It Doesn’t Have to Be This Way - Helena Norberg-Hodge, Local Futures, DSPod #297

Helena Norberg-Hodge, from Local Futures, joins us to discuss a brighter future than that which is most commonly advertised. Her particular wisdom is drawn from her experiences in pre-globalized Ladakh, highlighting the corrosive effects of 'West envy' and the accelerating race toward techno-utopia. Together, we challenge inherited narratives about progress, exploring the complexities of global trade, urbanization, and modern education on our lives back home. Helena does a killer job of crushing conventional myths surrounding civilizational advancement, depression, sustainable agriculture, free trade, etc.. This mounts to a discussion of what it means to foster resilience, community connection, and a balanced relationship with the natural world, including our very bodies, in the maw of increasingly powerful global managers. PATREON: get episodes early + join our weekly Patron Chat https://bit.ly/3lcAasB MERCH: Rock some DemystifySci gear : https://demystifysci.myspreadshop.com/ AMAZON: Do your shopping through this link: https://amzn.to/3YyoT98 More on Helena's work: https://www.localfutures.org/ (00:00) Go! (00:07:03) Challenging the Myth of Progress (00:18:00) Impact of Global Trading Systems (00:26:08) Western Education as Wolf in Sheepskin (00:27:27) Pre-Communication Era (00:28:17) Traditional Lifestyles and Education (00:36:48) Economic Systems (00:39:04) The Trick with Upward Mobility (00:46:08) Urbanization and Its Myths (00:52:18) Cultural Contrast between Rural and Urban Life (01:01:13) Rediscovering the Local and Connection to Nature (01:12:21) Community as Key to Human Fulfillment (01:19:00) Passive Energy and Local Solutions (01:22:44) Urban-Rural Dynamics and Local Futures (01:36:00) Informal Networks and Political Engagement (01:42:56) Communication for Transformation (01:48:11) Challenges and Politics of Local Food Systems (02:00:42) Reconnection and Rejoicing (02:13:07) The devolution of the Environmental Movement #Globalization, #Sustainability, #CulturalIdentity, #CommunityResilience, #LocalEconomies, #TraditionalLifestyles, #Urbanization, #ModernEducation, #IndigenousCultures, #WesternInfluence, #EnvironmentalImpact, #SocialChange, #EconomicSystems, #CulturalPreservation, #GlobalTrade, #Localization, #CommunityBuilding, #SustainableLiving, #CulturalDiversity, #GlobalIssues#sciencepodcast, #longformpodcast Check our short-films channel, @DemystifySci: https://www.youtube.com/c/DemystifyingScience AND our material science investigations of atomics, @MaterialAtomics https://www.youtube.com/@MaterialAtomics Join our mailing list https://bit.ly/3v3kz2S PODCAST INFO: Anastasia completed her PhD studying bioelectricity at Columbia University. When not talking to brilliant people or making movies, she spends her time painting, reading, and guiding backcountry excursions. Shilo also did his PhD at Columbia studying the elastic properties of molecular water. When he's not in the film studio, he's exploring sound in music. They are both freelance professors at various universities. - Blog: http://DemystifySci.com/blog - RSS: https://anchor.fm/s/2be66934/podcast/rss - Donate: https://bit.ly/3wkPqaD - Swag: https://bit.ly/2PXdC2y SOCIAL: - Discord: https://discord.gg/MJzKT8CQub - Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/groups/DemystifySci - Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/DemystifySci/ - Twitter: https://twitter.com/DemystifySci MUSIC: -Shilo Delay: https://g.co/kgs/oty671