DEMAND ECOLOGY by Craig DeLancey

This is an interesting story that suites my world view. Even on good days, when I’m feeling that the human race is more than a virus, I don’t find much in us redeemable. We make mistakes. We do not learn. We make the same mistake again. This may seem counter intuitive. The example goes: A child places his hand on a hot burner and burns his hand; he will then remember and not touch the burner again. However, in adults, for some reason, we out grow this physical knowledge. We somehow are able to rationalize that what we do, even if it is bad for us. Personal Example: I’m violently lactose intolerant. I love donuts. Some of the donuts that I love are sometimes under cooked and the in the under cooked dough is too much for my system. I’m sick for hours. However, I will not give up doughnuts.

Wow. Sorry for that.

“Demand Ecology” is about humanity’s mistakes. The earth is crap. Yeah, we did that. Animals are non-existent. We did that. So when the Galactics showed up and said that humanity does not deserve to join the intergalactic multi-species drama because we trashed our planet, no one was surprised. Well, the younger generation was not surprised.

The main character has a daughter. This daughter is very angry with her father and anyone her father’s age. See, she thinks that her father should have done something to save the animals and protect the environment. Novel idea! What is hard to hear is that he did do something. He protested and wrote letter. He attended rallies. He was member of the Green Party. This was not enough for the planet and not enough for his daughter. She wanted him to do more.

He gets his chance to do more. He is part of a space mission to collect a needed mineral resource. He was asked because he is a Green. It was in the best interest of the politicians to include a Green and appear balanced. He was not being listened to and humanity was going to make yet another grievous error. So, our hero, the Green becomes saboteur. He stops the mission, saves one of the Galactic races.

This is a great story about how humanity can change. How one person can make a difference and bring our species out of the mud from which we evolved. It made for good reading, hopeful reading. However, it took an act of subversive decent. How any of us are really prepared to attempt to bring about real change. I’m not. I’m comfortable. I’m part of the problem.

I sure hope there is someone out there that is ready to act, do what is necessary even when that act is not a polite letter of out rage, but more…

DeLancey, Craig. “Demand Ecology.” Analog. June 2008, Vol. CXXVIII, No. 6. P. 64 - 82