The noble savage.

Billionaire Fat Al strikes a blow for Gaia again. Here he is preaching from one of his 6 houses mansions about how much better it is to be poor.

In his Earth in the Balance, former vice-President Al Gore has come up with a chilling idea.  He says what is needed is ‘The imposition of export controls in developed countries that assess a technology’s ecological effect, just as the Cold War technology control regime (known as COCOM) made careful and usually accurate analyses of the potential military impact of technologies proposed for export.’

COCOM, let’s remind ourselves, blocked the export of advanced technology to poor countries, just in case they made weapons.  Al Gore suggests we do the same again, to prevent ‘ecologically damaging’ technology from reaching them. Can you imagine Al trying to pull that stunt with the State of Texas.  Sorry guys, we’ve made it illegal for anyone to sell you pesticides, herbicides, inorganic fertlizer, gas-guzzling SUVs and various types of industrial equipment.  I wonder what the State of Texas would have to say.  Thanks for keeping us out of harm’s way Al.

There is real violence in these calls for restrictions.  The fat Green imperialists are dictating the terms of development for the world’s poorest people:  You must not aspire to be rich.  ‘Gaia’ will not accept it.  It will cause Global Warming.  In any case you are better off as peasants, and we will ensure, by restricting trade, that you stay as you are.  You may not buy this, you may not sell that.  You will enjoy this standard of living, but not that.   

There is something ugly and sinister behind the apparently benevolent, fashionable attempt to preserve charming, traditional peasant life.  And also behind their gushing concern for ‘the planet’.   Barely concealed behind the jargon of ‘sustainability’ is the dark, reactionary prejudice of nasty, well-to-do people who would deny material progress to others.