This world is beginning to accelerate in ways that go beyond our control. They may already have years ago, but our ability to understand this is still in infancy. However, there is little doubt among scientists and educated peoples across the globe that we are seeing the last shreds of stability on a planetary scale, and that the future is highly uncertain.
The whole issue of 'if climate change occurs' is moot. It's now a question of 'when' and 'how much'.
At Hawk Circle, we are beginning to make a change in our approach to teaching wilderness leadership, survival skills and awareness. For the last twenty years, we have tried to avoid any philosophical tones that might be construed as alarmist, fear based or manipulative, for obvious reasons. Most students are simply unable to do anything about it, for one thing. The other is that it was uncertain that the 'worst' was yet to come, so to speak.
Starting in 2010, our approach is going to be one of trust, love, compassion, and highly practical in nature, one that features skills that will be crucial and necessary in the coming years. We also will begin to talk openly about the changes and what these might look like and how to observe and respond to them in a way that can provide the optimal outcomes for our students and their families.
We aren't talking about packing up three years of food in the basement, or getting firearms and ammunition. We aren't talking about heading out to live in a bunker in Idaho, or herding fifty goats in Wisconsin. No, no and no! (If you are into that sort of thing, go for it, but we aren't advising that!)
We are going to begin talking about these changes and these skills in a 'when' conversation, rather than a hypothetical 'if'.
I don't like doing this, but I can't see any other way that has integerity. I also think that young people do 'get it' as to what is going on with climate change and the very real threat to our world as we know it, and it will probably be refreshing to be able to talk about it directly, rather than skirt around it or pretend it isn't happening.
I don't claim to know the future but I can sure take a look at the present and make some simple predictions and know that things are about to get a lot crazier in the coming ten to twenty to thirty years!
I welcome your feedback and would love to hear what you think about this approach and if you agree or disagree.
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I think that the S**** is going to hit the fan sooner than I had previously thought, and I feel very unprepared. My lack of a contingency plan is keeping me up at night... Is it just me?
ReplyDeleteHello Rick, my name is Caleb, I work for a cultural based non-profit organization in Calgary, Alberta, Canada.
ReplyDeleteI am interested in what you are doing.
Well, it all depends on what you mean by "sooner", Adam. Sooner as in, sometime in the next five years, or ten years, or?
ReplyDeleteAs far as a contingency plan, the biggest problem that I would say for most people is that we don't know WHEN to leave for the woods, or desert island, or the arctic, or wherever you decide to go. Should you go tomorrow, if there is a big storm? Next week if there is a new outbreak in swine flu? Or the next time the market crashes?
If you don't know what your parameters are for the trigger of when you would leave your normal life, how can you effectively plan anything?
And, when you make your plan, where are you going? How many people are you bringing? How many people actually want to come with you if you were leaving?
Like everything, I think it all comes down to the wonderful three words: It all depends.
So, if you are going to plan, you have to start there, and make your decisions with all of your 'group', and then see where it goes...
Hi Caleb,
ReplyDeletePlease check over our website or email me for further details on what we are doing, especially if you have specific questions or needs. It would be great to hear what you are doing up there in the great white north! If we can help in any way, I would love to know how....
Take care,
Ricardo