The Leap Manifesto, I like the renewables part, the communism not so much.

Wednesday, September 16, 2015

The Leap Manifesto, I like the renewables part, the communism not so much.

Updated September 18, 2015

"You’d think that somebody among the Deep Thinkers might have reflected that “leaping” doesn’t have the best of historical connotations. Specifically, it conjures up Chairman Mao’s Great Leap Forward, a lurch to socialized modernization"

Peter Foster on the Financial Post, September 15, 2015

I was just looking to post some newspaper articles regarding the reactions to 'The Leap Manifesto' when I found that paragraph that has some similarity to what I wrote here. It struck me because I had not read it before. Furthermore Mr. Foster, I have found, is a climate science/climate-change denier, and seems to be an extremist on the corporative side. Which means I would dislike and disagree with much of what he has to say.

So, as weird as this is, I am taking it as confirmation of my criticism that the manifesto, due to its’ timing and ‘seemingly careless’ linguistic choices, may end up doing more harm than good, by giving ammunition to the climate-change-denial/fossil-fuels/right-wing lobby just when it has been apparent that they had started to run out.

OE Sep. 18 11:36AM

The Leap Manifesto, I like the renewables part, the communism not so much.

By Oscar A. Escobar
Fl. USA - Gt
September 16, 2015

I don't know if it was a poor linguistic choice... or worse, a very purposely accurate one.

For me the linguistic choice is tragic in so many levels.

Tragically it conjures in my mind the history of another "socio-techno-economic leap", as in "the great leap forward" in Mao's China 1958 to 1961.

Tragic too is the timing of this manifesto, so close to COP21 in Paris.

Tragic as it may give the pro-fossil-fuel'/'climate-denial-lobby ample ammunition against the transition towards renewables in what will be a highly political venue.. I am sure they could not have wanted a better gift.

And although this 'leap' is centered in Canada, it will have worldwide repercussions.

I hope, those involved in the Paris talks are able to side step this oddly disruptive landmine.

In my view this manifesto doesn’t do any favors to the ‘renewable energy revolution' which we can still have without the extreme politics.

Yes, we can continue the transition to a renewable economy, driven by good, thoughtful capitalism.

So thanks, but to communism... no thanks.

Update 9/16/15 6:38 pm
Update 9/18/2015, (Newspaper articles about "The Leap Manifesto") below.

*While I am sympathetic to many of the issues there, it is necesary to make my position clear in an assertive way.