David Adams
Eco-fascism for Kids
Environmentalism — among the fastest-growing religions — is everywhere.
Even your child's breakfast. I came across outright propaganda on the back of a box of "Honey & Nut Tasteeos," one of the generic store brands of cereal offered by a local grocery chain, Fred Meyer. On the lower half of the box is a colourful cartoon depicting a flabby, silly-looking young boy (obviously fattened by too much distasteful American materialism) being put "in the know" by an eco-savvy peer (who is slim, handsome, and wears glasses — clearly indicative of intellectualism). But here's the kicker — from the text which precedes the cartoon:
Let's face it, we are a wasteful society. And if things are to change, every one of us must make changes. Think about it. Do you really need that extra t-shirt or shoes? Isn't your old bicycle good enough for now?
Consider the full implications of this passage. Here, children are being asked to renounce the pleasures of being alive — those things which add convenience, satisfaction and fulfilment, the great rewards of living successfully as a human being. Our young audience is admonished not to lust sinfully for such hedonistic, guilty desires as a new pair of shoes — let alone a CD player or cancer treatment. In the above paragraph is implicit an entire philosophy — one which is, at every level, antithetical to man's life on earth. Shockingly, we find this on the back of a cereal box, directed at children. (Hobble them before they ever learn to walk, let alone run.)
The rest of the text goes on to suggest little ways our newly-converted eco-soldier can save the world, such as no longer "using straws and plastic soda lids when you eat fast food," or suggesting that you can "pack your very own garbageless lunch using reusable containers instead of plastic or waxed paper and paper bags." Indeed, it is important that not only should one feel guilty for pleasure and convenience, but that one assume one's duty and carry out the rituals of this new religion — for clearly they are intrinsically important. Sure it seems an awful lot of energy and inconvenience to have a "garbageless" lunch, and that it won't make much difference, but your sacrifice is necessary — as the text finishes, "remember, it's your world you're saving."
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Let there be no misunderstanding as to the nature of environmentalism. It is one thing to be concerned about clean air or water, or to wish to preserve areas of land as "wild" — such areas offer enjoyment. These are not the real goals of environmentalism. Though it was only implicit at first, environmentalists are now openly stating that they value all life — except for human beings. They openly proclaim that the human race is a "cancer on the face of the earth," and call for our (and their) ultimate extinction.
A claim can be made for clean rivers or unpolluted air — if it is from a human standard, from the point of view of human flourishing — and the solutions are thus found in a market system. But environmentalists step outside of any rational context by proclaiming nature to be intrinsically valuable (valuable to whom?). They uphold an Eden-esque stasis, a colourful, changeless eco-wonderland of singing dolphins, happy trees, and snuggly animals (all of whom are kind and never prey on others, of course) — an ideal which has never existed. Some go so far as to propose the "Gaia hypothesis," that the earth is itself one large organism, similar to the socialists viewing society as an organism in itself. But compared to environmentalists, socialists were fairly reasonable — at least an appeal to the good of "society" is still an appeal on human terms, however misguided. But the eco-fascists envision a holy, green Gaia — and human beings are not part of the picture. In this notion of "Gaia," in this leap of faith to nature's intrinsic value, we have a new god (rather, goddess) — and a new religion. Like all other religions, the bottom line is sacrifice, self-denial, self-negation.
Let us not be naive — this religion is gaining ground, frighteningly fast. It surrounds us, which at times makes recognising its scope difficult. Yet here it is, in terrifying brazenness, on the back of a cereal box. Its followers defy the shining facts of technology, of artistic creation, of overwhelming human progress. They damn humanity not for murder, or deceit, or injustice, but for our greatest glories. They cry for human extinction. And with gentle, appealing words, the eco-fascists are whispering in the ears of children.
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