Man the Mythmaker

Part of the post-rationalism religion of environmentalism requires that previous claims remain forever uncorrected. One of them is the notion that the Maldives is being overwhelmed by rising seas. By some past alarming claims, it should have already happened. The odd fact is that the seas are receding slightly notwithstanding, the genuine mysteries that don’t support the global collectivization arguments need not be investigated.

So it becomes rather amusing to the dramaturgs maintainers of the myth, that in order to keep their apocalyptic hopes alive, that the leader of such a nation victimized by the weather (as if no people were ever affected in the past), must be made into a noble hero. Being a noble hero comes with celebrity in that circle. As such, Maldives President Noah Mohamed Nasheed said he would only attend the Copenhagen climate confab if someone paid for the trip.

Of course the idea of teleconferencing would be far too offensive, and wouldn’t offer any good luxury shopping opportunities for the participants. That notwithstanding, the image they have of themselves is the very opposite of modesty, and likely has more to do with Sci Fi visions of what an planetary government would look like, just in case the aliens show up. Even at that, peace required them to surrender their sovereignty to a Federation, so you can tell that it’s as firmly founded in fiction as anything Gene Roddenberry could concoct. Anyway, I digress...

Expect the pitch and tone of the already regular feeding tube of fear-inducing claims about what man has done to change the weather to rise like an angry, modernity caused sea, between now and December to Dervish-like hallucination levels. Until then I DARE your island to drown! So take THAT, Hokkaido, Ireland, and Madagascar!

As for cheering on the apocalypse, outside of a crazy person with a sandwichboard sign who smells slightly of urine, not much can beat this idea that man will soon be assigned to the fossil record when that ship behind the comet comes:

Danish conceptual artist Kristian von Hornsleth will be visiting the Roskilde festival as part of his Deep Storage Project.

Hornsleth previously came to prominence when he convinced the villagers of a Ugandan village to all legally change their name to Hornsleth in return for livestock as part of an art project. The artist also launched a project buying up stock in arms companies, with the proceeds going to relief organisations.

This time around, the 46-year-old artist will be collecting DNA samples from willing volunteers attending the festival. Hair and blood samples taken by trained personnel from 800 participants, together with DNA samples from around the world, will be installed in a five metre tall sculpture to be placed at the deepest part of the world’s ocean in 2010.

The futuristic and angular sculpture will be placed in the 11,000 metre deep Mariana Trench, 200 miles off of Guam Island between Japan and the Philippines, next January.

Hornsleth’s aim is that in thousands of years from now the DNA of the volunteers will still be intact, buried in the centre of the Earth, while life above will have vastly changed.

‘The sculpture looks as it does because it should not resemble something organic – its made up of triangles and sharp points. The idea is that 10,000 years from now, when someone sails by with their deep sea sonar, they’ll see something down there and retrieve it. The people who donated DNA could be regenerated and maybe even come to Roskilde again,’ Hornsleth explained to public broadcaster DR.

As to those who don’t want to become part of the constructed analog to the resurrection:

However, for those not taking part in futuristic art projects or being inspired by Nobel laureates to make a change, festival goers can still make a difference by taking part in the humanitarian and climate change initiatives

Of course. What else IS there to get involved in?