Photo - Rotational symmetries in design produced by a kaleidoscope - by Albarubescens - Creative Commons A Continual Search for Aptness Let me begin with the word aptness. Merriam-Webster Dictionary defines apt as “appropriate or suitable in the circumstances”. A
Apt, adapt, exapt-ation. Nice discussion, James. One indicator that voluntary energy descent is possible, feasible, and reasonable, might be that there is already a vast and unequal distribution of energy usage (as there is inequity in levels of material consumption). So per capita energy use is not useful as a metric. The dominant narrative (evolutionary ascendancy, another 'upward' signifier) seems to propose that energy use is analogous to the significance of one's life experience, (that more energy 'wealth' and agency expressed as consumption - as a form of leverage - means a richer life experience). This appears to exhibit aspects of materialism, techno-determinism, racism, and a certain prejudice that demeans and diminished indigenous ways of being, or previous ways of being, or even an 'ordinary' life. The idea that access to abundant energy presupposes and supports greater creativity is also questionable. Intimate involvement in one's immediate context can also provide the basis for vast creativity and production of non-material artifacts, just as nature seems to point to infinite possibility in any discernible setting.
My only comment on all that is on the up and down bit. Smaje's Small Farm Futrue remarks that it's problematic how our culture views positonal words like forward and back, up and down, also black and white, as value-laden.
Feet are considered the dirtiest part of the body in Thailand, and shoes even more so. Therefore, it's considered a big no-no to point at anything with your feet, put your feet up on the table, or touch anyone with your feet."
If you grow up in Thailand, you rather osmotically absorb this attitude to feet, unless you're perhaps part of some contrarian subculture.
Keep in mind that in Thailand to have one's feet pointing or directing toward someone in any way is insulting. So if I'm sitting or laying in such a way that the bottom of my feet can be considered in any sense to be pointing toward you, that's really not acceptable at all.
The weird thing about us humans is that we turn almost anything and everything into a symbol for things quite unrelated to the actual reference. Feet come to be symbols, rather than just part of our anatomy. Same with directions. And so much more!
Apt, adapt, exapt-ation. Nice discussion, James. One indicator that voluntary energy descent is possible, feasible, and reasonable, might be that there is already a vast and unequal distribution of energy usage (as there is inequity in levels of material consumption). So per capita energy use is not useful as a metric. The dominant narrative (evolutionary ascendancy, another 'upward' signifier) seems to propose that energy use is analogous to the significance of one's life experience, (that more energy 'wealth' and agency expressed as consumption - as a form of leverage - means a richer life experience). This appears to exhibit aspects of materialism, techno-determinism, racism, and a certain prejudice that demeans and diminished indigenous ways of being, or previous ways of being, or even an 'ordinary' life. The idea that access to abundant energy presupposes and supports greater creativity is also questionable. Intimate involvement in one's immediate context can also provide the basis for vast creativity and production of non-material artifacts, just as nature seems to point to infinite possibility in any discernible setting.
My only comment on all that is on the up and down bit. Smaje's Small Farm Futrue remarks that it's problematic how our culture views positonal words like forward and back, up and down, also black and white, as value-laden.
"What is the etiquette for feet in Thailand?
Feet are considered the dirtiest part of the body in Thailand, and shoes even more so. Therefore, it's considered a big no-no to point at anything with your feet, put your feet up on the table, or touch anyone with your feet."
If you grow up in Thailand, you rather osmotically absorb this attitude to feet, unless you're perhaps part of some contrarian subculture.
Keep in mind that in Thailand to have one's feet pointing or directing toward someone in any way is insulting. So if I'm sitting or laying in such a way that the bottom of my feet can be considered in any sense to be pointing toward you, that's really not acceptable at all.
The weird thing about us humans is that we turn almost anything and everything into a symbol for things quite unrelated to the actual reference. Feet come to be symbols, rather than just part of our anatomy. Same with directions. And so much more!