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June 30, 2007
Painted into a Corner
Modern life is becoming ever more complex. Although technology has allowed us to prosper like never before, the greater understanding of nature which created that technology hasn’t allowed us to live in harmony. Quite the opposite; though many wouldn’t agree, it’s at least possible that overpopulation has combined with our emotional frailties to pose unprecedented dangers to our very survival.
Lest one think I’m referring to the festering wars that have been in the background since after World War two; I’m not. Current wars may have greater potential to become nuclear, but the danger I’m referring to may already be inescapable: it's that the denial that’s kept our species from developing strategies for addressing its urgent energy and water problems may have taken it (us) past the point of no return.
A handy metaphor for the concept I’m trying to convey is the rusting fleet of World War Two era ships that’s been “mothballed” in Suisun Bay North of San Francisco. I doubt any movie buffs old enough to have seen Caan and Duvall in Sam Peckinpaugh’s “Killer Elite” (1975), have forgotten that its stirring show-down was shot on board one of those ships with rest of the fleet in the background.
That the environmental danger those ships pose has only recently been appreciated is understandable. Sadly, so also, is the unconscionable length of time that’s elapsed. It illustrates how easily denial can paint us into corners by allowing us to agree on which phenomena we can’t bring ourselves to discuss.
Like global warming, human emotions and the war on drugs...
Doctor Tom
Posted by tjeffo at June 30, 2007 10:24 PM