Earth Democracy Intro

I have to partially agree with what Dylan posted about the introduction to this book. Vandana seems like very much an extremist herself as well as an idealist. I have no problem with her holding her own opinions, that's her right, but I feel that she contradicts herself and is blind to reality. Throughout the introduction she bashes globalization, but yet if it wasn't for globalization how would she or does she expect us to come together as an "earth family"? Globalization has not been the sole cause of all the evil she describes in such extreme terms. Terrorist efforts have been going on for a long time, and many of the conflicts in the middle east have been fought for hundreds of years. However, globalization has also resulted in the world becoming connected and allowing the sharing of information and ideas. I feel she also contradicted herself when she discussed how globalization creates enclosures while she is pushing for openness. While I would agree that globalization does cause a lot of stratification throughout the world (and it is prevalent in her part of the world), it has also opened the doors to bigger and better opportunities for people that might not have otherwise had those opportunities. Globalization itself is the increasing interconnectedness of the world, as described by my textbook from the class on globalization I took during Summer A. Vandana also sounds very much like a socialist as she pushes for an idealistic earth as a commons. First of all, I don't think this is possible since the people in power who currently "own" most of the earth, will never be willing to give that up. Also, history has shown that socialism is great as a theory, but fails in practice. People who gain power usually become power hungry, which results in the community no longer being a perfect sharing. With her stab at Britain during her rant about enclosure, it leads me to wonder whether she is just still bitter about India being held as a British colony for so long, and the repercussions of that occupation.

Earth Democracy in Action

While I don't particularly care for the way that Shiva Vandana structures her arguments, as it seems she is a woman on a rampage to save the world and convince everyone in her path to do the same, I do feel that she makes some excellent points. The first of these is her discussion on patents. I took a class on Globalization and Diversity during Summer A and this was something that we discussed. Scientists have been going through the Amazon jungle in search of cures for devastating diseases such as cancer. When they find something that the indigenous people have been using as their own cure, they apply for a patent and therefore prevent such people from using a plant or its derivative that they've been using for hundreds, if not thousands of years.

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