Mike, you write about our current predicament very well. I don't disagree with your assessment of the issues as seen from 10,000 feet (so to speak). At the same time, we are restrained in bringing about large-system change because we live our lives at ground level where the wider picture of society is not visible to each individual without study and effort, and difficult changes in perspective. We have a complex system that is overreaching with an ideal of constant growth to fuel both evil and good intentions--and which will fail because the inputs to keep a complex system going become unsustainable. The natural law becomes this: Nature, or the Tao, or the Commons will sort us out with extreme prejudice.