[Terrapreta] Sustained Biochar

[lou gold]

Larry and All,

I'm glad for your suggestion that we need to consider how to "frame" the new
biochar technologies. The video segment about the "public relations" tactics
of Edward Bernay is a great piece of history. The more recent discussion has
given it a name -- "framing" -- and this has been widely discussed and
commented on through the work of George Lakoff.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/George_Lakoff
http://www.amazon.com/s/002-9134631-1583254?ie=UTF8&tag=mozilla-20&index=blended&link%5Fcode=qs&field-keywords=george%20lakoff&sourceid=Mozilla-search

The essence of the argument is that the way we think is very much a function
of our embodied mind, that there are deeply embedded desires already in us
that trigger our responses for other-than-rational reasons. Bernay's
association of female smoking with the inner urge toward freedom and
empowerment is a classic example (independent of what you might think of
Freud's penis theories). In other words, to be effective the framing
language must trigger an inner bodily desire.

In this sense, I'm doubtful that either the Portuguese phrase "nova terra
preta" or the recent scientific "neo terra preta" make the grade. The
connection of "nova" with an "explosive stellar event" is interesting but
who wants it in one's own body? I believe that what people want (almost
universally) are health, wealth and abundance. The basic archetypal symbol
across the age of materialism has been gold. The industrial age was founded
on the use of the "old black gold" or fossil fuels. The new age will be
founded on revitalized soils or the "new black gold",  a marvelous "hook
phrase" that has already appeared in the journalistic treatments of terra
preta.

"New black gold" seems to be a powerful meme.  Add the thought that black
can yield green and we have linked wealth and health (something that the
"old black gold" failed to do). Let's think about it.

lou




May I suggest, that the situation that we are facing with GHG requires an
> radical explosion of activities. I use the term "nova" as with an explosive
> stellar event, in reference to burial of black carbon, Terra Preta, in the
> soil, rather than "Neo-" or renewed use. There is a sense of urgency
> conveyed  with "nova" that I don't feel with "Neo-". Our success, I feel,
> will depend on how many people who have a sense of urgency act on that
> sense. The adjective that describes the renewed use of Terra Preta will
> carry our feelings to others.
>
> Consider the marketing impacts on advertising that Edward Bernay had. For
> example, getting woman to smoke. His techniques are used on us daily so it
> seems that it is an effective tool, especially if your unaware that it is
> being used on you. For a view of his influence see:  The Century Of The Self
> - Part 1 of 4 - By Adam Curtis @
> http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=8953172273825999151 .
>
>
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