One Introduction to "Multiple Destinations: A Solitary Traveler's Shoulder to a Wheel"

Many children, in different parts of the world, may have asked questions like this: "Is it possible to have progress without causing irreparable harm to the environment?" As a middle-aged man (who chose never to bring children to this world), I am in part motivated by a sense of duty to answer a question like this with honesty and clarity. Sadly, I first embraced a radical environmental outlook only in my teenage years. Despite my late start, I managed to do exceptional work on a 3-part book since 1980. That book, which remains unfinished as of 2015, is mostly intended for grown-ups, and it demands some background in science and political philosophy. In "Multiple Destinations: A Solitary Traveler's Shoulder to a Wheel", I choose to adopt a conversational voice, and wish to address a larger audience. After all, one of the many messages in the book that deserve a wide audience is that ‘unearned/unselected chronic human material poverty on earth’ (UCHMPE) can be eradicated within a generation –if it is given a high priority. Basic literacy for nearly all, and general education in some forms of critical thinking can and should also be part of a fight against UCHMPE. As I see it, there are various groups that adhere to a notion of a 'purposive history'; and they disagree seriously as to what that purpose is. I caution against different forms of 'reifying' history, and reject the idea that certain popular 'purposes' can justifiably be imposed on unwilling humans. I also point out to some of the ways in which some common 'purposes' had been seen as excuses to foul our common nest. I argue that, as long as we avoid causing irreparable harm, we should be allowed to move in different directions. I challenge the legitimacy of theocratic, nationalistic, capitalistic, socialistic, 'progressivistic', and some other top-down ideologies. I underscore that progress can be made in many different ways, and, often, progress in one direction is made at the expense of the possibility of progress in other directions. Many forms of self-centered lives can indeed be self-destructive, as well as harmful to others. But many ways of forcefully recruiting people to 'societal' causes had proven to be too harmful (in different ways). I also oppose assumptions about the desirability or inevitability of human population growth; increased urbanization and the continuation of urban sprawl; longer commutes (faster or otherwise); increased horizontal mobility for the few (with diminishing returns); and increased consumption of energy per person. My grandparents, on both sides, were subsistence farmers. Since childhood, I was privileged to live with small families in small villages around their busiest (harvesting) time. I also lived in large cities like Istanbul, Paris, London, and New York. In my youth, I worked as a tour guide in Turkey, visiting many ancient cities that were ruined, destroyed, abandoned, etc. My background in social sciences broadened my understanding that most of the human past is nomadic. Perhaps to a greater extent than my cohorts, I weave this fact into several ‘diagnostic’ statements about our present woes. What I learned in the fields of geography, history, sociology, anthropology, psychology, pedagogy, urban sociology, civil engineering, seismology, architecture, epidemiology, and the like, has all been deeply guided by a realization that "much could have been different, and much can be improved upon later". In this conversational work, which I see as an open-ended endeavor that will remain open to ‘growth’ on the internet, I will be proposing a way in which our species can collectively begin moving in a direction that is less harmful to our planet, and even offer hopes of beginning to repair some of the harm that was done. This transformation is possible without the imposition of religious or ideological systems on most of humankind. In fact, part of what can be promised through this transformation is the establishment and strengthening of new intentional communities. One of the radical proposals that I make has the potential to reveal both the possibilities of improvement for our species, and the unforgivable shallowness of certain 'economic systems' that are presently dominant. One of the main reasons that prompted me to travel to Europe in 1983, and to come to the U.S. in 1988 was my recognition that general and complete disarmament had to be the first step for a series of global efforts to address problems that beset us and other species. I am, of course, painfully aware that my generation, and those older than me, have achieved very little in this direction. My approach was never clouded by a superior loyalty to the (perceived) interests of any nation state, ethnic group, religious community, etc. Most people that I made contact with appeared unwilling to act as impartial human beings whose loyalty to 'humankind' was above any other loyalty. I admit that much of my time was wasted between 'wrong addresses' which included a few prominent people, but none with enough ‘fire in the belly’. I lived long enough to see humankind squander more than two decades even after the end of the so-called Cold War to make serious moves toward disarmament. Fortunately, I was also able to 'plant seeds', to help others build upon our goals, and move beyond disarmament, demilitarization, and general de-escalation in antagonistic relations among organized human societies. While I am comforted by the fact that countless others had been more successful at ‘planting good seeds’ in most parts of the world, I am aware that far more people had been busy causing harm, and that some forms of harm are more commonly emulated by rivals, victims, et al. Therefore, part of the message of "Multiple Destinations” is that those of us who are committed to global security (concerning many aspects of human existence, as well as security for other species and life support systems) are duty-bound to make common cause with caring and dedicated people all over the planet. In the chapter entitled "Traveling Companions", I speak to imagined young companions about certain simple pleasures that are generally denied to their generation, ways of life that are endangered throughout the world, ways in which grown-ups can hide from them the hurtful and destructive legacy of countless generations. I also suggest ways of embracing loyalty, gratitude, and a sense of duty that may threaten many groups that are powerful today. I remain a believer in public transportation, but offer serious criticism against large cities, state-controlled transportation and communication, reliance on fossil fuels, etc. I have long viewed our social condemnation to certain forms of mass transportation as a social crime. I want to work toward ways of lessening and final break-up of that condemnation. I make some reference to my experiences as a 'solo traveler'; acknowledge that I had been more fortunate than countless other travelers; and offer ideas to help reduce some likely problems awaiting future travelers. I never valued popularity above adherence to truth. If I reach certain ears, I may serve as an example of a 'soldier' who recognizes that not all fights are worthy of us; not all heroes end up victorious; and some failures may pave the way to lasting improvements for our species and the flora and the fauna. Certain 'creative' ideas may help us in becoming a more responsible species. Yet, as a man who offers a few radical proposals, I caution us against making too much of our 'ideas'. If we choose to become humble students of the many ways in which some other species gained superior traits, adopted better survival strategies, etc., as compared to us, we may have millions of years of learning from them. We may thus develop better ways of living among them, and, occasionally, serve as better-informed stewards. August, 2015 (revised: October, 2015) Anseynol (a.k.a. Seyn Laproyen)