"But has it ever occured to you Wally that the process that creates this boredom that we see in the world now may be a self perpetuating, unconscious form of brainwashing created by a world totalitarian government based on money? And that all of this is much more dangerous than one thinks? And it's not just a question of individual survival Wally, but that someone who is bored is asleep, and somebody who is asleep will not say no? See, I keep meeting these people. Just a few days ago I met this man I greatly admire, a Swedish physicist, Gustav Jondstreim. And he told me that he no longer watches television, he no longer reads newspapers, and he doesn't read magazines. He's completely cut them out of his life, because he really does feel that we're living in some sort of Orwellian nightmare now, and that everything that you hear now contributes into turning you into a robot. And when I was at Findhorn, I met this extraordinary English tree expert who devoted his life to saving trees. Just got back from Washington lobbying to save the Redwoods, he's eighty-four years old and always travels with a backpack becuase he never knows where he's going to be tomorrow.
When I met him at Findhorn he said, 'Where are you from?'

I said, 'New York'.

'Ah yes, New York. That's a very interesting place. Do you know a lot of New Yorkers that say that they want to leave but never do?'

I said, 'Oh yes'.

'Why do you think they don't leave?'

I gave him different banal theories.

He said: 'Oh, I don't think it's that way at all.' He said, 'I think that New York is the new model for the new concentration camp where the camp has been built by the inmates themselves, and the inmates are the guards and they have this pride in this thing they built, they've built their own prison, and so they exist in a state of schizophrenia where they are both guards and prisoners and as a result they no longer have, having been lobotomized, the capacity to leave the prison they've made or even see it as a prison.'

And then he went into his pocket and took out a seed for a tree and said, 'This is a pine tree.' He put it in my hand and said, 'Escape. Before it's too late.'

'I think that New York is the new model for the new concentration camp where the camp has been built by the inmates themselves, and the inmates are the guards and they have this pride in this thing they built, they've built their own prison, and so they exist in a state of schizophrenia where they are both guards and prisoners and as a result they no longer have, having been lobotomized, the capacity to leave the prison they've made or even see it as a prison.'

Chapter 7 -PROMOTING SUSTAINABLE HUMAN SETTLEMENT DEVELOPMENT (c) Encouraging intermediate city development 7.18.
In order to relieve pressure on large urban agglomerations of developing countries, policies and strategies should be implemented towards the development of intermediate cities that create employment opportunities for unemployed labour in the rural areas and support rural-based economic activities, although sound urban management is essential to ensure that urban sprawl does not expand resource degradation over an ever wider land area and increase pressures to convert open space and agricultural/buffer lands for development.
7.19. Therefore all countries should, as appropriate, conduct reviews of urbanization processes and policies in order to assess the environmental impacts of growth and apply urban planning and management approaches specifically suited to the needs, resource capabilities and characteristics of their growing intermediate-sized cities. As appropriate, they should also concentrate on activities aimed at facilitating the transition from rural to urban lifestyles and settlement patterns and at promoting the development of small-scale economic activities, particularly the production of food, to support local income generation and the production of intermediate goods and services for rural hinterlands.
7.20. All cities, particularly those characterized by severe sustainable development problems, should, in accordance with national laws, rules and regulations, develop and strengthen programmes aimed at addressing such problems and guiding their development along a sustainable path. Some international initiatives in support of such efforts, as in the Sustainable Cities Programme of Habitat and the Healthy Cities Programme of WHO, should be intensified. Additional initiatives involving the World Bank, the regional development banks and bilateral agencies, as well as other interested stakeholders, particularly international and national representatives of local authorities, should be strengthened and coordinated. Individual cities should, as appropriate:
a. Institutionalize a participatory approach to sustainable urban development, based on a continuous dialogue between the actors involved in urban development (the public sector, private sector and communities), especially women and indigenous people;
b. Improve the urban environment by promoting social organization and environmental awareness through the participation of local communities in the identification of public services needs, the provision of urban infrastructure, the enhancement of public amenities and the protection and/or rehabilitation of older buildings, historic precincts and other cultural artifacts. In addition, "green works" programmes should be activated to create self-sustaining human development activities and both formal and informal employment opportunities for low-income urban residents;
c. Strengthen the capacities of their local governing bodies to deal more effectively with the broad range of developmental and environmental challenges associated with rapid and sound urban growth through comprehensive approaches to planning that recognize the individual needs of cities and are based on ecologically sound urban design practices;
d. Participate in international "sustainable city networks" to exchange experiences and mobilize national and international technical and financial support;
e. Promote the formulation of environmentally sound and culturally sensitive tourism programmes as a strategy for sustainable development of urban and rural settlements and as a way of decentralizing urban development and reducing discrepancies among regions;
f. Establish mechanisms, with the assistance of relevant international agencies, to mobilize resources for local initiatives to improve environmental quality;
g. Empower community groups, non-governmental organizations and individuals to assume the authority and responsibility for managing and enhancing their immediate environment through participatory tools, techniques and approaches embodied in the concept of environmental care. 7.21. Cities of all countries should reinforce cooperation among themselves and cities of the developed countries, under the aegis of non-governmental organizations active in this field, such as the International Union of Local Authorities (IULA), the International Council for Local Environmental Initiatives (ICLEI) and the World Federation of Twin Cities.
E. Promoting sustainable energy and transport systems in human settlements
7.52. Promoting efficient and environmentally sound urban transport systems in all countries should be a comprehensive approach to urban-transport planning and management. To this end, all countries should:
a. Integrate land-use and transportation planning to encourage development patterns that reduce transport demand;
b. Adopt urban-transport programmes favouring high-occupancy public transport in countries, as appropriate;
c. Encourage non-motorized modes of transport by providing safe cycleways and footways in urban and suburban centres in countries, as appropriate;
d. Devote particular attention to effective traffic management, efficient operation of public transport and maintenance of transport infrastructure;

f. Re-evaluate the present consumption and production patterns in order to reduce the use of energy and national resources.

[edit on 7/12/09 by Extant Taxon]

Declining youth populations in Western societies could become increasingly dissatisfied with their economically burdensome ‘baby-boomer’ elders, among whom much of societies’ wealth would be concentrated. Resentful at a generation whose values appear to be out of step with tightening resource constraints, the young might seek a return to an order provided by more conservative values and structures. This could lead to a civic renaissance, with strict penalties for those failing to fulfil their social obligations. It might also open the way to policies which permit euthanasia as a means to reduce the burden of care for the elderly.