I had a strange experience at the end of the apple harvest season. My mother in law, who lives just outside Cheltenham, has several mature apple trees in her garden. In a good year the apples rain down in their hundreds – great big, glossy, firm samples, waiting for recognition! So I took it upon myself to take action – loaded a large wheelbarrow up to the gunwales and set off to knock on the doors of local houses. When the door opened I would say – “Ah, hello – I hope you can help – would you like some apples from just down the road?” Various replies – for example – “Who are you? “ and “Are they stolen?” and “How much do you want for them?” Generally an atmosphere of suspicion! At each house my patience was tested. It proved difficult convincing the householder that the apples were free and I simply didn’t want them to go to waste. Eventually plastic bags were produced and liberally filled.

I found myself troubled by the apparent fixation of what could be described as ‘being enclosed by the commercial world mind-set.’ It revealed to me how sad it is that we are all so smothered by monetary considerations and can hardy make a move without totting up the value implications of everything that arises in our daily lives.

Each month we receive a newsletter from the local church. In the context of what I’ve outlined above, I was struck by the latest edition, where our vicar, the Rev. Nigel Davies wrote, “You can’t solve a problem with the same mind-set that created it. (Attributed to Albert Einstein). Nigel Davies goes on to say “ Clearly the way we are, the way we behave, the way we think, needs to be transformed if we are to find the solutions to the problems that beset us…..it can involve a radical change in a person’s attitude.”

Could such a way of thinking help to bring about the new emerging replacement mind-set? Are we witnessing the start of a world in transition? Maybe, and fingers crossed!

There have been lots of clues that this transformation is taking place. One only has to switch on the radio to pick up these clues. I have noted down one or two in the past few weeks. Here are some samples: -

“ The whole of the capitalist system has to change to beat global warming.”
Another quote from an international big business consortium: -

“Failure to tackle climate change, by legally binding obligation will ultimately undermine economic growth.” Wow! That’s a major wake-up statement, if ever there was one!

And the icing on the cake – Radio 4, 11th Dec from a ‘Start the Week’ discussion: -

“ If we have to give up Capitalism, it will be a moral shock of the first order.”
It seems like lots of people in leading economic positions have got their green thinking caps on. It really does feel that humankind is venturing into a new living space and a new doctrine – a period, hopefully, of rapid and meaningful transition – into which we can quietly settle down, suspicion free!…………………….More on this line of thinking, especially in practical ways, with future Down to Earth blogs.