I went along to the St David St lecture theatre last night. An outfit I’d vaguely head of, was hosting a ‘Give Bob hope’ forum (Bob Lloyd being about as doomersterish as me).
Bob gave his Peak Oil / Peak Everything/ Energy lecture, a couple of students spoke, and Jeanette Fitzsimmons skyped to them.
What got me, was that this theatre – which seats 550 – was full. There would have been 10 of us who were not of student age, we stood out like sore thumbs (or is that toes?).
If I was running the National Party, or Labour, I’d have been very scared. These folk are the future. 500 quiet, thoughtful folk, not a kaftan or a bare foot among them, all wanting to claim their planet back from the madness.
Powerful? I was humbled. Thankful too – for a long time I thought we were a dwindling and aging band, fighting a doomed rearguard action. I knew it could only buy time, and that the only reason for that was to hope that someone would step up before it was too late.
These youngsters look like they’re doing that. I saw a future Prime Minister last night too. It was pretty impressive. Rightly, they weren’t that impressed with my generation. Mea – wea – culpa.
But as a hope for the future – there are a lot of political movements would like to boast 500 intelligent youngsters in their lists.
Comparing that gathering to the horseshit that ‘DavidB’ and ‘Gonz’ and the other spinmeisters put up, was something I did several times last night. Different worlds. I’ve decided that my contribution (besides what I do now) will be to document this phase. With names. Theses folk have had the time, had every chance, to do the right thing. History should remember them for what they are.
Go you lot – the baton is all your – run…..
Filed under: education, end of growth, my day, National Politics, peak oil | Leave a comment »
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