Margaret Atwood

Yeah, and no metal pails, right? None. Plastic pails are cheap. So cheap stuff, and therefore you had to have, to keep all the wheels turning, you had to have people wanting to buy stuff. And you got the throwaway economy, and you got a lot of plastic, and that's the big problem that we're dealing with now, or one of the big problems. Where is it all going?

Yeah, and no metal pails, right? None. Plastic pails are cheap. So cheap stuff, and therefore you had to have, to keep all the wheels turning, you had to have people wanting to buy stuff. And you got the throwaway economy, and you got a lot of plastic, and that's the big problem that we're dealing with now, or one of the big problems. Where is it all going?

Well, it's going into your bloodstream ultimately. going into the ocean, it's going into the water, it's going into the food, a lot of microplastic.

Well, it's going into your bloodstream ultimately. going into the ocean, it's going into the water, it's going into the food, a lot of microplastic.

Oh, yeah. I think so. This largesse, you know, just completely. Think of all the food that is thrown away every day on the North American continent. That would never, ever, ever have happened in times of scarcity. You would not do that.

Oh, yeah. I think so. This largesse, you know, just completely. Think of all the food that is thrown away every day on the North American continent. That would never, ever, ever have happened in times of scarcity. You would not do that.

Exactly. They are looking into happiness these days. They're looking into neurological happiness and they're looking into social happiness. One thing that they're thinking these days is that happiness and unhappiness are very tied to your perception of what other people have. And in a material world in which you're valued according to the stuff you've got, being poor isn't just being poor.

Exactly. They are looking into happiness these days. They're looking into neurological happiness and they're looking into social happiness. One thing that they're thinking these days is that happiness and unhappiness are very tied to your perception of what other people have. And in a material world in which you're valued according to the stuff you've got, being poor isn't just being poor.

Being poor is being undervalued and treated as negligible. The more equal people are from the point of view of what they've got, the happier they are likely to be. So it's not a question of what you've got, it's a question of whether what you've got is considered negligible, or whether what you've got is considered exceptional.

Being poor is being undervalued and treated as negligible. The more equal people are from the point of view of what they've got, the happier they are likely to be. So it's not a question of what you've got, it's a question of whether what you've got is considered negligible, or whether what you've got is considered exceptional.

Yeah, well, you can't do it every day, but you might take time off now and again. So back in the days when people did these things, everybody said grace before a meal. Grace is of different kinds, but basically it was an acknowledgement that you were lucky to be eating grace. There was an old Scottish grace that said, let me see, what is it?

Yeah, well, you can't do it every day, but you might take time off now and again. So back in the days when people did these things, everybody said grace before a meal. Grace is of different kinds, but basically it was an acknowledgement that you were lucky to be eating grace. There was an old Scottish grace that said, let me see, what is it?

Some have meat and cannot eat, some something and lack it, but we have meat and we can eat, and so the Lord be thanked. Like that. And then they got silly about it and said things like, good drink, good meat, good God, let's eat. So that was a normal thing that people did in their life at one time. It used to be a daily but often hypocritical thing that people did.

Some have meat and cannot eat, some something and lack it, but we have meat and we can eat, and so the Lord be thanked. Like that. And then they got silly about it and said things like, good drink, good meat, good God, let's eat. So that was a normal thing that people did in their life at one time. It used to be a daily but often hypocritical thing that people did.

However, any form of social convention is going to be hypocritical at times. And just so we realize how lucky we are. Wouldn't it be awful if we always had to tell the truth on social occasions?

However, any form of social convention is going to be hypocritical at times. And just so we realize how lucky we are. Wouldn't it be awful if we always had to tell the truth on social occasions?

Oh, I'm so glad you're here having dinner with us. When are they leaving?

Oh, I'm so glad you're here having dinner with us. When are they leaving?

Things are going to get nastier. We can afford to be neighborly and tolerant when there's basically enough to go around. When that starts diminishing, then people get angry and defensive. So if you go to Ireland, there's a time when people start building defensive towers. And that can be keyed pretty closely to a climate change that took place then. Things got wetter.

Things are going to get nastier. We can afford to be neighborly and tolerant when there's basically enough to go around. When that starts diminishing, then people get angry and defensive. So if you go to Ireland, there's a time when people start building defensive towers. And that can be keyed pretty closely to a climate change that took place then. Things got wetter.