MY DESERT ISLAND MEN TO SAVE THE WORLD - JOHN GRAY AND JAMES LOVELOCK

John Gray is a writer and philosopher whom I admire, having read his book “Straw Dogs”, and having been impressed by his great intellect, although I have to confess that I have forgotten most of the detail of the book.    It was certainly about religion and agnosticism.

Today I have just read in the “New Statesman” his report of an interview he has had with James Lovelock (at 93 years old an active and happy scientist.)    Gray has entitled his article “Man for all seasons.”   The sub-title is “James Lovelock is the maverick environmentalist who supports fracking and nuclear power.  Does the guru of Gaia believe the human race has a future?”

I can say that I have heard of Lovelock before, and the Gaia principle.  A short summary of it from Wikepedia is “the hypothesis is that living and non-living parts of the earth form a complex interacting system that can be thought of as a single organism.   It is named after the Greek Goddess, Gaia.   It postulates that the biosphere has regulatory effects on the earth’s environment that act to sustain life.”

I have to confess here that always it has been at the back of my mind, as I suppose is true of many others, that the biggest problem of our world is the onward and upward rise in population.   Both John Gray and James Lovelock agree that the population crisis will not be solved by the current mantra of thinkers on the subject, for example the Green Party.   Many have strong beliefs that we must try to establish sustainable development by using solar energy, windfarms, and organic farming and other methods to counteract the effects of global warming.   Lovelock favours nuclear power and fracking, i.e. abstracting oil from shale, to give us time to sort out something better.

This was a very well-written article, quick to read and so informative.   I will get off this serious subject now, but hope you will forgive me if I quote just one more bit from the said article.   “And yet by using the technologies most demonised by contemporary greens – genetically modified food, fracking and nuclear power, for instance – humankind could make possible a decent  standard of living until our numbers fall globally (as they are doing already in some parts of the world) and eventually stabilise at a lower level."

Gerald is very fond of sweet things, especially chocolate.   He talks longingly of Sachertorte , so wonderful and so delicious such as we had on a holiday once in Vienna at the Sacher café where the cake originated.   Well, I have now baked two Sachertorten, and they have both been delicious, both from different recipes.   Now in true scientist fashion he has presented me with three or four other versions of the recipe so that we can compare them.   I like baking new recipes – just as well.   But as you are surely thinking, we will be the fattest couple in Druim Park.

Seven Scottish grandchildren and four English grandchildren, and at last the whisper of a wedding.   Their ages range from sixteen to twenty-eight, and we have many who are in relationships, none so far has mentioned the fatal Wedding Word until this month.   Good Old Calum and Fiona.   Celebrating next year with you.   Gerald and I can’t wait !

We don’t have much snow in this old capital of the Highlands of Scotland, but it is hellish cold.   Yet we have had beautiful snowdrops, and now have some primroses flowering.   Buds are on many of the garden trees.     Can Spring be far behind?