The Fate of Humankind Lies In Our Hands

I had an outstanding day, the centerpiece of which was a fairly strenuous hike in the mountains above the Pacific with a fine friend. I burned a few calories, had a great time, and came back with a level of exhaustion that reminds me that I’d really done something. That’s hard to beat.

Here’s the bad news: in all our rambling conversations, neither of us could find much reason for celebration – or even hope for the human race – at least the American brand of it. He’s a banker, so he bemoaned the LIBOR scandal, and the way the banks’ mistakes are nationalized in the form of bailouts at the expense of the taxpayer – at the same time the banks are turning away the very same taxpayers who may be looking for loans for their businesses or mortgages for their homes.

I, on the other hand, am more familiar with the energy sector. What’s my good news? Humankind’s consumption of energy is completely unsustainable. For those of you who may not have seen it, here’s an article on the assignment of specific extreme weather events to climate change. Yesterday, I wrote about a basic paradox: we understand what’s happening with climate change, but we’re doing essentially nothing about it.

As they say, if you’re not appalled, you’re not paying attention.

But here’s a piece I recommend, suggesting that cynicism about the state of the eroding democracy in the US is the coward’s way out. The people trying to profit from the misery they’ve caused to the masses HOPE you’re a cynic, i.e., that you believe nothing can be done and that you’ll give up. As for me, I’ll never stop  trying to make a difference at this most critical point in human history. I hope you feel the same way.