I just don't get it!
There is so much bad news about our environment available. Nobody can escape it. from the devastating heating up of the environment as seen by heatwaves everywhere - even the permafrost is melting - to the endless numbers of species which have died out, to the devastating wars, the endless misery of refugees and starvation of millions - even the rich UK has an increase in children with malnutrition - and the homeless and poor everywhere. On top of that, the most fundamental sources of food we have are poisoned through the crap we put in the water and ground. Even the air is poisoned.
And yet, what is the primary interest of politicians? Not our well being, that's for sure. The problems facing humanity are on a scale to make Noah's flood seem a trivial incident. I just don't understand why the problems facing human survival are not at the top of everybody's priority list.
I'm approaching my 73rd birthday and I seriously doubt if my grandchildren will live to such an age. I suspect I was born at a time when the amount of crap in our food and water and air was not quite as prevalent as it is today. It's painful to watch how most people seem to just ignore the facts. When I walk around, I see people treating the world outside their own four walls as a general rubbish dump, lately including face masks just chucked on the ground.
The argument I read and hear is always about the short term and fuck tomorrow. Well tomorrow is what our grandchildren will inherit. If we can't deal with the problems now, how can they possible deal with such fundamental issues facing us today when they have had another 30, 40 years to increase?
I know there are many good people doing their best, despite the self-interests of governments and I suspect that the deterioration of our environment would be a lot further along if it wasn't for their many efforts. I applaud them and hope I can be counted among them in some small way. I know it's down to each individual to take responsibility for their contribution or lack of it. I despair when I see how many of the younger generations appear to have no sense of the precariousness of our situation.
I recently watched a documentary on the planets, by Professor Brian Cox, in which at the end he said he hoped we could go and discover so much more of the galaxy and universe we live in. The idea of this careless and ignorant species populating more planets is horrible. If we can't look after this one and are unable to live in some semblance of peace and with respect for each other, then going to other planets is not good for the universe. We take our unsolved problems with us. Look at what we have already done with the bit of space around our planet, which has so much junk that the fear of a space crash is increasing with every launch, with potentially devastating effects when the bits come hurtling down. There are already groups whose sole task is to monitor this risk, including meteors, but all they can do at present is offer a warning like "here it comes, good night!"
What I really don't get is how we can walk around with such blinkers on so that we blend out whatever doesn't suit us or immediately affect us. Hey, we are all affected, like it or not. The current virus crisis, is just a taste of things to come, With the poisoned environment which also affects the animals, fish and food we eat, an increase in weird and horrible diseases and illnesses is pre-programmed. Apparently, the most important thing is to get the economy moving again - i.e. let's get back to doing what we do best: killing ourselves!
As has been said many times, the devil has long been out of a job - we've taken over the production of hell. Sometimes I think many people haven't developed into human beings yet - they've only made it to the asshole stage.
On a more positive note, the problems we face are made by people not by God or the universe, so people can solve them. We just have to do it!
