For the purpose of this post I should clarify that the "We" I refer to are those of us lucky enough to have been born in the affluent west.For those that have read this blog I hope you can see that I try (sometimes unsuccessfully) to not come across too sermony! (just made that word up) The older you get, if you properly pay attention, you realise that most of us don't like to be told what we should think, we already know what we think, I think! We do, however need to be open to some uncomfortable truths. Thinking that we know everything, or at least enough to get by, is a reality that needs to change, and change fast, especially as it relates to the on-going and accelerating climate catastrophe (it is a catastrophe!) https://www.ncdc.noaa.gov/sotc/
The science is crystal clear, there is a clear consensus of all the experts in the field of atmospheric science, but this consensus is being challenged by scientifically illiterate people for nefarious and not scientific reasons. Even with this clear scientific agreement, we, can't seem to believe our lying eyes. We, would rather not think about the consequences of our western lifestyles and would rather listen to the not-so-scientific-ranting's of "Business As Usual" spokespeople. http://climate.nasa.gov/scientific-consensus/
We've done nothing wrong, we've not broken the law, we've acted with honesty in our choices and we try to choose ethically and morally acceptable options, if money, time and availability all allow. Besides this is what we, have been doing since the industrial revolution, isn't it?
Go to school, learn the state-approved education of the era, find yourself some work, then and I leave this next part to a post I received to my Twitter timeline, unattributed, but I think does a reasonable job of describing the rest...
And this is where I re-join my meandering pathway with this thought... we have bred and continue breeding a generation of voyeurs, instead of a generation of explorers. These voyeurs consume without limit, destroying nature, the nature that they will never explore, never smell, taste, hear, touch or appreciate. These voyeurs destroy the life-support system that our biological selves require to survive. These voyeurs can't even achieve the most basic human need, of feeding themselves. They are completely clueless about how to take care of themselves without their "smart" phones and supermarkets.
Egocentric
Selfish
Avaricious
Narcissistic
Rapacious
Voracious
Self-absorbed
Lacking Empathy
We don't solve the problem because we can't be made to see the problem, there is no problem, this is what everyone else is doing. A guilt-trip, this is not, a plea to think about our actions, it is! (That Yoda moment is for Judi) So if there is no convincing the voyeurs that their actions are having a catastrophic effect on the wider biosphere, then, seriously, what the fuck can we do? We are an immoveable force, too stuck in our ways to change, but we or someone MUST change.Now, in a change to my usual rants, I offer some positive encouragement!
Let's beg, encourage, support and praise children to make the changes. Let the children grow up to be explorers, philosophers, artists and gardeners. Let them be brave. Let them experiment. Let them try and fail. Let them feed themselves. Encourage adaptive thinking. Encourage resourcefulness. Encourage creativity. Encourage courage! Let them be brave enough to challenge the status quo. Let them envisage a fair, egalitarian future that does not look at themselves but considers all species human and non-human. Let them redesign our living arrangements, one that is not ecocidal, one that is not suicidal, one that will allow future generations to actually live.
It's just a thought!
