System Dynamics Meets The Press: A few good concepts can make a big difference
By Donella H. Meadows
–Fall 1989–
Donella H. (Dana) Meadows, co-author of The Limits to Growth, now writes a self-syndicated newspaper column called “The Global Citizen” that appears in 20 papers and occasionally gets national syndication through the Los Angeles Times. With this, her fifth consecutive contribution to IN CONTEXT, she takes on a title – Contributing Editor – that describes what [...]
Do We Need Another Drought?
By Donella Meadows
–September 7, 1989–
On the first day of summer this year the Washington Post made a bid for the 1989 Cynicism in Media Award by running a story that began: “With summer officially debuting today, environmentalists and their allies are praying for a sizzler. A little drought wouldn’t hurt either.”
“A real cooker … will increase pressure on Congress and [...]
The Map is not the Territory; The Flag is not the Nation
By Donella Meadows
–June 29, 1989–
“I fought for three years for that flag. Anyone who burns it must be a traitor.”
That was one man-on-the-street’s comment this week in response to the president’s call for a constitutional amendment banning flag burning. Most people who were interviewed supported the president, many with high emotion.
“The flag is the symbol of our country. No one [...]
A Week to Reflect upon Leadership
By Donella Meadows
–June 9, 1989–
In Iran the Ayatollah died. In Poland the people, voting semi-freely for the first time in 40 years, rejected their party leaders. In the United States the Speaker of the House, two heartbeats away from the Presidency, stepped down, covered with mud. In China the People’s Army fired into a crowd of unarmed people.
It was a [...]
Freedom of Speech, up to a Point
By Donella Meadows
–March 2, 1989–
Our endless public discussion of the awful Rushdie affair would be more useful if we’d all admit we have something in common with the murderous mullahs. Not that we would issue death sentences against those whose writings anger us. But most of us can readily identify some person or group we would silence, if we could, [...]
