[p2p-research] ecotechnic future

[Joss Winn]

On 19/07/10 07:08, Michel Bauwens wrote:
> Hi Kevin,
>  
> feel free to take any take you want, though I believe that Greer's
> thinking is actually quite sophisticated and precise, and he's not at
> all a simple-minded primitivist ..

I'd second that.

>  
> his current project is to create a huge commons for appropriate
> technology knowledge that could be used for local communities,
>  
> I'm not sure what his take is on networked technology,

I think he envisages its decline. I'm pretty certain I've read comments
to that effect. Here's a post which is typical:

http://thearchdruidreport.blogspot.com/2010/03/logic-of-abundance.html


>  
> his response to my emails were: "read my book" <g>
>  

I've read his Long Descent, which I enjoyed. For a shorter statement on
his collapse theory, see:

http://www.ecoshock.org/transcripts/greer_on_collapse.pdf

It's worth keeping in mind that for Greer, we are already in a process
of collapse - it is not something in the future but a historical,
observable fact. For Greer, Peak Oil, declining net energy, ecological
overshoot, financial collapse, etc. attest to this.

I think he would support the pragmatism of P2P but find the centrality
of and reliance on networked communication to be its fatal flaw. If you
buy the theory of net energy depletion (http://www.esf.edu/efb/hall/),
it suggests that the energy intensive lives of developed countries will
decline to a level that can be supported by fairly simple renewable
energy (remember that current renewable energy is built with fossil
fuels - a world of renewables built on renewables is not the same).

As far as technology is concerned, Greer advocates stuff like home-made
solar showers and learning the use of a slide ruler:

http://thearchdruidreport.blogspot.com/2007/01/principles-for-sustainable-tech.html

Joss