What's the biggest problem facing humanity over the next 50 years?
According to Nobel laureate Richard Smalley, whose chart is above, the answer is energy.
In
a lecture, Smalley explained that finding
sustainable sources of energy for the entire world will not only alleviate a
growing energy crisis, but will also assist in the solution to many of the
world's other problems, such as water, terrorism, and health.
I HAVE TO WONDER HOW SMALLEY SCORED IN SOMETHING CALLED "COMMON SENSE LOGIC"?
WHY?
BECAUSE IT IS THE VERY NATIONS OF EARTH WHO HAVE ALL THAT WHICH SEEM TO MAKE THE MOST WAR, FINANCE OR CREATE THE MOST TERROR, CONTROL THE MAJORITY OF THE WORLD'S WATER AND HAVE THE WORST HEALTH.
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"In the short term, our greatest threats are unpredictable solar events, volcanic eruptions, uncontainable plagues, war, and asteroid/comet collisions.
In the long-term and in terms of probability, the greatest threat to humanity's continued survival is global thermonuclear War.
Mutually assured destruction as a deterrent is only relevant if you assume rational actors, and we have seen from North Korea to the Iranian government that self-preservation does not dependably produce rational behavior. "
"I think a big risk is that as technology improves, individuals are capable of much greater destructive damage than ever before. This is either with bombs, or, in the future, viruses. "
"A halt to innovation and, as a result, economic growth.Malthus T.R. 1798. An essay on the principle of population.
You can find a summary of the Malthusian Theory here: Malthusian catastrophe."
"Nick Bostrom from Future of Humanity Institute (Univ. of Oxford) has a nice article enumerating the so-called existential risks here.To enumerate some of the more obvious:
- asteroid or comet impact
- deliberate or accidental misuse of nanotechnology
- nuclear holocaust
- unfriendly artificial (super)intelligence
- genetically engineered or naturally evolved diseases
- physical experiments gone wrong (e.g. resulting in a miniature black hole in the center of our planet)
- attack by a hostile extraterrestrial intelligence
- an environmental catastrophe (e.g. global warming gone into self-accelerating death spiral)
- "we're living in a simulation and it gets shut down" (related to Bostrom's pet hypothesis)
- stalling of scientific, technological, or cultural development (e.g. "value erosion")"
"Here are some possible scenarios:
- a nuclear war (Korean war? Iran war? a war by mistake?)
- a mortal virus (plague, HIV, ebola, others?)
- super-volcanoes (like the one which is dormant now in Yellowstone Park)
- rapid changes in the world natural environment (see Atlántida, but at the world scale)
- intelligent machines taking over the world (Terminator or Matrix anyone?)
- alien invasion (War of the Worlds perhaps?)
- messing with enough anti-matter (better than classic nuclear bombs)
- an asteroid or comet impact (where are the dinosaurs? It's a matter of when, not if.)
- a powerful gamma ray burst (from the Sun or from exploding nearby stars)
- encounter with a black hole - micro or macro (Large Hadron Collider maybe - not really possible but who knows - or some which are wandering in the Universe?)
- Sun becoming a red giant (that will happen for sure)
- the Universe itself collapsing or stretching too much (that could also happen)"
"Another serious threat is the Yellowstone super-volcano caldera. It's about due for another massive eruption. Modern humans weren't around for its last one. There is a lava pool growing under it with enough molten rock to fill the Grand Canyon 11 time over."
"1) Fossil fuel depletion, and the rapidly looming crisis of fuelling and maintaining human civilization at its current population and energy-usage levels. Electric cars must still be charged by power plants, and are built by a modern global economy itself utterly interwoven with oil power and oil products.
2) Climate change will drive climatic instability, almost certainly damaging agriculture systems, as well as causing widespread correlated damage to the environment and biodiversity. Plus many major urban cities will be threatened by rising water levels.
3) Non-climate change related environmental damage caused by the continuing industrial activity of our society. Particularly accelerating biodiversity losses causing ecosystem "crashes", and the further expansion of monoculture agriculture making the world food supply dangerously homogenous.
4) Potential use of nuclear weapons as global politics are destabilized as a result of food shortages, infrastructure instability, unemployment, social unrest and political radicalism (points 1, 2, and 3).
5) Widespread antibiotic resistance, reintroducing humanity to some forgotten bedmates.
6) Increasing physical and information vulnerability of individuals, governments, corporations and other institutions, public and private, as human society becomes more dependent upon digital infrastructure.
7) Finally, the loss of compassion and human spirit as things start to get tough."
"Overpopulation is the elephant in the room of our anxiety about the future of the species. It is the background problem that lies behind many of the issues that currently face the world, such as food security, climate change, pandemics and geopolitical tension.
Humanitarian concerns rightly mean that we work hard to bring people from around the world up from under the poverty line, but as we do so we are transforming them into Western-style consumers with the same wasteful and consumption-driven lives we lead. Given the physical capabilities of the planet our current situation is unsustainable.
I cannot see a way out, however. The sense that we have a right to life and a right to create life runs deep in us all."
[MY NOTE: HOW ABOUT IF WE ALL LEARNED WE CAN DO QUITE WELL WITH LESS OF EVERYTHING, HMMM?
WE DON'T TRULY NEED HALF OF WHAT WE THINK WE NEED, MAYBE?]
FROM "A FORMER FOREIGN SERVICE OFFICER":
"I'll go with Corruption, on both governmental and personal levels.
If people, singly or in mass, stopped trying to get one over the other guy or group of guys through dishonest means, life for everyone would be a lot easier."
[MY NOTE: NOT EASIER, BUT PERHAPS WITH FEWER DISTRACTIONS LIKE, OH, I DUNNO, WAR?]
If people, singly or in mass, stopped trying to get one over the other guy or group of guys through dishonest means, life for everyone would be a lot easier."
[MY NOTE: NOT EASIER, BUT PERHAPS WITH FEWER DISTRACTIONS LIKE, OH, I DUNNO, WAR?]
A POLL FROM THE EUROPEAN UNION:
~ THE #1 PROBLEM, ACCORDING TO THOSE SURVEYED IN THE E.U.?
Poverty, Hunger And Lack Of Drinking Water.
28 percent of the EU said that poverty, hunger and lack of drinking water represented the biggest problem for the world.
That number was 34 percent when a similar survey was conducted in 2009.
France, though over half of those surveyed in all countries said that poverty was a global issue.
The United Kingdom, where 49 percent of people surveyed didn't mention global poverty as a big problem.
SOURCE: Eurobarometer
[THE TEA ROOM WONDERS HOW MANY OTHERS READING HERE LOATHE "POLLS", SEE THEM AS TOO EASILY MANIPULATED AND NOT "POLLING" NEARLY ENOUGH PEOPLE.
DO EVEN A MILLION PEOPLE "POLLED" REALLY SHOW US WHAT THE MAJORITY BELIEVE?
IT'D ALSO BE NICE TO ALWAYS KNOW WHO PAID FOR THE "POLLS", WOULDN'T IT?]
~#2 CLIMATE CHANGE
20 percent of Europe think that climate change is the world's biggest problem.
On average, when asked to score out of 10 how big a threat climate change was, Europe rated it at 7.4.
~#3 The Economic Situation
16 percent of Europe believes that the globe's economy is its single biggest hurdle today.
Less surprising is that Greece is the most concerned European nation when it comes to economic matters.
THE ABSOLUTE GREATEST PROBLEM, PERHAPS?
"HUMANITY ITSELF.
Its own ignorance.
Technology has been developed surpassing human maturity.
This is always dangerous to a race and the planet upon which it abides.
[MY NOTE: WONDER WHAT OTHER PLANET AND RACES THAT 'MEMBER' CHECKED WITH FOR COMPARISON?]
Greed and disconnect is the second most dangerous thing, also stemming from a low level of evolution.
This is always dangerous to a race and the planet upon which it abides.
[MY NOTE: WONDER WHAT OTHER PLANET AND RACES THAT 'MEMBER' CHECKED WITH FOR COMPARISON?]
Greed and disconnect is the second most dangerous thing, also stemming from a low level of evolution.
It is ignorance.
Creating imbalance in a society's ability to flourish and develop potential.
It weakens the organic whole of societal structure, imposing increased stress and weakness upon its entirety. Fear fights humanity's progress.
Human fear is a great threat to humanity."
"The bottom line is humanity is the greatest threat to humanity.
The state of being that the majority of humanity embraces, binds them to illusions of reality, separateness and fear.
Human fear is a great threat to humanity."
"The bottom line is humanity is the greatest threat to humanity.
The state of being that the majority of humanity embraces, binds them to illusions of reality, separateness and fear.
Actions arising out of this state of delusional mind bear negative consequences.
It forms a loop repeating itself over and over again."
TO WHICH ANOTHER MEMBER RESPONDED:
"Mankind is unable to control his reproductive urges, yet he is the only creature on earth with the capacity to contemplate doing so. It is not as though he is an endangered species, but he breeds away without giving a thought to the impact it will have on the planet in the future and whether he can afford to support his offspring or not. [MY NOTE: MOST HUMAN BEINGS, IT SEEMS TO ME, SELL THE ABILITY OF HUMANS TO CONTROL ALL OF OUR DRIVES, THOUGHTS, ACTIONS WAY SHORT. ANY HUMAN BEING IS CAPABLE, QUITE CAPABLE OF EXERCISING 100% CONTROL OVER EVERY URGE, EVERY THOUGHT AND EVERY ACTION.
WE CALL THIS WONDERFUL ABILITY....FREE CHOICE!]
There are so many unsolved mysteries right here on the ground, yet he prides himself on his ability to waste vast sums of money on sending craft into space and to explore other nearby heavenly bodies.
He sends all his healthiest specimens to be killed in wars, retaining the sick, the lame and the lazy to propagate his species.
Is this small sample a sign of mankind's vaunted intelligence?
TO WHICH ANOTHER MEMBER RESPONDED:
"Mankind is unable to control his reproductive urges, yet he is the only creature on earth with the capacity to contemplate doing so. It is not as though he is an endangered species, but he breeds away without giving a thought to the impact it will have on the planet in the future and whether he can afford to support his offspring or not. [MY NOTE: MOST HUMAN BEINGS, IT SEEMS TO ME, SELL THE ABILITY OF HUMANS TO CONTROL ALL OF OUR DRIVES, THOUGHTS, ACTIONS WAY SHORT. ANY HUMAN BEING IS CAPABLE, QUITE CAPABLE OF EXERCISING 100% CONTROL OVER EVERY URGE, EVERY THOUGHT AND EVERY ACTION.
WE CALL THIS WONDERFUL ABILITY....FREE CHOICE!]
There are so many unsolved mysteries right here on the ground, yet he prides himself on his ability to waste vast sums of money on sending craft into space and to explore other nearby heavenly bodies.
He sends all his healthiest specimens to be killed in wars, retaining the sick, the lame and the lazy to propagate his species.
Is this small sample a sign of mankind's vaunted intelligence?
If they are, then mankind is truly his own greatest threat."
[MY NOTE: OR, IS IT THAT WE ACCEPT THE EXCUSES HANDED TO US TO USE EACH DAY WHICH, THEMSELVES (THE EXCUSES), ARE DESIGNED TO WEAKEN US AND DUMB US DOWN INTO A "HELPLESS HERD" MENTALITY THAT IS DOCILE, COMPLACENT, APATHETIC BY USING THOSE VERY EXCUSES...LIKE "EVERYBODY DOES THAT", "YOU JUST CAN'T HELP YOURSELF", "YOU CAN'T STOP BECAUSE YOU ARE ADDICTED", ETC?
[MY NOTE: OR, IS IT THAT WE ACCEPT THE EXCUSES HANDED TO US TO USE EACH DAY WHICH, THEMSELVES (THE EXCUSES), ARE DESIGNED TO WEAKEN US AND DUMB US DOWN INTO A "HELPLESS HERD" MENTALITY THAT IS DOCILE, COMPLACENT, APATHETIC BY USING THOSE VERY EXCUSES...LIKE "EVERYBODY DOES THAT", "YOU JUST CAN'T HELP YOURSELF", "YOU CAN'T STOP BECAUSE YOU ARE ADDICTED", ETC?
ABOUT THOSE VIRUSES...
ONE MEMBER THINKS THEY'RE NOT THAT BIG A DEAL: "Viruses can kill a lot of people. Carefully designed and carefully spread virus could kill more than a half of human population. But no virus can kill all the people.
No virus can spread as fast as information about it.
In case of a large outbreak, airports and roads will be closed and people will start to avoid each other. They will start wearing masks, keep distance to everyone else and stay home as much as possible.
No virus can adapt to all climates, all immune systems and all lifestyles.
Some people will survive because they are immune, some because they are isolated, some because they live in too cold or too warm places."
[MY NOTE: WRONG ON ALL COUNTS, KEMO SABE!
THE COMMON COLD, FOR EXAMPLE, IS A VIRUS AND EXISTS IN ALL CLIMATES.
ANY VIRUS RELEASED INTO THE ATMOSPHERE, SPREAD ACROSS THE GLOBE MUCH AS VOLCANIC ASH SPREADS, OR INSERTED INTO ALL WATER SUPPLIES SIMULTANEOUSLY, WOULD INDEED SPREAD FASTER THAN ANYONE CAN POSSIBLY IMAGINE.
AND IT WOULD NOT TAKE MUCH TO DO THE JOB.
THERE ALREADY EXIST PATHOGENS WHICH NO ONE IS IMMUNE TO...WELL, SO FAR.
MAYBE SCIENCE CAN DO A DESIGNER BABY, OR AN ENTIRE DESIGNER RACE WHICH CAN BE GENETICALLY MANIPULATED FOR RESISTANCE, BUT AT THE SAME TIME, SOME LAB SOMEWHERE IS CREATING A COUNTER-ACTION FOR THAT.
SCIENCE MARCHES ON...LIKE IT OR NOT.]
IS IT WEALTH? "Wealth disparity is in my opinion the most important challenge due to the criticality and scale of the problem."
[MY NOTE: THE TEA ROOM WOULD SO LIKE TO KNOW HOW MANY OF US HERE GREW UP HAPPILY IN A "LOWER CLASS" THAN THE SUPER-RICH?
HOW MANY HAD OR HAVE QUITE HAPPY LIVES WITHOUT PILES OF CASH ON HAND?
HOW MANY NEVER OR SELDOMLY GIVE THOUGHT TO WHO HAS MORE THAN WE HAVE?
SOME OF THE HAPPIEST AND HEALTHIEST PEOPLE I HAVE EVER ENCOUNTERED LIVE A MORE OR LESS "SUBSISTENCE LIFESTYLE", DAY-BY-DAY, BARE-BONES SURVIVAL AS MOST WOULD LABEL IT.
HAPPY, VERY HAPPY...UNTIL SOMEONE CONVINCES THEM THEY SHOULD NOT BE HAPPY, SHOULD FIGHT FOR MORE, SHOULD GATHER "WEALTH".
YOU ALL HAVE SEEN THIS, I'M SURE.]
ANOTHER QUORA MEMBER HAD THE FOLLOWING LIST:
- Religion - It is possible, given modern technology, that humans, in the name of their religion will exterminate humanity.
- Globalization - An industrial economy (and particularly, a global and industrial food system) makes humanity very fragile to diseases and very reliant on technology that may fail.
- Technology - The unintended consequences of technology (specifically nanotechnologies and artificial intelligence) pose a threat to humanity.
- Asteroid, Meteors, or the Sun Goes Nova - Of all non-human potentialities for extinction, I think this is one is most likely.
[MY NOTE: RELIGION IS NOT THE PROBLEM, PEOPLE DEMANDING THAT ALL ACCEPT THEIR RELIGION AS THE ONLY VALID RELIGION AND USING THE NAME OF WHATEVER GOD THEY CLAIM TO SERVE AS A WAR CHANT TO GO OUT AND FIGHT TO MAKE THEIR GOD "KING" IS THE PROBLEM.
YOU WANT TO WORSHIP A BOWL OF SPAGHETTI?
GREAT!
YOU WANT TO WORSHIP A BOWL OF SPAGHETTI?
GREAT!
DO SO.
I DON'T.
I WON'T EVER DEMAND YOU WORSHIP ANYTHING BUT YOUR CHOSEN "GOD", AND YOU DON'T ASK ME TO ACCEPT SPAGHETI AS "GOD" AND WE HAVE NO PROBLEM, RIGHT?
NO, IT'S NOT RELIGION THAT'S THE PROBLEM, IT'S HUMANS USING RELIGION TO MAKE AN EXCUSE TO KILL EVERYONE ELSE..."IN THE NAME OF GOD", OR IN THE NAME OF SPAGHETTI.
AND, HONESTLY, I MUST SAY THAT ATHEISTS ARE THE WORST I'VE SEEN IN THIS CATEGORY.
ATHEISTS CLAIM THEY DO NOT BELIEVE IN GOD, THEN RUN AROUND LIKE FLOCKS OF CHICKENS AFTER IMAGINARY WORMS, TRYING TO FIND PROOF THERE IS NO GOD AND DEDICATE THEMSELVES TO FORCING THE WORLD TO ACCEPT THE "FACT" THAT THERE IS NO GOD, WHICH IS UNPROVABLE SINCE WE CAN'T GO LOOK IN OTHER GALAXIES FOR HIM, ALL OF WHICH MAKES MANY ATHEISTS THE "BANE OF THE COSMIC FORGE" OR WORSE...
I DON'T BELIEVE IN ELVES, BUT I ALSO DON'T GIVE THE SMALLEST DAMN WHO DOES BELIEVE IN THEM! IF WE ALL COULD JUST LEAVE PEOPLE THE HELL ALONE , NO MATTER WHAT THEY BELIEVE, KEEP TO YOUR BELIEFS, LET THEM HAVE THEIRS, PROBLEM SOLVED.
WHY ON EARTH WOULD ANY SANE BEING ASK FOR PROOF OF SOMETHING THEY ARE HONESTLY CONVINCED DOES NOT EXIST?]
I DON'T.
I WON'T EVER DEMAND YOU WORSHIP ANYTHING BUT YOUR CHOSEN "GOD", AND YOU DON'T ASK ME TO ACCEPT SPAGHETI AS "GOD" AND WE HAVE NO PROBLEM, RIGHT?
NO, IT'S NOT RELIGION THAT'S THE PROBLEM, IT'S HUMANS USING RELIGION TO MAKE AN EXCUSE TO KILL EVERYONE ELSE..."IN THE NAME OF GOD", OR IN THE NAME OF SPAGHETTI.
AND, HONESTLY, I MUST SAY THAT ATHEISTS ARE THE WORST I'VE SEEN IN THIS CATEGORY.
ATHEISTS CLAIM THEY DO NOT BELIEVE IN GOD, THEN RUN AROUND LIKE FLOCKS OF CHICKENS AFTER IMAGINARY WORMS, TRYING TO FIND PROOF THERE IS NO GOD AND DEDICATE THEMSELVES TO FORCING THE WORLD TO ACCEPT THE "FACT" THAT THERE IS NO GOD, WHICH IS UNPROVABLE SINCE WE CAN'T GO LOOK IN OTHER GALAXIES FOR HIM, ALL OF WHICH MAKES MANY ATHEISTS THE "BANE OF THE COSMIC FORGE" OR WORSE...
I DON'T BELIEVE IN ELVES, BUT I ALSO DON'T GIVE THE SMALLEST DAMN WHO DOES BELIEVE IN THEM! IF WE ALL COULD JUST LEAVE PEOPLE THE HELL ALONE , NO MATTER WHAT THEY BELIEVE, KEEP TO YOUR BELIEFS, LET THEM HAVE THEIRS, PROBLEM SOLVED.
WHY ON EARTH WOULD ANY SANE BEING ASK FOR PROOF OF SOMETHING THEY ARE HONESTLY CONVINCED DOES NOT EXIST?]
THE SEVEN DEADLY SINS?
"pride, greed, lust, envy, gluttony, wrath and sloth.".
"All of the usual culprits: greed, aggression, ignorance, inequality, are secondary results of psychic processes we do not control, working in us and through us mostly unconsciously." [THE MEMBER WHO MADE THAT STATEMENT LIKELY MEANT PSYCHOLOGICAL, NOT PSYCHIC, BUT ISN'T HE STILL WRONG?
ONLY WE CAN CONTROL ALL THOSE THINGS WITHIN OUR MINDS.
THE FIRST STEP IS ADMITTING THEY EXIST.
SEE THEM, :OWN" THEM, STOP THEM.]
TO BRING US FULL CIRCLE... ONE GUY WANTS A "GROUP-THINK" SCENARIO, A LA ORWELL'S '1984'...TO DO AWAY WITH "TRIBAL THOUGHT" AND BRING EVERYONE UP TO THINKING LIKE ...WHAT...AUTOBOTS?
ONLY WE CAN CONTROL ALL THOSE THINGS WITHIN OUR MINDS.
THE FIRST STEP IS ADMITTING THEY EXIST.
SEE THEM, :OWN" THEM, STOP THEM.]
TO BRING US FULL CIRCLE... ONE GUY WANTS A "GROUP-THINK" SCENARIO, A LA ORWELL'S '1984'...TO DO AWAY WITH "TRIBAL THOUGHT" AND BRING EVERYONE UP TO THINKING LIKE ...WHAT...AUTOBOTS?
LIKE THOSE WE ACCEPT AS OUR "INTELLECTUALS", OUR "EXPERTS"?
CRIMINY! WHAT HAPPENED TO INDIVIDUALISM AND INDEPENDENCE ARE GOOD THINGS?]
"To take advantage of the Internet and other means of global communication to end tribal thinking.
Throughout history, most people have only been exposed to the "truth" that is believed within their local social group. With the Internet, it has become possible for people all over the world to get deep information about any topic.
The challenge is (a) to learn to challenge our own provincial beliefs, and (b) learn to extract facts from the most complete-but-noisiest source of information ever."
CRIMINY! WHAT HAPPENED TO INDIVIDUALISM AND INDEPENDENCE ARE GOOD THINGS?]
"To take advantage of the Internet and other means of global communication to end tribal thinking.
Throughout history, most people have only been exposed to the "truth" that is believed within their local social group. With the Internet, it has become possible for people all over the world to get deep information about any topic.
The challenge is (a) to learn to challenge our own provincial beliefs, and (b) learn to extract facts from the most complete-but-noisiest source of information ever."
HE DIDN'T TELL US, USING A BUSH, Jr. EUPHEMISM, WHO THE "DECIDER" WAS TO BE... AS IN WHO WILL DECIDE WHAT IS FACT?
WE'VE RUN ON THEORIES FOR SEVERAL THOUSAND YEARS NOW UNTIL THEORIES ARE ACCEPTED AS FACT, THOUGH THEY AREN'T PROVEN FACTS AT ALL.
NEED A FACT?
JUST PULL ONE OUT OF THE BACKSIDE ORIFICE OF THE GREAT "DECIDER", RIGHT?
"END TRIBAL THINKING"?
EVEN IF IT'S FACTUAL?
"DEEP INFORMATION ABOUT ANY TOPIC"?
WTH DOES THAT MEAN?
I READ RECENTLY ON THE INTERNET THAT EISENHOWER MADE A DEAL WITH "E.T." ALIENS THAT THEY COULD HARVEST "X" NUMBERS OF HUMANS PER YEAR..
SERIOUSLY.
READ IT <HERE>.
EVEN IF IT'S FACTUAL?
"DEEP INFORMATION ABOUT ANY TOPIC"?
WTH DOES THAT MEAN?
I READ RECENTLY ON THE INTERNET THAT EISENHOWER MADE A DEAL WITH "E.T." ALIENS THAT THEY COULD HARVEST "X" NUMBERS OF HUMANS PER YEAR..
SERIOUSLY.
READ IT <HERE>.
IS THAT THE "DEEP INFORMATION" THAT GUY IS READING?
THE DUMBING DOWN OF SOCIETY...IT STRIKES AGAIN.
WHAT HE REALLY IS SAYING IS THAT "TRIBES" ARE DANGEROUS, IN HIS OPINION, SCARY, AND YET, HE DEMONSTRATES THE VERY "TRIBAL THINKING" HE CLAMS WE MUST RID OURSELVES OF BY SUGGESTING A CERTAIN SET OF "FACTS" SHOULD BE ACCEPTED BY ALL!
"STOP THINKING WHAT YOU THINK AND THINK LIKE I THINK", RIGHT?
THAT WILL NEVER HAPPEN WITHOUT SERIOUS MIND-ALTERING CHEMICALS OR SOME REALLY NASTY BRAIN SURGERY, KID.
INDIVIDUALISM IS HERE TO STAY.
SUCK IT UP, BUTTERCUP.
NO TWO OF US WILL EVER THINK PRECISELY ALIKE.
THOSE WHO ARE OKAY WITH INDIVIDUALISM SEEM A RATHER PEACEFUL LOT, COMPARED TO THOSE WHO DEMAND "GROUP-THINK".
THOSE 'GROUP-THINK' GUYS HAVE REALLY BIG WAR DRUMS AND POUND ON THEM INCESSANTLY....
THE RHYTHM OF THOSE GO SOMETHING LIKE THIS:
"MUST MAKE ALL COMPLIANT...MUST MAKE ALL LIKE ME...YOU'RE TOO DIFFERENT, DIFFERENT MEANS WRONG, I AM RIGHT!"
CAN IT BE THIS SIMPLE?
MANY OF US, WHETHER OF THE "OLDER GENERATION" OR OF TODAY'S YOUNGER ONES, WERE TAUGHT THAT THE FIRST PLACE WE SHOULD LOOK FOR A SOLUTION TO AN EXISTING PROBLEM WAS THE MIRROR.
NOT A CASUAL GLANCE OR A GAZE INTO A DISTORTED MIRROR WAS CONSIDERED, IT WAS NEVER ALLOWED, BUT A LONG, HARD, HONEST LOOK, ASKING OURSELVES QUESTIONS THAT SOME SAY TODAY REQUIRES "BRUTAL" HONESTY.
ONCE THAT WAS ACCOMPLISHED, ONWARD THEN, IF THE PROBLEM DID NOT LIE IN...SELF.
IF WE DID FIND SELF AT FAULT, WE "AUTO-CORRECTED" RATIONALLY AND COMPLETELY, EGO BE HANGED,
IT WAS JUST BETTER TO "FIX" THINGS THAN LET A PROBLEM SLIDE BECAUSE WE WERE THE PROBLEM.
"STOP THINKING WHAT YOU THINK AND THINK LIKE I THINK", RIGHT?
THAT WILL NEVER HAPPEN WITHOUT SERIOUS MIND-ALTERING CHEMICALS OR SOME REALLY NASTY BRAIN SURGERY, KID.
INDIVIDUALISM IS HERE TO STAY.
SUCK IT UP, BUTTERCUP.
NO TWO OF US WILL EVER THINK PRECISELY ALIKE.
THOSE WHO ARE OKAY WITH INDIVIDUALISM SEEM A RATHER PEACEFUL LOT, COMPARED TO THOSE WHO DEMAND "GROUP-THINK".
THOSE 'GROUP-THINK' GUYS HAVE REALLY BIG WAR DRUMS AND POUND ON THEM INCESSANTLY....
THE RHYTHM OF THOSE GO SOMETHING LIKE THIS:
"MUST MAKE ALL COMPLIANT...MUST MAKE ALL LIKE ME...YOU'RE TOO DIFFERENT, DIFFERENT MEANS WRONG, I AM RIGHT!"
CAN IT BE THIS SIMPLE?
MANY OF US, WHETHER OF THE "OLDER GENERATION" OR OF TODAY'S YOUNGER ONES, WERE TAUGHT THAT THE FIRST PLACE WE SHOULD LOOK FOR A SOLUTION TO AN EXISTING PROBLEM WAS THE MIRROR.
NOT A CASUAL GLANCE OR A GAZE INTO A DISTORTED MIRROR WAS CONSIDERED, IT WAS NEVER ALLOWED, BUT A LONG, HARD, HONEST LOOK, ASKING OURSELVES QUESTIONS THAT SOME SAY TODAY REQUIRES "BRUTAL" HONESTY.
ONCE THAT WAS ACCOMPLISHED, ONWARD THEN, IF THE PROBLEM DID NOT LIE IN...SELF.
IF WE DID FIND SELF AT FAULT, WE "AUTO-CORRECTED" RATIONALLY AND COMPLETELY, EGO BE HANGED,
IT WAS JUST BETTER TO "FIX" THINGS THAN LET A PROBLEM SLIDE BECAUSE WE WERE THE PROBLEM.
IT WAS "OKAY" TO BE WRONG, "OKAY" TO LOSE TO "THE BETTER MAN" (OR WOMAN), AND IT WAS CERTAINLY OKAY TO GO ON WITH LIFE IMMEDIATELY WITHOUT BROODING.
THOSE WHO DESPISED CORRECTION WERE RARE, RARE ANOMALIES.
PROBLEMS WERE RESOLVED!
WHAT A RELIEF!
THOSE WHO DESPISED CORRECTION WERE RARE, RARE ANOMALIES.
PROBLEMS WERE RESOLVED!
WHAT A RELIEF!
WE SAW OUR ERROR JUST IN TIME TO FIX IT!
WHEW!
NEVER WANT TO GO THROUGH THAT AGAIN...I'LL HAVE TO PAY CLOSER ATTENTION TO WHAT I DO, THINK, SAY...ETC.
IF WE WERE NOT THE PROBLEM, THEN ONWARD TO DIG OUT WHO OR WHAT WAS THE ROOT OF THE PROBLEM, AND EVERYONE WAS HAPPY TO HELP "FIX" THINGS....WELL, EVERYONE I KNEW WAS.
WE LIVED, WE LEARNED, SO THAT WE DID NOT LITERALLY PERISH.
JUSTICE, HONEST, LOVELY JUSTICE PREVAILED.
WHEW!
NEVER WANT TO GO THROUGH THAT AGAIN...I'LL HAVE TO PAY CLOSER ATTENTION TO WHAT I DO, THINK, SAY...ETC.
IF WE WERE NOT THE PROBLEM, THEN ONWARD TO DIG OUT WHO OR WHAT WAS THE ROOT OF THE PROBLEM, AND EVERYONE WAS HAPPY TO HELP "FIX" THINGS....WELL, EVERYONE I KNEW WAS.
WE LIVED, WE LEARNED, SO THAT WE DID NOT LITERALLY PERISH.
JUSTICE, HONEST, LOVELY JUSTICE PREVAILED.
THE TRUTH ALWAYS GOT US TO THE POINT THAT EITHER (A) WE FIXED THE PROBLEM, OR (B) WE ADMITTED WE COULD NOT AND TURNED ELSEWHERE TO OLDER AND WHAT WE CONSIDERED WISER MINDS (DAMNED "TRIBAL THINKING", RIGHT?) , OR (C) EVERYONE AGREED THERE SIMPLY WAS NO SOLUTION...LIKE WHEN A RELATIVE OR FRIEND DEVELOPED A TERMINAL ILLNESS, DROUGHT OR TOO MUCH RAIN MEANT NO CROPS, ETC.
THERE WERE "WINNERS AND LOSERS" BACK THEN...ONE KNEW NOT TO EXPECT TO ALWAYS WIN, BUT ONE WAS DRIVEN TO BE THE BEST ONE COULD BE, MAINLY FOR THE SAKE OF THOSE AROUND US.
THERE WERE "WINNERS AND LOSERS" BACK THEN...ONE KNEW NOT TO EXPECT TO ALWAYS WIN, BUT ONE WAS DRIVEN TO BE THE BEST ONE COULD BE, MAINLY FOR THE SAKE OF THOSE AROUND US.
WITH EVERYONE BUSY AS BEAVERS PERFECTING THEMSELVES, NOBODY HAD TIME TO BEAT OTHERS OVER THE HEAD WITH THEIR FAULTS.
SOME DID GET "LEFT BEHIND" IN SCHOOL AND IN LIFE WHILE OTHERS MOVED ON.
THATS' JUST HOW LIFE IS...IF WE CONSTANTLY ARE BUSY PERFECTING SELF AND LEAVE EVERYONE ELSE THE HELL ALONE TO DO THE SAME.
SO...WHAT'S THE BIGGEST CHALLENGE TODAY, THE BIGGEST PROBLEM?
ASK A THOUSAND PEOPLE, YOU MAY GET 1,000 ANSWERS.
AND THAT'S FINE.
DIVERSITY OF THOUGHT IS "OKAY".
ALL DIVERSITY SEEMS TO BE A GOOD THING, YES?
"VARIETY ADDS SPICE TO LIFE", DOESN'T IT?
DISAGREEMENT IS TO BE EXPECTED, EVEN WELCOMED SINCE IT MAKES US THINK, CONSIDER, QUESTION.
WE JUST MUSTN'T IGNORE ANY PROBLEM, HOPING IT WILL GO AWAY.
WE FACE PROBLEMS HEAD-ON, UNAFRAID TO DISCOVER THAT WE MAY JUST BE PART OF THAT PROBLEM.
WE KNOW WE CAN "HANDLE IT".
WHATEVER TURNS OUT TO BE MANKIND'S BIGGEST CHALLENGE OR PROBLEM, WE HAVE THE MEANS TO SOLVE IT.
THAT'S WHAT MINDS ARE FOR, ISN'T IT?
WE ARE THE "TOP OF THE FOOD CHAIN"...HOMO SAPIENS SAPIENS.
WE CAN DO ANYTHING WE DECIDE TO DO.
IT'S MAKING THE RIGHT DECISION, MAYBE, THAT WE NEED TO WORK ON...FOR AS LONG AS WE LIVE.
SELF-EXAMINATION...IT TAKES GUTS!
WE HAVE THAT, ALSO, FOLKS.
HOW AWESOME IS THAT!!!
_______________________________
ALMOST COMPLETELY UNRELATED TO THE ABOVE....
I FOUND A NICE SOURCE OF SOME FAIRLY GOOD EBOOKS, FREE FOR THE TAKING....
FOR THOSE WHO LIKE TO READ AND MAYBE NEED NEW MATERIAL, THERE ARE "CLASSICS" ON THIS SITE AS WELL AS SOME "ODD DUCKS".
JUST THOUGHT TO SHARE IT, SO....
SOME DID GET "LEFT BEHIND" IN SCHOOL AND IN LIFE WHILE OTHERS MOVED ON.
THATS' JUST HOW LIFE IS...IF WE CONSTANTLY ARE BUSY PERFECTING SELF AND LEAVE EVERYONE ELSE THE HELL ALONE TO DO THE SAME.
SO...WHAT'S THE BIGGEST CHALLENGE TODAY, THE BIGGEST PROBLEM?
ASK A THOUSAND PEOPLE, YOU MAY GET 1,000 ANSWERS.
AND THAT'S FINE.
DIVERSITY OF THOUGHT IS "OKAY".
ALL DIVERSITY SEEMS TO BE A GOOD THING, YES?
"VARIETY ADDS SPICE TO LIFE", DOESN'T IT?
DISAGREEMENT IS TO BE EXPECTED, EVEN WELCOMED SINCE IT MAKES US THINK, CONSIDER, QUESTION.
WE JUST MUSTN'T IGNORE ANY PROBLEM, HOPING IT WILL GO AWAY.
WE FACE PROBLEMS HEAD-ON, UNAFRAID TO DISCOVER THAT WE MAY JUST BE PART OF THAT PROBLEM.
WE KNOW WE CAN "HANDLE IT".
WHATEVER TURNS OUT TO BE MANKIND'S BIGGEST CHALLENGE OR PROBLEM, WE HAVE THE MEANS TO SOLVE IT.
THAT'S WHAT MINDS ARE FOR, ISN'T IT?
WE ARE THE "TOP OF THE FOOD CHAIN"...HOMO SAPIENS SAPIENS.
WE CAN DO ANYTHING WE DECIDE TO DO.
IT'S MAKING THE RIGHT DECISION, MAYBE, THAT WE NEED TO WORK ON...FOR AS LONG AS WE LIVE.
SELF-EXAMINATION...IT TAKES GUTS!
WE HAVE THAT, ALSO, FOLKS.
HOW AWESOME IS THAT!!!
_______________________________
ALMOST COMPLETELY UNRELATED TO THE ABOVE....
I FOUND A NICE SOURCE OF SOME FAIRLY GOOD EBOOKS, FREE FOR THE TAKING....
FOR THOSE WHO LIKE TO READ AND MAYBE NEED NEW MATERIAL, THERE ARE "CLASSICS" ON THIS SITE AS WELL AS SOME "ODD DUCKS".
JUST THOUGHT TO SHARE IT, SO....
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