Douglass’s Newsletter

Douglass's Newsletter focuses on addressing climate change through creative responses, emphasizing Gardenworlds, societal mismanagement, and alternative approaches to capitalism. It critiques media coverage, Darwinian interpretations, and technological misuse while promoting localized solutions, quality of life, and child-parent oriented societies. The newsletter encourages exploring the arts, mindfulness, and leadership integrity.

Climate Change Societal Mismanagement Local Solutions for Sustainability Media Critique Economic Systems Technological Impacts Human Well-being Arts and Culture Philosophy and Ethics Leadership and Corporate Culture

The hottest Substack posts of Douglass’s Newsletter

And their main takeaways

Why Gardenworld?

98 implied HN points • 16 Jan 24
🌞 Climate & Environment Climate change
  1. Climate change is a symptom of societal mismanagement.
  2. Local solutions for basic needs like food and shelter are crucial.
  3. Shift thinking from 'why' things are falling apart to 'now what' solutions.

Misuse of Darwin and the causes of climate and capitalism

78 implied HN points • 09 Jan 24
📖 Philosophy Quality of Life
  1. Survival of the fittest may not always be right; humans can choose quality of life over survival.
  2. It's important to consider futures with higher quality of life outcomes, even if there are risks of failure.
  3. We need to move away from a mechanical worldview that supports the development of harmful commercial civilization.
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Important source for Gardenworld - The Arts and Crafts Movement.

19 implied HN points • 10 Feb 24
🎨 Art & Illustration Aesthetics Craftsmanship Aesthetics
  1. The Arts and Crafts Movement was an international trend in the decorative and fine arts, advocating traditional craftsmanship and social reform.
  2. The movement emphasized simpler and more aesthetic homes and gardens, influencing styles like Art Nouveau and Modernism.
  3. Craftsmanship involves doing a job well for its own sake, contributing to people's well-being and community morale.

what might happen - one sequence

19 implied HN points • 07 Feb 24
🌞 Climate & Environment Sustainability Urban planning Natural Disasters Resource Management Environmental Activism
  1. Very few are aware of major trends already happening on Earth, such as deforestation, floods, and food production decline
  2. A proposed sequence envisions a path from crisis to Gardenworld through stages like Lifeboats and Security
  3. The concept of Gardenworld offers a goal for continuous experimentation and improvement in education, medicine, and other areas

Post # 3000

39 implied HN points • 09 Jul 23
📖 Philosophy Democracy Politics Society History Governance
  1. Blogging started during war in Iraq with 1 million protesters having no impact on policy.
  2. Author realized democracy and hierarchy were lacking in the political structure.
  3. Feeling sad about lack of response when writing, but finding worthwhile friendships and clarity along the way.

Blended scenarios

39 implied HN points • 08 Jun 23
🌞 Climate & Environment Resource Management Sustainability
  1. Three proposed blended scenarios for addressing climate change: drift, embrace localization (Gardenworld), embrace high tech (world)
  2. Use of technology like AI and chatbots to manage Gardenworld projects for feeding, sheltering, and aesthetics
  3. Local efforts to maintain Internet connectivity as a common project in the face of grid failures

Garbage trucks

39 implied HN points • 28 May 23
🕹 Technology Innovation Human Impact Ethics
  1. Technology can sometimes prioritize efficiency over human well-being.
  2. Garbage trucks have evolved to be operated by only one person, eliminating the camaraderie and interaction that used to exist among the crew.
  3. The shift towards automation in garbage trucks highlights the lack of human connection and accountability in certain technological advancements.

Positive scenario

39 implied HN points • 28 May 23
🚌 Education
  1. The post discusses a positive scenario
  2. The author shares a link to their Substack profile
  3. There is photography featured in the post

Old Sufi thought

39 implied HN points • 27 May 23
⛪ Faith & Spirituality Thought
  1. The text discusses an idea from Omar Kayam about questioning God's actions.
  2. The author reflects on Sufi thought and ponders the meaning behind the text.
  3. The post invites readers to contemplate the deeper philosophical aspect of life and existence.

Thinking self destructs

39 implied HN points • 23 May 23
📖 Philosophy Existentialism Morality Ethics
  1. Three paths discussed: continue as we are, turn to hedonism, try a major shift to stop CO2 emissions.
  2. High tech and Gardenworld needed for the major shift to stop CO2.
  3. Human thought is limited by narrow concerns, leading to self-destructive behavior.

Child and parent oriented society -Gardenworld

19 implied HN points • 12 Jun 23
  1. Society should be more child and parent-friendly, supporting parents in their roles.
  2. Middle class and upper middle class professionals between 20 and 50 face challenges in today's society.
  3. The importance of focusing on the well-being of children, parents, and pets in the community.

What to do.

19 implied HN points • 09 Jun 23
🌞 Climate & Environment Energy Corporations Problem Solving
  1. Temperatures are rising due to fossil fuel burning, leading to interconnected problems like soil, food, and poverty.
  2. Survival strategy involves a complex Gardenworld approach for localized food and security, combined with big tech for management.
  3. Urgency is stressed in understanding and addressing societal collapses, suggested readings like Tainter and Toynbee provide deeper insights.

Misleading approaches to climate.

0 implied HN points • 09 Feb 24
🌞 Climate & Environment Climate change Environmental Impact Renewable Energy
  1. Progressive-minded individuals often investigate underlying causes of climate issues but may fall into the trap of seeking solutions that revert society back to a previous state, hindering real systemic change.
  2. Merely advocating for mindset changes without a clear implementation plan and considering practical issues like energy production limitations or environmental impact of alternative solutions can be ineffective in addressing climate challenges.
  3. Relying solely on current strategies like solar panels without factoring in limitations and the need for backup systems from coal or oil can lead to unforeseen consequences and a failure to have a comprehensive, sustainable approach.

Unfounding founding fathers

0 implied HN points • 11 Feb 24
💾 History Political History Education
  1. Many academic fields are not teaching young people the history of their field, which may be limiting their capacity to offer alternative perspectives.
  2. While the founding fathers were deeply educated about politics and governance, current practices often show a lack of depth and passivity.
  3. Reflecting on the past can offer interesting insights into the present and help avoid undoing the hard work of those who came before us.

social tipping points.

0 implied HN points • 12 Feb 24
🌞 Climate & Environment Society Education Law Internet Journalism Health Science
  1. Climate discussions often focus on physical causes and responses, but the impact of social structures on climate management is crucial.
  2. Key social factors like education, law, income systems, and journalism require thorough discussion and attention in climate action.
  3. Addressing issues such as social control of technology, finance, food, and family structures is important for sustainable climate management.

The material side of climate discussions

0 implied HN points • 12 Feb 24
🌞 Climate & Environment Social Impact
  1. The text emphasizes the importance of considering the social evolution needed in climate discussions, in addition to focusing on the material aspects.
  2. There is a call for more attention to be given to how voice and posture can convey urgency and calmness in discussions about climate change.
  3. The author shares a summary of the material side of climate discussions in the post.

Can we do systems?

0 implied HN points • 29 Jan 24
🔬 Science Systems Human behavior Environmental Impact
  1. Nature conducts slow, limited experiments to avoid harming the entire system.
  2. Humans possess tools like atomic bombs and bioweapons that threaten our own systems more than nature does.
  3. We have not been smart about understanding our place as humans and often fail to consider what we are dependent on.

Aristotle and more comprehensive economics

0 implied HN points • 29 Jan 24
📖 Philosophy Economics
  1. Ancient economic systems were complex and involved the dedication of property to gods.
  2. Economics and ecology share the same root words, 'Eco' and 'logos'.
  3. Aristotle described various economic strategies used by historical figures like Cypselus, Lygdamis, and Hippias.