Analysis and Opinion

By JoeAm

I'm fascinated by our circumstances, our context, our situation. It's different than in the past, in case you haven't noticed.

Global warming is giving us floods, firestorms, and rising seas. Fake news and fascists abound, people actually living in their conspiracy theories, totally detached from truth. Disease rampaging across the planet has turned us wary of our neighbors. Security is hard to find. And getting harder. Users are everywhere.

It's all connected, I think, to the end of humankind on a planet too small for our ambitious birthing and unmitigated greed. We choose assholes as leaders because we need them to pound on others, especially the weak, and remain the strongest of the remainder. We are impatient with the good and the sensible. We want action. Need it.

Well, chaos is certain any way we cut it. The decent are sitting ducks for the nasty. Power is more important than sense.

From dust we came, unto dust we descend.

Unless, of course, there is a different way. Intelligence. Science. New goals, as in the economics of de-growth where we no longer awaken to go out and earn, to take our share. We awaken to go out and contribute, to give to our united welfare. Climb on the bike, not into the metal can. Tear down big mansions, let the rich eat pan de sol. Grow gardens not stock portfolios. Birth less, take less, fight less, give more.

Well, we were gifted with a fascinating era.

End of the Earth.

Wonder how we'll manage it. Frankly, it's looking grim.

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Photo from Air and Space Magazine. Salt flat in South America's Altiplano region.(Maksym Bocharov / NASA)