Vancouver, Canada

So, I was at an event a couple of years ago. I was talking with a couple of Australians about "Environmental Psychology", and I came up with this analogy about the importance of "Eco-Psychology" and the future of the planet that I'd like to share with you... 

Please tell me what you think, and what you would do?

Imagine we're on a plane, headed to an island paradise in the South Pacific....
We're flying around 30,000 ft. and suddenly the pilot has a heart attack and dies.
He's slumped over the controls; they're broken... and we have about an hour of fuel left.

What would you do?

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No really - please think about it, what would you do?

Maybe take a minute or two before reading on...

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One of my Auzzie friends answers first saying; "Well mate, I'm gonna go hit the drink cart and have some fun"!!!

I said "Yeah, I can see that being one answer.

The other said, "I think I'd try to radio the tower and see if we could get some help."

I said "sure, that's another idea, good thoughts for sure"

The Auzzies asked me, "what about you, what would you do"?

I said, "ok, how about this for another option..."

"First thing, I'm gonna go and try and move the pilot, (and pointing to a bystander, asked) do you want to give me a hand? 

(They said. "sure")

"OK great, next I'm gonna crawl down here on the floor try and fix these wires on the broken stick for flying the plane.  

I said to another couple of bystanders listening to the conversation, "If you want to get in the seat, and you (another) want to help with the radio"

"lets see if we can maybe just land this thing"

I asked the Auzzies, "what do you think"?

"It might be a better plan, yes"?...

After a slight pause I went on to say, "and guess what - if we DO land it,  that same drink cart is still gonna be there at the back of the plane...   and a beer is gonna taste a lot better if we survive, than the other option...

Sure, fixing the plane and landing it isn't easy, but there are no parachutes on this plane.

We have to fight the apathy that surrounds us...
...and the seductive negative thoughts of those who say we can't do it.
I know if we all put our minds and our collective energy to it, we WILL land the plane.

Who's going to help me land this thing?

2008-10-02 updated 2021-06-01