LJ Jang - My Blog

Upon my return flight from UNCSD18, I watched an inflight movie titled "The Invention of Lying" (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Invention_of_Lying). Below are some reflections that the movie evoked.

I watched a movie that mentioned "The Man in the Sky"
The Man who created the universe and all mankind
Was cited to provide a happy environment for one's afterlife

The promised paradise
Was the invention of a little white lie
By a son who wanted to keep his dying mum's spirits high

The movie portrayed an honest community incapable of lying
So it was amazing for others to hear what the son was conjuring

The stories he told, had a sense of justice, behold!
One mansion for each dead he said
Filled with the best things you thought of in your head
But do no bad things he warned
Else to THE bad bad place you'd be gone...

Well... so I feel that the interpretation of different "best mansions" reminds me of how we - the group "Our Common Future Fulfilled", newly formed at UNCSD18 - had discussed the need for happiness to be re-defined.

Just like how the general public concept of "development" should be re-assessed; to factor not the number of skyscrapers in the city, but to respect every culture's self-assessment of value/worth. If we, the public, can see beyond materialistic things and attach value to other intangible values, then a new understanding of "sustainable development" may arise and a higher chance for survival may result.

Also, thinking about everybody having "best mansions" reminds me of a Chinese fable about the perfect spear being used on the perfect shield, which, in short, refers to something being fictionary as "it is impossible for an impenetrable shield to coexist with a spear that finds nothing impenetrable."

(http://folkloreandmyth.netfirms.com/fables_proverbs.html#HisSpearAgainstHisShield)

In addition, should everybody be entitled to a mansion, then that could probably be the best example for economist Tim Jackson's statement - "growth is unsustainable, and de-growth is unstable". There can never be "a best mansion" provided by every single person; and if there are people who weren't allocated mansions, then the un-fairness would probably lead to riots, etc. Similarly, the world doesn't have enough resources to build dense cities all over, and the marginalized people without, say, electricity, would probably feel repressed; whilst those already conditioned to a luxurious lifestyle would be outraged to give up their electricity, etc.

I probably am not explaining as well as the author himself, so you might like to read more about his book here --> http://www.guardian.co.uk/books/2010/jan/23/properity-without-growth-tim-jackson

The movie, I feel, reflects an era of sweet lies and cruel truth. Maybe the current environmental upheaval is just like a scene from the movie Matrix, where unseen powers are propelling the waves of unrest and offering some "carrots" / easy ways to escape reality ... e.g. we have to be grateful that the Copenhagen Accord was signed, instead of following-through and agreeing on a legally binding treaty to bring emissions down to 350ppm... These "carrots" distract us, somewhat blinding us from seeing the "truth" - that we need a fundamental change to our lifestyles in order to save the earth, and thus, ensure our survival.

And "invention of lying" movie also mentioned that you'd only be punished if you did 3 minor bad things ---> so why stop at 1?!!! Well, this reminds me of SCP (sustainable consumption and production) and other issues raised at UNCSD18, whereby the costs of non-compliance are higher than the costs of compliance ---> so why do it?!!!

To this, I reckon we really need to reflect on our moral values, Buddhist teachings, and also investigate the "Global Commons Trust".

http://buddhismbeliefs.org/
It’s Good to Be Good
Buddhists believe in the idea of karma (a logical extension from everything being interconnected). What we do to others will ultimately affect ourselves.

http://globalcommonstrust.org/
Global Commons Trust opens a window into this rising global trusteeship society — a world where everyone benefits from the preservation and use of their common resources, and the cooperative human spirit is lifted through new energetic patterns of sustainability, wealth and power.

Finally, I would like to ask... if YOU were the voice of "the man in the sky"... what would you say to save the environment, vis a vis, your own life??!

Cheers,
aLgae

uncsd18, eco, singapore, movie, theinventionoflying