Derrick Jensen’s Endgame Presentation

The following is a list of what I think are the most important and engaging Premises of End Game:
Premise One: “Civilization is not and can never be sustainable. This is especially true for industrialized civilization.”
Premise Two: Our way of living is based on the quick and violent downfall of civilization. This is because civilization depends on resources to be traded- transported, imported and exported. This violence is often times exported and this is why we don’t see it- currency trade and exploitation of all sorts. “…those who want the resources will do what they can to destroy traditional communities.” This is because braking up the culture and close ties would make it easier for these communities to surrender or be forced to surrender their resources. “They also do not willingly allow their land bases to be damaged so that other resources- gold, oil, and so on- can be extracted.”
Premise Four: “Civilization is based on a clearly defined and widely accepted yet often unarticulated hierarchy.” It is important to see how this hierarchy the hierarchy works in terms of what sort of violence is acceptable and unnoticeable and what is unacceptable through violent out lashes and is publicized. People are very aware of what sort of violence is acceptable, very loosely and sarcastically using the term since how can violence be acceptable or satisfactory? We are aware because in the past we have either personally been put back in to line (for example being arrested) or we have seen the consequences others have faced in the process of correction. Violence only flows down the hierarchy any culture/ civilization in which a hierarchy exists.
Premise Five: “It is acceptable for those above to increase the amount of property they control…by destroying or taking the lives of those below.”
Premise Six: “Civilization is not redeemable. This culture will not undergo any sort of voluntary transformation to a sane and sustainable way of living.” This is an especially important point in terms of figuring out the most likely scenario for the post- peak world and responses- both individual and collective. This point implies that violence must be met and destroyed with violence. If change for the better is not voluntary, than this means that it must be done forcefully and the association is with a lot of violence.
Premise Nineteen: “The culture’s problem lies above all in the belief that controlling and abusing the natural world is justifiable.” This point is related to the discussion about our mindsets and our perceptions as a part of civilization and “Wetiko”. It also is a good précis for Daniel Quinn’s Ishmael in which he clearly defines how man sees the world, what Mother culture tells man his purpose is.