". I think in some ways, Derrick Jensen (an author and activist that I respect a great deal) seems to share the view point of Marshall Lentini (though he expresses his own brand of pessimism in a more nuanced fashion).
Here is a video with him talking a bit about how he thinks humanity is doomed (due to the unstoppable progression of industrial civilization):
https://youtu.be/ImbnWSkqfig?si=Sm-aLrmwg38U3LeG
"However it plays out, it's always a good idea to be prepared for various different eventualities and to keep them on the table." (Agreed, and I would say the most comprehensive way one can prepare for all eventualities is forest gardening, for more info: https://gavinmounsey.substack.com/p/in-pursuit-of-an-antidote-for-parasites )
"..And in one's own life, actually enacting that preparation, like what you're doing right now with your excursion into the countryside and actually producing your own food, which is just a really encouraging thing to see you do." (Agreed.)
"..the thing I'm which I'm really excited about I'm really excited about my little village project I wouldn't even say that I'm you know I'm not thinking about the apocalypse while I do it it's just fun for me I just feel that I feel like my life has value I'm not stuck I don't feel like I'm in the rat race I'm literally just digging holes in the ground and you know planting seeds and getting dirty and just trying to live right just going back to the bare-bone basics which is put some amount of calories in your body breathe some fresh air and live.." (Amen Riley!)
"..it's it's so refreshing it's so nice it's really all I want to do so mostly what I think about at this point and but but but they're both connected in a way because I feel like maybe a takeaway from Marshall's thesis is you know this obsession with material comfort and convenience has leads to bad things and that if people felt more comfortable just going back to the basics maybe maybe actually it wouldn't be so doom and gloom right maybe maybe actually things aren't so complicated and I always think about you know more and more I'm just trying to think about all right if I if I'm really upset with the way that the world is headed and I am you know basically all of it is outside of my control but what can I do myself personally like how can I change my reality to live the kind of life that I think is actually makes life great right and beautiful and to appreciate life which is a very precious special thing."
Well said my friend!
He misses no running water and no internet? Those days may be back soon; for some of us, anyway. Maybe not for Riley who seems to be doing a useful job with his stories. Talking of nation states and political leaders misses the point if social transformation is triggered from above them and Putin, Biden etc are puppets. We can't have an idependent, free discussion on any topic now in Britain and we can't in Russia. They have lots of surveillance but so do we. We are all heading to a Brave New World so moving to another country and having freedom is looking increasingly unlikely. Most people will accept their digital slavery without even acknowledging they are in an open prison.
Really refreshing take. Would like to hear from Riley again in the near future for an update.