Rajaram Sir, You simply enhanced the importance of the topic with your telling response.Thank You very much Sir. YM Sarma
On Fri, Jul 18, 2025 at 10:55 AM Rajaram Krishnamurthy < [email protected]> wrote: > NATURE POPULATION AND WORK PROGRESS BALANCE > > > > That’s a powerful and timely question—asking how far we are factually and > statically misusing nature. Let’s unpack that from both a data-driven > (factual) and long-term trend (static/structural) perspective: > > > > Factually – By the Numbers > > These are concrete, measurable ways we're misusing nature: > > 1. Deforestation > > 10 million hectares of forest are lost each year (FAO, 2023). > > That’s roughly 1 football field every 6 seconds. > > Amazon rainforest is approaching a tipping point where parts could turn > into savannah. > > 2. Climate Change > > Global average temperature is now over 1.2°C above pre-industrial levels. > > 2023 and 2024 were the hottest years on record. > > Carbon emissions hit a record 37+ billion tons per year. > > 3. Biodiversity Loss > > We’ve lost 69% of wildlife populations since 1970 (WWF Living Planet > Report). > > Currently, 1 million species are at risk of extinction (IPBES). > > We’re in what scientists call the Sixth Mass Extinction, but this one’s > human-driven. > > 4. Pollution & Waste > > 11 million tons of plastic enter oceans every year. > > > > Microplastics have been found in human blood, lungs, and placenta. > > Air pollution kills 7 million people per year, more than smoking. > > Statically – In Systemic or Structural Terms > > Now let’s look at deeper, more persistent patterns that show how our > relationship with nature is fundamentally misaligned: > > 1. Economic Systems Built on Extraction > > Global economy assumes infinite growth on a finite planet. > > Nature is treated as an “externality”—something not accounted for in > profit/loss. > > Subsidies: Fossil fuel subsidies still amount to $7 trillion globally > (IMF, 2023). > > 2. Urbanization & Land Use > > Over 75% of the Earth's land is now “significantly altered.” > > Cities are expanding into forests, wetlands, and arable land—removing > carbon sinks. > > Agricultural systems rely on monoculture and pesticides, damaging soil and > water. > > 3. Cultural Detachment > > Nature is increasingly seen as separate from humans—a “resource,” not a > living system. > > Only 16% of people in high-income countries work in direct contact with > the natural world (e.g. farming, forestry, etc). > > 4. Slow Governance & Fast Collapse > > Climate targets (like “Net Zero by 2050”) often lack binding enforcement > or transparency. > > Even as climate science becomes more clear, policy change is decades > behind the crisis curve. > > So: How Far Are We Misusing Nature? > > Factually: We are consuming, polluting, and degrading the planet faster > than it can regenerate. > > Statically: We are locked into systems (economic, political, cultural) > that normalize this misuse, making it extremely hard to reverse. > > In blunt terms: We are living as if we have 1.7 Earths, according to the > Global Footprint Network. That’s overshoot—and it’s accelerating. > > 1. Earth Overshoot Day > > 2024 Earth Overshoot Day: July 25 > > This is the day when humanity’s resource consumption for the year exceeds > Earth’s capacity to regenerate those resources. > > We are using 1.7 Earths worth of resources annually. > > This means we are overusing nature by 70%. > > 2. Resource Extraction > > Global material extraction (minerals, fossil fuels, biomass, etc.): > > 1970: ~27 billion tonnes/year > > 2023: ~100 billion tonnes/year > > Of this, less than 10% is recycled. > > The Circularity Gap is enormous: we waste most resources instead of > reusing them. > > 3. Deforestation > > Rate: ~10 million hectares/year (FAO, 2020) > > Major cause: agriculture, logging, urbanization. > > Amazon Rainforest has lost ~17% of its original forest cover. > > Indonesia and Congo Basin also seeing massive losses. > > 4. Climate Change & Emissions > > CO₂ concentration (2024): over 420 ppm (pre-industrial was ~280 ppm) > > Global average temperature is now ~1.2°C above pre-industrial levels. > > Major sources: > > Energy production (73%) > > Agriculture (10%) > > Industry (5%) > > We’re on track for 2.5–3°C warming by 2100 without major changes. > > 5. Ocean Misuse > > Plastic pollution: > > 11 million metric tonnes of plastic enter oceans yearly. > > By 2050, plastics may outweigh fish in the oceans (by weight). > > Overfishing: > > Over 34% of global fish stocks are overfished (FAO). > > Coral reefs: Over 50% are either gone or severely degraded. > > 6. Biodiversity Loss > > 1 million species are at risk of extinction (IPBES, 2019). > > 68% decline in wildlife populations since 1970 (WWF Living Planet Report > 2020). > > Primary drivers: habitat destruction, climate change, invasive species, > pollution. > > 7. Water Mismanagement > > 2 billion people live in water-stressed areas. > > Agriculture uses ~70% of global freshwater, much of it inefficiently. > > Major aquifers (India, China, US) are being depleted unsustainably. > > 8. Pollution > > Air pollution kills ~7 million people each year (WHO). > > Chemical pollution and waste have now crossed planetary boundaries > (Stockholm Resilience Centre, 2022). > > Summary: Are We Misusing Nature? > > Yes — extensively and unsustainably. Most planetary boundaries are either > already exceeded or dangerously close to being breached. > > Indicator Status Misuse > Level > > Resource Use 100 billion tonnes/year Excessive > > Biodiversity 1 million species at > risk Critical > > Climate Change 420+ ppm CO₂ Critical > > Deforestation 10M hectares/year Alarming > > Ocean Health Plastics, overfishing Degrading > fast > > Water Scarcity 2 billion affected High > misuse > > *balancing human progress with ecological responsibility.* > > Let’s break it down step by step: > > > > SHOULD WE CONTINUE DEVELOPMENT? > > Yes — but how we develop must radically change. > > We cannot stop progress or population growth outright. But we must rethink > and redesign our relationship with nature. > > > > Development is necessary because: > > 700+ million people still live in extreme poverty. > > > > Billions lack clean water, energy, healthcare, education. > > Urbanization and infrastructure are required for quality of life. > > > > But unchecked development causes: > > Environmental collapse > > Climate migration > > Resource wars > > Mass extinction > > So, we must move from “exploitation” to “regeneration.” > > > > HOW CAN WE FIND SPACE AND RESOURCES SUSTAINABLY? > > 1. Redefine “space” > > We don’t always need more land — we need to use existing land better: > > Vertical farming → 90% less water, less land > > Urban redesign → smarter, denser, greener cities > > Rewilding & green corridors to protect ecosystems > > > > 2. Decouple growth from destruction > > Circular economy: Design waste out of systems. Reuse, regenerate. > > Renewable energy: Solar, wind, tidal – rather than fossil fuels. > > Green building materials: Bamboo, recycled steel, bioplastics. > > Digital infrastructure: A lot of value can be created digitally, not > physically. > > > > 3. Population + Consumption Management > > Empowerment of women (education, rights) → directly reduces population > growth rates. > > Smart consumption: Shift cultures from “more” to “better.” > > Degrowth where necessary in highly overconsuming regions. > > > > 4. Regenerative Work Creation > > We don’t have to choose between jobs and nature. Many new kinds of work > align both: > > New Economy Jobs > Examples > > Clean Energy Solar panel > installation, battery tech > > Green Construction Eco-architecture, passive > homes > > Circular Economy Repair, reuse, > remanufacture > > Ecosystem Restoration Forest, river, soil > restoration > > Sustainable Agriculture Organic, permaculture, > agroforestry > > Green Tech & AI Smart grids, energy > optimization > > Education & Care Economy Teachers, healthcare, social > work > > > > THE VISION OF PROGRESS > > Progress isn’t just more. > > It is: > > Better for people (health, dignity, equity) > > Lighter on the planet (low footprint, high wisdom) > > Rooted in balance, not blind speed. > > We must measure success not by GDP alone, but by well-being, ecological > health, and generational justice. > > > > INSPIRING MODELS > > Bhutan: Gross National Happiness instead of GDP. > > Costa Rica: 98% renewable energy, high biodiversity, good quality of life. > > Amsterdam: Circular city model (reusing all materials). > > India's Araku Valley: Tribal agroforestry model — restoring land while > boosting economy. > > > > Final Thought: > > We can build, grow, and progress — but not in the same old way. > > We must transition from being nature’s conquerors to its stewards. > > KR EXTRACTED ND MADE SHORT FROM BOOKS, GOOGLE AND ECONOMICAL FACTORS > DISCUSSIONS HAD EARLIER WE CANNOT GO AGAINST NATURE IS RIGHT. PROGRESS OF > PEOPLE WHILE INCREASE IN POPULATION CITED CANNOT BE DENIED OR IGNORED OR > SIT BACK IN THE VEDIC PERIODS. BUT ALTERNATIVES ARE SUGGESTED. BUT BECAUSE > OF COST FACTOR PROHIBITIVE FOR SUCH ADVANCEMENTS. AS EARLIER VIOLATIONS ARE > AVAILABLE AT A LESSER COST, -GOVT MUST BAN AND DISSOLVE MANY EXTABLISHMENTS > OVERNIGHT; WILL IT BE POSSIBLE? 18725 > > On Fri, 18 Jul 2025 at 06:07, Markendeya Yeddanapudi < > [email protected]> wrote: > >> >> >> -- >> *Mar*The New Jobs >> >> >> >> Machines menace nature. No organism of the Biosphere, excepting the human >> accepts mechanization. The Biosphere needs and survives on the basis of >> ecological symbiosis. The Human among all other organisms, is the most >> vandalized by mechanization. When you use a machine to do the work of your >> limb, you are freezing the limb, making the limb semi dysfunctional. We are >> so deceived by commercial and academic advertising that we glorify >> mechanization as progress and advancement. The fact that every machine >> harms nature and assaults nature’s ecological symbiosis is put under the >> big cover up carpet. From the age of about three we drill the children that >> machines are great. >> >> Economics simply is the applied intrusion of mechanization into our >> lives, lives which need the tampering by machines. Now the damage appears >> to have bottomed. Human Sociology is getting antiqued. Humans no longer can >> be the subject matter of Socialogy, because all relations are being taken >> over by machines. Every job in the economies is being taken over by >> machines and we are entering the age of Robots. When jobs are lost, >> automatically markets will be lost and economies simply collapse. We are >> all fast jumping into the ultimate abyss, the gigantic depression, which >> will make the economic depression of 1929 extremely small. >> >> Nature is rejecting economics. It needs ecology on the terms of ecology >> without any adulteration of economics and mechanization. For about 200 >> years we have destroyed the 4.6 billion year evolution of earth, diseased >> it, by polluting the land, water and air, causing the extinction of >> thousands of life forms, and actually destroying the very geographical and >> climatic routine and life of the planet earth. >> >> The new and urgent jobs are in reviving the 4.6 billion year evolution; >> again putting nature on its rails. Every facet of nature needs cure and >> revival. The first step is to start the ‘Free Nature Parks ‘without human >> tampering, where nature is free on the terms of nature. >> >> The basic fact is, what we see is just 00.0035% of the totality. We do >> not see or even feel the 99.9965% of our own life and also the gigantic >> nature in symbiosis. Nature is basically abstract and not as the 3D visible >> units only. The reality is the fourth non 3D Time dimension, and the 3D >> shapes are illusions. Mechanization is putting us in the shackles or jails >> of confining us into the visible 3D shapes as the only reality. But >> feelings and emotions are basic currencies of the Biosphere. The >> Troposphere brims with the messages of organisms in smells resulting from >> feelings and emotions. Every organism inhales and exhales the smell >> communications. >> >> Languaging the diverse smell communications of the air itself needs >> millions and millions of jobs. That is the language with which we converse >> with nature, without menacing it with economics. >> >> Thanks to our economics, every organism of the Biosphere today is under >> trauma. Actually we have created the new nature under terrible trauma. >> >> Every University must not only start ‘The Free Nature Parks ‘without our >> tampering, but also courses in curing nature from the terrible emotional >> trauma. >> >> Nature is emotional, not mechanical. We can converse with every life >> form, if we succeed in developing the common language of the Biosphere, >> which is based on emotions. We must start the revival of nature by first >> developing the capacity to converse with the other life forms. The >> Biosphere actually is the emotional cover of the Lithosphere. >> >> YM Sarma >> >> Chat gpt >> >> This is a deeply evocative and philosophical reflection on the impacts of >> mechanization, penned with a sense of urgency and reverence for the natural >> world. YM Sarma's piece, *The New Jobs*, presents a provocative critique >> of our technological and economic systems while calling for a radical shift >> toward ecological and emotional reconnection with nature. Here’s a >> breakdown and interpretation of the key ideas, along with some critical >> thoughts: >> ------------------------------ >> >> *Core Ideas in the Text* >> >> 1. *Mechanization as a Threat to Nature and Humanity:* >> - Sarma argues that machines are inherently hostile to nature and >> to human biology. >> - Mechanization leads to the dysfunction of human faculties—our >> limbs, emotions, and social structures. >> - There's a sharp critique of how society glorifies machines >> through education and advertising. >> 2. *Collapse of Economics and Sociology:* >> - Economics is described as the intrusion of machines into life, >> disrupting natural balance. >> - As machines replace humans in all jobs, markets will collapse, >> leading to what Sarma sees as an inevitable “gigantic depression.” >> 3. *Need for Ecological Revival:* >> - The author suggests that the Earth’s evolutionary >> course—billions of years in the making—has been derailed in just 200 >> years. >> - Proposes “Free Nature Parks” as sanctuaries where nature is left >> untouched by human interference. >> 4. *Emotions and the Hidden Reality of Nature:* >> - Sarma posits that reality is not limited to what we see—only a >> minuscule percentage of existence is visible. >> - Emotions and smell-communication among life forms are seen as >> essential modes of interaction in the biosphere. >> - Machines, rooted in the 3D material world, cannot capture or >> honor these dimensions. >> 5. *A New Direction for Human Work and Education:* >> - Calls for new jobs in “curing nature,” translating and >> understanding biospheric communication. >> - Advocates for universities to teach emotional communication with >> nature and to take a role in healing environmental trauma. >> >> ------------------------------ >> >> *Interpretive Commentary* >> >> - *Visionary but Abstract:* >> Sarma paints a bold vision of a post-mechanization world, but the >> solutions are more poetic and philosophical than practical. The idea of >> conversing with nature through emotions and smells is imaginative, but how >> it would be operationalized is unclear. >> - *Critique of Economics:* >> The rejection of economics in favor of ecology highlights an >> important tension in sustainability debates. Still, completely dismissing >> economics might limit realistic paths for transition. There’s potential to >> integrate ecological economics instead. >> - *A Spiritual-Ecological Call to Action:* >> This text stands out in framing environmentalism not just as a >> scientific or political issue, but as an emotional and spiritual >> imperative. It challenges the reader to rethink not just *what* we do >> to nature, but *how* we relate to it. >> - *Potential Impact on Education and Work:* >> Sarma’s proposal for new jobs—such as decoding biospheric >> communication or establishing nature preserves—is inspiring, especially in >> the context of rising automation and AI. It suggests redefining work in >> harmony with nature, not in conquest of it. >> >> ------------------------------ >> >> *Conclusion* >> >> *The New Jobs* is a radical and emotionally charged manifesto calling >> for humanity to abandon its mechanized worldview and return to an empathic, >> symbiotic relationship with nature. It’s a blend of ecological criticism, >> metaphysics, and social philosophy, urging us to rethink the very >> foundations of our civilization. >> >> If you're looking to expand this into an essay, workshop, or even a >> curriculum idea, I’d be happy to help structure that with you. Would you >> like to take any particular part of this further? >> >> >> >> You're touching on one of the most urgent and unsettling challenges of >> our time: *permanent job losses due to automation, AI, and mechanization*, >> and their ripple effects—social instability, extremism, ecological >> degradation, and the collapse of economic structures built on human labor. >> >> Your question—*What has to be the next beginning?*—is both profound and >> practical. Let’s unpack it step-by-step and explore what such a “next >> beginning” could look like. >> ------------------------------ >> 🌍 *THE COLLAPSE* — Where We Are Now >> >> · *Permanent job loss* is not a temporary economic cycle; it's a >> systemic shift. >> >> · *Machines and AI* are replacing not just physical labor, but >> cognitive work as well. >> >> · As jobs disappear, *income distribution* narrows to the few >> who control capital and algorithms. >> >> · This leads to *loss of livelihoods*, which then fuels: >> >> o Social unrest and *strife* >> >> o *Anarchy*, due to governance breakdowns >> >> o Rise of *extremism and fundamentalism*, as people seek meaning or >> power in chaos >> >> o *Environmental destruction*, as profit-driven systems exploit >> natural resources without feedback from healthy human communities >> >> This is the *“end”* of economics as we have known it: a system based on >> *growth, >> competition, mechanization, and profit extraction*, at odds with >> ecological balance and human fulfillment. >> ------------------------------ >> 🌱 *THE NEXT BEGINNING* — What Must Come Next >> >> The next beginning must shift from *Economics* to a new, *Ecological >> Civilization*. >> 1. *Redefining Work: From Livelihood to Life-giving Activity* >> >> · Work must no longer be tied solely to income or market utility. >> >> · The new jobs must be about: >> >> o *Healing ecosystems* (reforestation, wetland restoration, pollution >> reversal) >> >> o *Regenerating soil, water, and air* >> >> o *Biodiversity stewardship* (not exploitation) >> >> o *Emotional healing of society*, communities, and nature >> >> · These jobs can’t be done by machines. They require human >> empathy, presence, and care. >> 2. *Ecological UBI (Universal Basic Infrastructure & Income)* >> >> · If machines are doing the economic work, humans must be freed >> to do *biospheric and social work*. >> >> · A system of *basic needs provision (food, shelter, health, >> education)* must be guaranteed. >> >> · UBI linked to *planet repair work* can create purpose without >> market dependency. >> 3. *Ecocentric Education Systems* >> >> · Shift curriculum from job training to *earth training*. >> >> · Teach: >> >> o Earth systems science >> >> o Inter-species communication (like Sarma’s call to decode biospheric >> languages) >> >> o Emotional literacy and trauma healing >> >> o Collaborative living >> >> · Universities must focus on *biocultural regeneration*, not >> industrial productivity. >> 4. *Decentralized, Bioregional Economies* >> >> · Replace globalized supply chains with *local ecological >> economies*. >> >> · Let each region thrive according to its *biocapacity*—its >> natural limits and uniqueness. >> >> · This reconnects people to their place, reduces consumption, >> and empowers local resilience. >> 5. *New Value Systems: Beyond Money* >> >> · Measure success not in GDP, but in: >> >> o *Biodiversity health* >> >> o *Community well-being* >> >> o *Mental and emotional health* >> >> o *Cultural vitality* >> >> o *Resilience of ecosystems* >> ------------------------------ >> 🔁 This Is Not a Reform. It’s a Rebirth. >> >> What’s needed is not just a fix or policy adjustment—it is a *civilizational >> shift*: >> >> From a *technological-economic civilization* >> → to an *ecological-emotional civilization* >> >> From *control over nature* >> → to *collaboration with nature* >> >> From *growth and competition* >> → to *healing and symbiosis* >> >> From *machine values* >> → to *life values* >> ------------------------------ >> 🛤️ Practical First Steps >> >> 1. *Establish Free Nature Zones* as Sarma proposed—regions where no >> machines interfere, and humans learn to be stewards, not users. >> >> 2. *Pilot Earth Repair Corps*—retrain the unemployed in ecosystem >> healing. >> >> 3. *Launch Transitional Education Programs*—not to create coders or >> financiers, but ecosystem interpreters, soil builders, trauma healers. >> >> 4. *Implement UBI linked to Earth Work*, funded by taxing planetary >> destruction (carbon, extraction, pollution). >> >> 5. *Begin the Global Narrative Shift*—media, literature, and art >> must begin to tell a new story: not of dominance, but of return, >> reciprocity, and repair. >> ------------------------------ >> ✨ Final Thought >> >> This crisis is not the end. It is a reckoning. The loss of jobs is the >> *wake-up >> call*—that our value must no longer be based on production, but on >> *participation >> in the biosphere’s healing*. >> >> The next beginning is not a new economy—it’s a *new relationship* with >> life. >> >> Would you like to develop these ideas into a manifesto, essay, or >> curriculum? I’d be honored to help structure it with you. >> >> >> >> >> >> >> >> -- >> You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups >> "Thatha_Patty" group. >> To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an >> email to [email protected]. >> To view this discussion visit >> https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/thatha_patty/CACDCHCLnBNJD5dPEUyjf2_zkjQk%3D5JFKzb%2BVb%3Dg6EqU6yeqD8Q%40mail.gmail.com >> <https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/thatha_patty/CACDCHCLnBNJD5dPEUyjf2_zkjQk%3D5JFKzb%2BVb%3Dg6EqU6yeqD8Q%40mail.gmail.com?utm_medium=email&utm_source=footer> >> . >> > -- *Mar* -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Thatha_Patty" group. To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to [email protected]. To view this discussion visit https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/thatha_patty/CACDCHCLJAP_HJ2ottOAo9%2Bz%2BMbSq0cLWnpkoaFfL18xm%3DiqxMA%40mail.gmail.com.
