Guest post – Breast is best

Written By: - Date published: 8:43 am, September 9th, 2018 - 26 comments
Categories: climate change, Environment, global warming, jobs, science, Unions, wages, workers' rights - Tags:

Any caring, loving, and protective mother wants best for her child and nurtures them in the best way she knows and can. Let’s say, for argument’s sake, this means to feed the baby breastmilk.

However, there comes a time when the child needs to be weaned off the breastmilk and change to solids for optimal growth & development. This is an important transition in any child’s life and one of the most transformative ones too.

The whole breastfeeding issue and time of weaning can be fertile ground for all sorts of debate, fear-mongering, bullying, and moral crusading by semi-militant and arrogant think-they-know-it-all’s.

Nevertheless, babies fed on formula can thrive and grow up to be fairly normal people and no human can survive on their mother’s breastmilk alone; they would be underdeveloped and die, I reckon.

Now, before you get stuck into me about the above, it is all kinda metaphorically speaking.

For example, the ‘mother’ is the Oil & Gas Industry; the ‘breastmilk’ is the extracted fossil products; the ‘baby’ can be many things, e.g. the regional (e.g. Taranaki) economy, the national economy and GDP, the consumers of all products derived from petroleum products or my preferred one: mankind.

For its survival and growth & development (i.e. to reach its potential), mankind needs to be weaned off fossil fuels. That much is obvious.

This is where the ‘know-it-all’s’ come in. They scream child-murder; they claim the mother will die too; and the worst part, they say, perhaps surprisingly, is the spilling of the liquid gold down the drain.

As usual, they over-egg things to a beat-up frenzy of froth and hot air; it ain’t pretty and is not intended for human consumption as such.

But mankind needs to change its ways of burning fossil fuels, wasteful consumption of energy resources, raping & pillaging of the environment to feed its insatiable lust for consumption of mostly non-vital stuff, and the whole profit-driven economy. All these are human constructs and choices, not inevitable natural events or unavoidable Natural Laws. They interact in a self-reinforcing feedback loop of stunted growth & development (the chronic illness of modern man) that ultimately leads to self-destruction and a painful torturous death. Who would want to wish that upon one’s offspring? Nobody sane, yet this is what is what’s happening; this is what we do …

Transition won’t be easy, painful even, but it is absolutely unavoidable and necessary for transformative growth & development. Nobody wants to stay small forever (with the exception of Oskar Matzerath). So, we have a choice.

Mothers know best. This is where the metaphor stops being useful 😉

Incognito

26 comments on “Guest post – Breast is best ”

  1. Bill 1

    Mothers know best. This is where the metaphor stops being useful.

    Couldn’t resist.

    ….there’s always mum
    So hold me mum, in your long arms.
    In your automatic arms.
    Your electronic arms.
    In your arms.
    So hold me mum.
    In your long arms
    Your petrochemical arms.
    Your military arms.
    In your arms.

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vkfpi2H8tOE

    Yes. We need to grow the fuck up.

  2. joe90 2

    If we’re doing verse.

    This Be The Verse

    They fuck you up, your mum and dad.
    They may not mean to, but they do.
    They fill you with the faults they had
    And add some extra, just for you.

    But they were fucked up in their turn
    By fools in old-style hats and coats,
    Who half the time were soppy-stern
    And half at one another’s throats.

    Man hands on misery to man.
    It deepens like a coastal shelf.
    Get out as early as you can,
    And don’t have any kids yourself.

    – Philip Larkin

    • RedLogix 2.1

      The idea that the world is a battle between good people and bad people is a terrible one; naturally we all like to imagine we’re the ‘good’ people, and everything that’s unfair or wrong in the world must be the fault of those other ‘bad’ people.

      And Larkin’s words cast a dark light on the dead-end nihilism of that philosophy.

    • Oh, Joe, you can never resist a Larkin!

  3. millsy 3

    The whaling industry employed thousands, and sustained whole communities and industries. Whale by products were used in just about everything people took for granted pre-plastic, even as fuel for lamps. Then, it was banned (apart from small communities for specific purposes). While the transition was painful, civilisation didn’t collapse. Now we wouldn’t dream of hunting whales. Even the old time whalers agree that the ban was needed.

    • SHG 3.1

      What saved the whales was the fact that hunting them and killing them and processing their bodies to produce whale oil was too time-consuming, dangerous, and expensive. Technological advances meant that night-time lighting sources such as camphene, coal oil, and the newfangled petroleum-based kerosene were far cheaper than whale oil.

      If you were in the night-time lighting business and you wanted to stay in business, you stopped hunting whales.

    • Gosman 3.2

      The transition wasn’t painful. It was easy and it also wasn’t mandated by thr State in most places.

      • McFlock 3.2.1

        IWC. Look it up.

        • Gosman 3.2.1.1

          The IWC did not manage the transition away from using Whale products. For a start it was set up in 1946 at which stage the World had well and truly moved to Hydrocarbon based products. Secondly it was originally set up to encourage whaling not to stop it.

          • McFlock 3.2.1.1.1

            The whaling industry produced record amounts of products in the 1960s. Different products for different uses, but they sold what they caught. And the industry was still largely shut down by state mandates. The states that didn’t do that still have whaling industries.

  4. AsleepWhileWalking 4

    Markets work. The cure for high prices IS high prices.

    I’m making a prediction that out of necessity by early 2019 there will be a noticeable shift towards working from home.

    All this money spent in transport is mostly wasted because transport itself is unsustainable. That includes the overseas holidays, the idea of a traditional office in a city center, and anything that requires more than 20 mins in a vehicle.

    • greywarshark 4.1

      I predict that by year 2039 we will be living in little groups in caves and grinding any grains we can find for flour.

    • Draco T Bastard 4.2

      Markets work if everyone has perfect information. This is supposed to be how pricing works. It supposedly allows everyone to have perfect information without having any information at all.

      Then there’s externalities which are price increases that are left out of the sales price.

      Result: The ‘price’ is wrong and thus the market fails.

  5. Sacha 5

    You have it backwards.

    The oil industry is formula.
    Breastmilk was there all along.

    • Incognito 5.1

      I’ll stick with my take on it; using fossil fuels and all its derived products, not just to give you “the undending orgasm”, come as the most natural thing to us. Nuclear power, for example, never had that kind of ‘public approval rating’ and most certainly not here in Aotearoa.

      Many generations have been grown up when fossil fuels were totally normal & acceptable and it’s now so engrained in our culture & language we can’t seem to imagine or simply don’t want to contemplate the necessary transformation. Babies grow up, they change their diet, they stop shitting their nappies and become potty-trained, etc. It’s time that we stop shitting our own nest, except we don’t have our ‘parents’ helping us, do we?

      These days, life is extremely confusing; political leaders and MSM cannot be trusted and (postmodern) science is rapidly losing its authority too. So, what to do, whom to trust & listen too? Oh well, tomorrow is another work day – do I need to fill up the car on the way to work?

    • left_forward 5.2

      I agree Sacha, the metaphor is back to front.
      How is cow’s milk better for the child and environment, than mother’s milk is?

  6. R.P Mcmurphy 6

    hey the thing is I jump in my car and press the accelerator and instantly I believe I am in control of the undending orgasm!

  7. Graeme 7

    ” The Stone Age came to an end, not because we had a lack of stones, and the oil age will come to an end not because we have a lack of oil.” Sheikh Yamani, Saudi Arabia’s oil minister from 1962 to 1986 in an interview in 2000.

    It’s probably not fuel cells now but batteries and inductive technologies, and maybe something that we haven’t seen yet, but the transition will be as swift, of swifter than when our for-fathers abandoned the horse for the Model T

    https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/1344832/Sheikh-Yamani-predicts-price-crash-as-age-of-oil-ends.html

    Also Saudi Arabia has abandoned plans to float Aramco. No one want it.

    https://www.thisismoney.co.uk/money/comment/article-6088369/ALEX-BRUMMER-desert-dream-vanishes-Aramco-scraps-London-flotation.html

  8. Gosman 8

    The World does not lack energy sources. It lacks energy sources that can be easily convertible and can be stored/transported efficiently. That is a technology problem.

    • Incognito 8.1

      The World does not lack energy sources.

      Nobody here argued that!? In fact, the problem is the opposite. [Hint: the image in the OP].

      The point of this post is that it is not a “technology problem” but a behavioural one, first and foremost, for want of a better word. And even if it were a “technology problem” we would be wise to take adaptive/evasive action in the absence of a technology ‘solution’.

  9. corodale 9

    Yes, well ecological wisdom n all. The homebased working works, n ebikes, ha! Technologies will come but so slowly with the patents tied up in big energy companies, playing BAU

    Moving quickly on this one if the Persian gulf is closed for shipping, that would halve our NZ oil flow. The Qatar/Turkish link is a stability, but the 9 subs are tied to steal industry.

    Retirement funds might linger on a biotech ethanol from algae, for AKL fuel, to keep the combustion engine engineers employed> So long as agriculture is protected from plant based ethanol competition. That will make the way for organic too. There are whole districts of India going that low cost organic way.

    Our calves drink from mothercow for a good 5 days minimum colostrum. Calves on udder 7-8weeks, but thats a bit wobbly. Then yogurt in bucket til end first 3 months, n grass, hay,..

  10. SaveNZ 10

    Sooner we stop oil exploration and go down the renewables energy for most things the better.

    • Mack 10.1

      “sooner we stop oil exploration….”
      The govt. has already stopped oil exploration….what are you grizzling about?

Recent Comments

Recent Posts

  • EV road user charges bill passes
    Transport Minister Simeon Brown has welcomed the passing of legislation to move light electric vehicles (EVs) and plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEVs) into the road user charges system from 1 April.  “It was always intended that EVs and PHEVs would be exempt from road user charges until they reached two ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    18 hours ago
  • Bill targets illegal, unregulated fishing in international waters
    New Zealand is strengthening its ability to combat illegal fishing outside its domestic waters and beef up regulation for its own commercial fishers in international waters through a Bill which had its first reading in Parliament today. The Fisheries (International Fishing and Other Matters) Amendment Bill 2023 sets out stronger ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    19 hours ago
  • Reserve Bank appointments
    Economists Carl Hansen and Professor Prasanna Gai have been appointed to the Reserve Bank Monetary Policy Committee, Finance Minister Nicola Willis announced today. The Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) is the independent decision-making body that sets the Official Cash Rate which determines interest rates.  Carl Hansen, the executive director of Capital ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    20 hours ago
  • Stronger protections for apartment owners
    Apartment owners and buyers will soon have greater protections as further changes to the law on unit titles come into effect, Housing Minister Chris Bishop says. “The Unit Titles (Strengthening Body Corporate Governance and Other Matters) Amendment Act had already introduced some changes in December 2022 and May 2023, and ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    23 hours ago
  • Travel focused on traditional partners and Middle East
    Foreign Minister Winston Peters will travel to Egypt and Europe from this weekend.    “This travel will focus on a range of New Zealand’s traditional diplomatic and security partnerships while enabling broad engagement on the urgent situation in Gaza,” Mr Peters says.   Mr Peters will attend the NATO Foreign ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    23 hours ago
  • Keep safe on our roads this Easter
    Transport Minister Simeon Brown is encouraging all road users to stay safe, plan their journeys ahead of time, and be patient with other drivers while travelling around this Easter long weekend. “Road safety is a responsibility we all share, and with increased traffic on our roads expected this Easter we ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 day ago
  • Cost of living support for over 1.4 million Kiwis
    About 1.4 million New Zealanders will receive cost of living relief through increased government assistance from April 1 909,000 pensioners get a boost to Superannuation, including 5000 veterans 371,000 working-age beneficiaries will get higher payments 45,000 students will see an increase in their allowance Over a quarter of New Zealanders ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 day ago
  • Tenancy reviews for social housing restart
    Ensuring social housing is being provided to those with the greatest needs is front of mind as the Government restarts social housing tenancy reviews, Associate Housing Minister Tama Potaka says. “Our relentless focus on building a strong economy is to ensure we can deliver better public services such as social ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 day ago
  • Kermadec Ocean Sanctuary plan halted
    The Kermadec Ocean Sanctuary will not go ahead, with Cabinet deciding to stop work on the proposed reserve and remove the Bill that would have established it from Parliament’s order paper. “The Kermadec Ocean Sanctuary Bill would have created a 620,000 sq km economic no-go zone,” Oceans and Fisheries Minister ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 day ago
  • Cutting all that dam red tape
    Dam safety regulations are being amended so that smaller dams won’t be subject to excessive compliance costs, Minister for Building and Construction Chris Penk says. “The coalition Government is focused on reducing costs and removing unnecessary red tape so we can get the economy back on track.  “Dam safety regulations ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 day ago
  • Drought support extended to parts of North Island
    The coalition Government is expanding the medium-scale adverse event classification to parts of the North Island as dry weather conditions persist, Agriculture Minister Todd McClay announced today. “I have made the decision to expand the medium-scale adverse event classification already in place for parts of the South Island to also cover the ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 day ago
  • Passage of major tax bill welcomed
    The passing of legislation giving effect to coalition Government tax commitments has been welcomed by Finance Minister Nicola Willis.  “The Taxation (Annual Rates for 2023–24, Multinational Tax, and Remedial Matters) Bill will help place New Zealand on a more secure economic footing, improve outcomes for New Zealanders, and make our tax system ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    2 days ago
  • Lifting economy through science, tertiary sectors
    Science, Innovation and Technology Minister Judith Collins and Tertiary Education and Skills Minister Penny Simmonds today announced plans to transform our science and university sectors to boost the economy. Two advisory groups, chaired by Professor Sir Peter Gluckman, will advise the Government on how these sectors can play a greater ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    2 days ago
  • Government announces Budget priorities
    The Budget will deliver urgently-needed tax relief to hard-working New Zealanders while putting the government’s finances back on a sustainable track, Finance Minister Nicola Willis says.  The Finance Minister made the comments at the release of the Budget Policy Statement setting out the Government’s Budget objectives. “The coalition Government intends ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    2 days ago
  • Government to consider accommodation solution
    The coalition Government will look at options to address a zoning issue that limits how much financial support Queenstown residents can get for accommodation. Cabinet has agreed on a response to the Petitions Committee, which had recommended the geographic information MSD uses to determine how much accommodation supplement can be ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    3 days ago
  • Government approves extension to Royal Commission of Inquiry into Abuse in Care
    Cabinet has agreed to a short extension to the final reporting timeframe for the Royal Commission into Abuse in Care from 28 March 2024 to 26 June 2024, Internal Affairs Minister Brooke van Velden says.                                         “The Royal Commission wrote to me on 16 February 2024, requesting that I consider an ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    3 days ago
  • $18m boost for Kiwis travelling to health treatment
    The coalition Government is delivering an $18 million boost to New Zealanders needing to travel for specialist health treatment, Health Minister Dr Shane Reti says.   “These changes are long overdue – the National Travel Assistance (NTA) scheme saw its last increase to mileage and accommodation rates way back in 2009.  ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    3 days ago
  • PM’s Prizes for Space to showcase sector’s talent
    The Government is recognising the innovative and rising talent in New Zealand’s growing space sector, with the Prime Minister and Space Minister Judith Collins announcing the new Prime Minister’s Prizes for Space today. “New Zealand has a growing reputation as a high-value partner for space missions and research. I am ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    3 days ago
  • Concerns conveyed to China over cyber activity
    Foreign Minister Winston Peters has confirmed New Zealand’s concerns about cyber activity have been conveyed directly to the Chinese Government.     “The Prime Minister and Minister Collins have expressed concerns today about malicious cyber activity, attributed to groups sponsored by the Chinese Government, targeting democratic institutions in both New ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    3 days ago
  • Independent Reviewers appointed for School Property Inquiry
    Independent Reviewers appointed for School Property Inquiry Education Minister Erica Stanford today announced the appointment of three independent reviewers to lead the Ministerial Inquiry into the Ministry of Education’s School Property Function.  The Inquiry will be led by former Minister of Foreign Affairs Murray McCully. “There is a clear need ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    3 days ago
  • Brynderwyns open for Easter
    State Highway 1 across the Brynderwyns will be open for Easter weekend, with work currently underway to ensure the resilience of this critical route being paused for Easter Weekend to allow holiday makers to travel north, Transport Minister Simeon Brown says. “Today I visited the Brynderwyn Hills construction site, where ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    3 days ago
  • Speech to the Infrastructure Funding & Financing Conference
    Introduction Good morning to you all, and thanks for having me bright and early today. I am absolutely delighted to be the Minister for Infrastructure alongside the Minister of Housing and Resource Management Reform. I know the Prime Minister sees the three roles as closely connected and he wants me ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    3 days ago
  • Parliamentary network breached by the PRC
    New Zealand stands with the United Kingdom in its condemnation of People’s Republic of China (PRC) state-backed malicious cyber activity impacting its Electoral Commission and targeting Members of the UK Parliament. “The use of cyber-enabled espionage operations to interfere with democratic institutions and processes anywhere is unacceptable,” Minister Responsible for ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    3 days ago
  • NZ to provide support for Solomon Islands election
    Foreign Minister Winston Peters and Defence Minister Judith Collins today announced New Zealand will provide logistics support for the upcoming Solomon Islands election. “We’re sending a team of New Zealand Defence Force personnel and two NH90 helicopters to provide logistics support for the election on 17 April, at the request ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    4 days ago
  • NZ-EU FTA gains Royal Assent for 1 May entry to force
    The European Union Free Trade Agreement Legislation Amendment Bill received Royal Assent today, completing the process for New Zealand’s ratification of its free trade agreement with the European Union.    “I am pleased to announce that today, in a small ceremony at the Beehive, New Zealand notified the European Union ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    4 days ago
  • COVID-19 inquiry attracts 11,000 submissions
    Public consultation on the terms of reference for the Royal Commission into COVID-19 Lessons has concluded, Internal Affairs Minister Hon Brooke van Velden says.  “I have been advised that there were over 11,000 submissions made through the Royal Commission’s online consultation portal.” Expanding the scope of the Royal Commission of ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    4 days ago
  • Families to receive up to $75 a week help with ECE fees
    Hardworking families are set to benefit from a new credit to help them meet their early childcare education (ECE) costs, Finance Minister Nicola Willis says. From 1 July, parents and caregivers of young children will be supported to manage the rising cost of living with a partial reimbursement of their ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    4 days ago
  • Unlocking a sustainable, low-emissions future
    A specialised Independent Technical Advisory Group (ITAG) tasked with preparing and publishing independent non-binding advice on the design of a "green" (sustainable finance) taxonomy rulebook is being established, Climate Change Minister Simon Watts says.  “Comprising experts and market participants, the ITAG's primary goal is to deliver comprehensive recommendations to the ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    4 days ago
  • Chief of Army thanked for his service
    Defence Minister Judith Collins has thanked the Chief of Army, Major General John Boswell, DSD, for his service as he leaves the Army after 40 years. “I would like to thank Major General Boswell for his contribution to the Army and the wider New Zealand Defence Force, undertaking many different ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    4 days ago
  • Minister to meet Australian counterparts and Manufacturing Industry Leaders
    25 March 2024 Minister to meet Australian counterparts and Manufacturing Industry Leaders Small Business, Manufacturing, Commerce and Consumer Affairs Minister Andrew Bayly will travel to Australia for a series of bi-lateral meetings and manufacturing visits. During the visit, Minister Bayly will meet with his Australian counterparts, Senator Tim Ayres, Ed ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    4 days ago
  • Government commits nearly $3 million for period products in schools
    Government commits almost $3 million for period products in schools The Coalition Government has committed $2.9 million to ensure intermediate and secondary schools continue providing period products to those who need them, Minister of Education Erica Stanford announced today. “This is an issue of dignity and ensuring young women don’t ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    5 days ago
  • Speech – Making it easier to build.
    Good morning, it’s great to be here.   First, I would like to acknowledge the New Zealand Institute of Building Surveyors and thank you for the opportunity to be here this morning.  I would like to use this opportunity to outline the Government’s ambitious plan and what we hope to ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    6 days ago
  • Pacific youth to shine from boost to Polyfest
    Minister for Pacific Peoples Dr Shane Reti has announced the Government’s commitment to the Auckland Secondary Schools Māori and Pacific Islands Cultural Festival, more commonly known as Polyfest. “The Ministry for Pacific Peoples is a longtime supporter of Polyfest and, as it celebrates 49 years in 2024, I’m proud to ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    7 days ago
  • 2024 Ngarimu VC and 28th (Māori) Battalion Memorial Scholarships announced
    ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    7 days ago
  • Speech to Breast Cancer Foundation – Insights Conference
    Before moving onto the substance of today’s address, I want to recognise the very significant and ongoing contribution the Breast Cancer Foundation makes to support the lives of New Zealand women and their families living with breast cancer. I very much enjoy working with you. I also want to recognise ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    7 days ago
  • Kiwi research soars to International Space Station
    New Zealand has notched up a first with the launch of University of Canterbury research to the International Space Station, Science, Innovation and Technology and Space Minister Judith Collins says. The hardware, developed by Dr Sarah Kessans, is designed to operate autonomously in orbit, allowing scientists on Earth to study ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    7 days ago
  • Speech to the New Zealand Planning Institute
    Introduction Thank you for inviting me to speak with you today and I’m sorry I can’t be there in person. Yesterday I started in Wellington for Breakfast TV, spoke to a property conference in Auckland, and finished the day speaking to local government in Christchurch, so it would have been ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 week ago
  • Support for Northland emergency response centre
    The Coalition Government is contributing more than $1 million to support the establishment of an emergency multi-agency coordination centre in Northland. Emergency Management and Recovery Minister Mark Mitchell announced the contribution today during a visit of the Whangārei site where the facility will be constructed.  “Northland has faced a number ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 week ago
  • Celebrating 20 years of Whakaata Māori
    New Zealanders have enjoyed a broader range of voices telling the story of Aotearoa thanks to the creation of Whakaata Māori 20 years ago, says Māori Development Minister Tama Potaka. The minister spoke at a celebration marking the national indigenous media organisation’s 20th anniversary at their studio in Auckland on ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 week ago
  • Some commercial fishery catch limits increased
    Commercial catch limits for some fisheries have been increased following a review showing stocks are healthy and abundant, Ocean and Fisheries Minister Shane Jones says. The changes, along with some other catch limit changes and management settings, begin coming into effect from 1 April 2024. "Regular biannual reviews of fish ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 week ago

Page generated in The Standard by Wordpress at 2024-03-28T22:55:41+00:00