Topic: Progress

The complexity of modern civilization has obscured an ecological crisis through a finely crafted system of markets and trade. Local environmental problems can be exported across the world with modern technologies while placing the global economic ladder on ever shakier ground. Is our species capable of sparking a widespread and intelligent discussion of our trajectory as a species before the problems of social inequity and ecological collapse take civilization down?

In Extraenvironmentalist #41 we speak with Ronald Wright about his book A Short History of Progress which chronicles the idea of progress through human history and has been adapted into a new film, Surviving Progress. Then we hear from Mathieu Roy and Harold Crooks who directed and wrote Surviving Progress. We ask them about the challenges of adapting the story of our complex civilization into a succinct and slick film. Last of all, we report back from Montreal about the Maple Spring uprising and our interviews with numerous ecological economists at the Montreal Degrowth conference as our civilization attempts to redefine our economic priorities.

Be sure to view the Surviving Progress trailer.

// Music (in order of appearance)
Passion Pit - Take a Walk via Consequence of Sound
Penguin Prison - Fair Warning (Robotaki Remix) via Robotaki
Gossip - Perfect World (RAC Remix) via Idolator
Killer Mike - Ronald Reagan via our listener David, who also left a voicemail
Passion Pit - Take a Walk (Peking Duk Remix) via The Music Ninja

// Extended Clips (in order of appearance)
[Break] - 39'50
Jim Cramer on Bank Runs
Disaster Looms for Greece
Michael Hudson from Surviving Progress

[End]
Montreal Degrowth - Mary Evelyn Tucker