Post your comments, questions, links, etc. [As of Monday 9 am, no one had yet posted any Discussion Questions. We'll take time in class to do that. It's important. AND, it's important to think about what makes a good conversation...
As we noted in class, Klein offers no pretense of impartiality or scholarly detachment: she is convinced that the election of a climate denier to the most powerful elective office in the world poses a grave threat to our prospects of arresting or reversing the worst consequences of anthropogenic climate change. In this book she tells us why, and begins to suggest what we (collectively, actively) can do about it. [NOTE: a widget I applied to my computer at the instigation of Cousin John Oliver back in 2016 changes the current White House occupant's brand-name back to his family's ancestral name. I've forgotten how to remove it.]
As we noted in class, Klein offers no pretense of impartiality or scholarly detachment: she is convinced that the election of a climate denier to the most powerful elective office in the world poses a grave threat to our prospects of arresting or reversing the worst consequences of anthropogenic climate change. In this book she tells us why, and begins to suggest what we (collectively, actively) can do about it. [NOTE: a widget I applied to my computer at the instigation of Cousin John Oliver back in 2016 changes the current White House occupant's brand-name back to his family's ancestral name. I've forgotten how to remove it.]
*1. What does Klein think is the goal of Trump and his top advisers?
2. What "frenzy" does Klein call a pillar of Trump's project?
3. What does Klein think "mov[ing] to a yes" may bring about?
4. What were Klein and her colleagues trying to build through the Leap Manifesto project?
5. What was the electoral college originally designed to protect?
6. What ground were we on before the election?
7. What simple fact does the Trump cabinet represent?
8. Trump's first secretary of state's company did what for decades?
9. What was happening before Trump's election upset that's easy to forget?
10. What was the model of the new kind of corporation pioneered by Nike and Apple?
11. What did the Trump brand have in common with Celebration, FLA?
12. How does Trump's presidency violate conflict-of-interest rules?
13. Trump's political career would have been impossible without the degradation of what?
13. Trump's political career would have been impossible without the degradation of what?
Discussion Questions:
- Can an effective response to the climate crisis be mounted by a strictly private-sector, market-driven approacn?
- Do you agree that we need to phase out our dependence on fossil fuels, and make a steady transition to clean alternative sources like solar & wind-generated power, e-vehicles, more public transport, etc.? How quickly? How can we do it?
- Does thinking about the judgment of history, and what our descendants (if any) will say about us and the choices we made, motivate you to want to address the climate crisis?
- Do you agree that climate and social justice issues are inter-related, and should be confronted via a "cross-movement" of intersecting interests and concerns?
- Is there any continued, defensible rationale for the electoral college system? Is there any way to achieve fairer, more proportional representation of all voters other than to abolish it?
- Have you participated in any public actions or demonstrations to express your concern about the environment? Will you? Why or why not?
- What are the implications of Ivanka Trump's clothing line shutting down? It did by the way.
- What do you think it meant to say "we wait while you do nothing?"
- How can we encourage more green building?
- Is the conflict of interest in Trump's administration really so different than that of his predecessors?
- Is it relevant that the president is or is not personally wealthy?
- If our ancestors could see our world, do you think they'd have any regrets or wish to have made other choices?
- How do you think we got to this "surreal political moment"?
- Add your DQs please
 | Naomi Klein (@NaomiAKlein) |
| Naomi Klein (@NaomiAKlein) |
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So often hurricanes act as a brutal unveiling: all the tucked away sacrifice zones are suddenly exposed to the light. Industrial scale animal agriculture is a disaster every single day for the people who live nearby. When that industry collides with a climate disaster, look out. twitter.com/democracynow/s…
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Watch this powerful short film where two indigenous women from opposite sides of the world share their poetic call for all people to #RiseForClimate
Watch the full film and learn more about the journey: http://riseoneislandtoanother.com
I enjoyed this call to action video, it seems all activists make powerful videos. I liked how the poem stated "our lives matter more than their power". These are beautiful islands, I wish I knew where this was located. It makes me sad to think of melting ice, starved polar bears, nuclear waste in the water and cities underwater. These islands need solutions, I wish I knew what they meant when the poem said "we wait while you do nothing". What all could we do to stop the ice retreats? #respectlivesnotmoney
ReplyDeleteMarshall Islands & Greenland...
DeleteWe can experience the "spark [of] emotion and drive needed for more people to rise and take action"... and then take action.
Something that I couldn't help but note about this video is the connection that I feel with indigenous or aboriginal people. In all of our "1st World" societies we have wants that supersede our needs. Or more accurately our wants are met based by our notion of the "have's and the have-not's" In impoverished countries sustainable life is measured on a different scale than in Europe, Japan, Brazil or America. Both indigenous and aboriginal people are often viewed as a lesser kind of being because of what we believe to be their lack of technological advances or their religious and spiritual practices. As humans I believe that there is a need for all peoples to take action to preserve the environment. Wishful thinking I suppose. As beings of the “1st world” I believe many of us have lost this connection with our “cousins.” As 1st worlders our ideas of culture and family don’t hold the same value. We lack empathy unless the issues concern global destruction or “terrorist” activity. Isn’t it possible that we [1st Worlders] are geo-terrorists? I am naïve enough to believe there is hope, solely because I shudder at the thought of humankind ceasing their existence by their own means. In respect to the indigenous and aboriginal people of the world; If they are capable of coexisting in their environments without impeding upon nature aren’t we? Will we continue to watch catastrophic events from our smartphones and tablets while “praying” or will we join together as activists that spearhead a global front on environmental protection?
Delete-Brandon Alston
I absolutely agree we need to phase out our dependence on fossil fuels. One of the main causes of anthropogenic climate change is due to carbon dioxide from the burning of fossil fuels, coals and natural gas. I’m in a solar design class this semester and we have discussed how architecture can be designed to build homes with net zero energy by taking advantage of the sun angles and average weather degrees for heating, cooling and lighting. In a paper titled Green Building Opportunities I wrote last semester I conceptualized how green building can reduce the impacts buildings have on the environment and human health. This is important because greenhouse gases caused by energy use and waste management have been proven to affect the biosphere. There has been several excellent advances of various types of sustainable design: wind power, solar panels and biofuels. Green building aims to use these resources efficiently to provide opportunities to be environmentally safe and create healthier places to live and work.
ReplyDeleteThat is awesome! I had not heard the term green building before, I love it!
DeleteMax McConnell
ReplyDeleteTwo alternative quiz questions:
1: Why are brand managers obsessed with discipline and brand repitition? Because once you have identified what your core brand is, your only job is to embody that brand, project the brand and repeat its message. If this is done and you stay focused, very little can touch you.
2: How do the Trumps view their stay in the public office (according to Klein)? As a short term investment to enormously swell the value for their commercial brand in the long run.
Max McConnell
ReplyDeleteAnother alternative quiz question:
who does Klein describe as a municipal rehearsal for Trump?
Rob Ford.
This comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteALTERNATE QUIZ QUESTIONS:
ReplyDelete1. What does the term “shock doctrine” describe? (2)
2. What did Bannon (Trump’s sidelined chief strategist) say was the goal of Trump’s Cabinet nominees? What does he mean by “the administrative state”? (3)
3. What are the main pillars of Trump’s political and economic project? (5)
4. What circumstances result in a state of shock? (7)
5. What are the two crucial things that must happen in order to resist shock politics? (8)
6. What is this book’s argument? (9)
7. What are we saying no to? (11)
With all this talk about Trump and his "shock politics" I thought I'd leave this link here for anyone who might be interested in what's currently going on in politics. This link is to the NPR's politics podcast. (I don't know about everyone else, but I personally love NPR).
ReplyDeletehttps://www.npr.org/podcasts/510310/npr-politics-podcast
I would like to discuss the conflict of interest rules that are brought up regarding President Trump's wealth. I feel that this is any different than the Clinton's or Bush's or even the Kennedy's. Andrew Herman Washington DC attorney and other attorneys say that while the president and vice president are exempt from the federal conflict of interest statute, the country’s founders drew a bright line at accepting foreign gifts. However, when President Obama first entered office, his 5.62 percent mortgage was heavily scrutinized, with the question being whether he had received a below-market rate as an act of favoritism. A Federal Election Commission investigation determined that Obama had obtained a discounted rate but that it was legal because it was within the range offered by Obama’s bank to customers who may provide the bank with additional business. But through my research I could not find if this investigation proved that there were other customers at their bank actually received interest rates as low as his. According to Russ Choma, reporter for Mother Jones in 2016, “We have never had a president with these enormous business conflicts domestically and globally,” said Norman Eisen, who served as President Barack Obama’s first White House ethics czar. “What’s more, we’ve never had a president who seems to insist on breaking the precedent set by every previous president for at least four decades of doing a true blind trust or its equivalent.” So I would like to know is that how does the amount of wealth a President has before their presidency is relevant and is this just another way to spear Trump because of his chosen tactics or unpopular opinions? I feel that with the political climate as it is currently do not understand why politics are so intertwined in a global issue. This is not just an American problem - but a global one. It is not just one country leading the way for a better environment it is a collective. Teya James
ReplyDeleteI don't believe wealth has anything directly to one's capability of leading a nation. However, there is a correlation suggesting that the more wealth you have the bigger voice you having, meaning more money more influence. So to further you point, most presidents were to some degree wealthy before taking office and Trump is no different. It seems that his wealth is being brought up as an opposition to convince people that he is different from us, therefore he believes different than us. It's mostly just twisting public opinion.
DeleteAddressing you closing statement, you're right that climate issues are a global concern, but America is one of the top polluters of planet therefore forcing this issue to be an American one as well. Now, I do not believe that the Trump administration is going to destroy all hope in fighting climate change; Nor do I think that Hillary could have saved us from a climate disaster if elected. But atlas, my concern is that America might start enough change to effect this global issue. If we are a major part of the problem, then we must play a major part in fixing it. But, I don't think we should blame the president for our pollution rates. They have been bad for many years now and the majority of our society are content with that. The problem isn't that the President "doesn't care" or whatever about climate change. It's that our society is either uneducated enough about it or they don't see it as a concerning issue. We the people need to change this mind set, not rely on the government to force people to comply. Yes laws would help, and I think we should pass more that concern environmental issues, but we cannot rely on laws to be made when we can educate people and make them care about these issues.
"Rise: From One Island to Another" - Thank you for sharing this poem/video. It was so beautifully written and very moving! Personally - seeing things like this is more effective in making me open myself to further reflection and contemplation as to what my part is and how I can effect change! Thank you again! Teya James
ReplyDeleteALTERNATE QUIZ QUESTIONS:
ReplyDeleteQ: How does the Fist Lady's lawsuit relate to branding? (36)
Q: What did President Ronald Reagan say about the government? (41)
Q: What did whitehouseinc.org advise voters to do in 2017? (44)
Teya James
Alternate Discussion Question
ReplyDeleteDo you think that if our ancestors could see what the world has developed into they would make different choices, and if so what do you believe they would be? Also, do you think that having the knowledge that they potentially have chosen to change things impact you in such a way that you would want to make different choices?
Just off the top of my head, the first situation that came to my mind was our constitution. I feel that if America's founding fathers knew what was going on in the world now, they would try and write the constitution to be more inclusive, or at least I would hope so.
DeleteKnowledge is power, so I totally think that if you live in a way is not self-centered, you will and make better choices for everyone.
Extra Material
ReplyDeleteReview Naomi Klein's 'No Is Not Enough': An Urgent, but Outdated, Message for the Trump Era
https://www.haaretz.com/life/books/.premium-an-urgent-but-outdated-message-for-the-trump-era-1.5434413
Talks about the book itself and the view of it from an outside source. It also gives a very easy to follow outline of the parts of the book.
Alternative Quiz Questions
ReplyDelete1. According to Klein, what is the book's argument 'in a nutshell'? (9)
2. What 2 groups helped win a phase-out of private prisons and a reduction in the number of incarcerated Americans? (19-20)
3. What was Trump's novel two-pronged speech he used to sell himself to voters? (21)
4. What does Klein consider one of the most remarkable aspects of the Trump presidency? (22)
5. What were two immediate impacts of the rise of the branded business model? (26)
6. Workers in a Chinese factory were paid just over $1 an hour to produce whose clothing line? (32)
7. According to Klein, how do the Trumps see public office? (36)
Alternative Quiz Questions
ReplyDelete1.) What does Klein believe result in 'a state of shock'? (7)
2.) What two groups that Klein mentions were forcing a national debate about systematic anti-Black racism and militarized policing?(19)
3.) What was Trump's two-pronged pitch according to Klein? (21)
Do you agree that we need to phase out our dependence on fossil fuels, and make a steady transition to clean alternative sources like solar & wind-generated power, e-vehicles, more public transport, etc.? How quickly? How can we do it?
ReplyDeleteIf society is to create a long term sustainable environment, an awakening is greatly need for Earth as a whole. The rate at which fossil fuels are sourced consumed is a stark reminder that the ways that we are living in cannon be kept up for the long term. With this in mind, strides in science are always being made for the idea of a steady transition from fossil fuels to clean alternative sources like solar and wind-generated power. If a warning were put out today that fossil fuels are going to start getting replaced by other resources, I think that the change would happen in less than 100 years. If the EPA and congress worked close together as one unit, with the best interest in sustaining human life, then many laws and bills could get passed. These legalities would help to enforce and make people recognize that the use of fossil fuels is antiquated. Obviously, these laws and regulations would have to slowly be integrated into society, as well us finding a beneficial alternative to these fossil fuels. Earth is to vast for us to only have one way of doing something. Whether it be learning, developing ideas, or finding an alternative to nonrenewable resources, there is always another route to take for the betterment of society.
Trumps' brands seem to go to lawsuits continuously, nothing really seems to stick that people even enjoy. How can he call himself a successful business man when he's lost his wealth and the support of many people? He comes from an affluent family-he is not a self made man. All I know is: I don't want to be apart of his tribe. I want to be part of the tribe that takes him out of office.
ReplyDeleteWhy hurricanes are expected to dump more rain in a warming world. http://www.msn.com/en-us/weather/topstories/why-hurricanes-are-expected-to-dump-more-rain-in-a-warming-world/ar-BBNfyU1?ocid=ientp
ReplyDeleteHow Hurricane Florence May Affect Wildlife
ReplyDeletehttp://www.msn.com/en-us/weather/topstories/how-hurricane-florence-may-affect-wildlife/ar-BBNfiHb?ocid=ientp