My initial decision back in 2016 to Stop Flying was NOT to try and to convince people not to fly!
It was to give me that final qualification, for being a full ‘Walk the Talk’ member of Team Humanity. A set of Team Values / Team behaviour that I (yes little me!) had defined that was needed for Team Humanity to achieve Success, defined by a One Point Zero planet Goal.
I was already living a simple life, read here. But my achilles heal on Footprint was my Flying around the world. I had to face the truth that I still wanted to travel, yet if I carried on flying, I would not be able to meet that Team qualification.
That qualification, by definition: I needed to live within my fair-share of Nature’s seriously overdrawn regenerative resources, to not contributing to the overdraw. Crazy or not this proved to be a huge exploring journey as I was able to confront face on how serious our problem was, and then also what serious ‘cultural’ transformation change was required by society.
I knew this ‘Walk the Talk’ status would give me the authority and the integrity to stand in front of people and confront them on their, beyond ‘Fair Share’, use of Nature’s regenerative resources. In taking that ‘fairness step’, I moved from being an Ayn Rand, Freedom centred person, to Fairness (over Freedom) prioritized, Team Humanity, person.
This has been a dramatic shift in values and persona, and essentially a move from some form of ‘Americanism’ to some form of ‘Socialism’. Socialism not being Communism!!!! This isn’t all theory or academic pursuit, this is what my 18 months, exploring what it was like to be living a One Point Zero lifestyle delivered. It was personal philosophy challenging, and taught me a huge amount about life, belonging and what Team Humanity for a One Point Zero world Goal, would necessarily involve.
I would recommend a similar 12-18 month exploration experience for everyone, as it enables one to feel how really serious ‘our ecological crisis is’ and also to see what ‘Personal and Global Ideology change will be needed. Also to help understand why this One Point Zero goal of Success is feared and resisted so much, by so many? It’s the whole fear of loss of oneself. Particularly by those who are deeply entrenched in today’s Americanism ideology, and depend heavily on its fruits for their Identity, Wealth and Material accumulation, and future Wellbeing. Most of all their sense of Persona and societal Power.
To give a hint of the seriousness of ‘our problem’: If one does one economy flight from NZ to Europe and back, one would use one’s whole, annual fair share, of Nature’s resources. One cannot then eat, drink, drive, etc, etc for the rest of the year… ??
So in summary I wasn’t trying to get others not to Fly. I did it for the Team Humanity, authentic team member, credibility perspective, and then the secondary benefit was the rich experiental learning it offered.
Interestingly in my 3 year, No Flying stance, people often accused me of “Me telling them not to fly!” I always asked: “Have I ever said YOU shouldn’t fly?” They then said: “No, but you do imply I shouldn’t be flying?”
Man!! I’d then say: “That’s your guilt issue, mate, and please don’t accuse me of things I never did!” That sometimes, although very seldom, got an apology!