The Big Bang happened 13 billion years ago. Earth was created 4 billion years ago. Life began 3 billion years ago. Primates like monkeys and humans first emerged 6 million years ago, and our human ancestors became a branch of that tree 3 million years ago. So, for example, Lucy, Australopithecus, walking around on 2 feet, skeleton identical to yours and mine, raising children, getting food, living life, has been dated to 2.3 million years ago.
Earth and life on it can be seen as a single organism, a single living thing. Every living species fills a niche, has a purpose. If the niche, the environment, the conditions, change – the species either adapts (if the changes aren’t too drastic), or disappears (as happened with the dinosaurs, who by-the-way lived on Earth for 165 million years or about 55 times longer than us. And they would have continued but for a drastic change in the environment, whereas humans are in the last stages of destroying ourselves, Earth, and the rest of life on it).
QUESTION: Can’t we do better than that?
Sadly, there is an answer to the above question. The answer is “Yes I think we can, as long as I don’t have to suffer, be denied or give up anything.” This selfish and immature worship of the childish ‘self’ has one ending – extinction.
“Oh, but don’t be ridiculous. Extinction? Humans are the most successful species ever – just look at how many of us there are!”
I have sad news for you. Healthy species don’t populate out-of-control. They do the mature work of limiting their numbers to insure their success and the success of their offspring to follow. The kind of population explosion that humans are currently experiencing is instead seen in:
- Cancers
- Viruses
- Pandemics
- Sexually-transmitted diseases
- Blights
- Pestilences
- Plagues
One of these days an alien species will visit Earth. When they do, our egos tell us that they will go directly to Washington DC and request a luncheon with the President so they can get acquainted. Here’s what will actually happen:
As the aliens approach Earth, they will marvel at its awesomeness. As they get closer they will begin to see the scar tissue inflicted on this planet by a single species. The obvious conclusion:
- This species is destroying an entire eco-system (world); and
- This destruction cannot continue
So lunch will be off. Instead these aliens will decide one of 2 things. Either:
- Don’t make contact – continue to observe – hope that maybe, given time, the destruction will stop; or
- Take an action to change the balance of power, away from humans and in favor of Earth and all the rest of life on it!
But the real question is: Where do you stand in all of this? Are you willing to sacrifice to save and protect the Earth and the rest of life on it. Or is your life simply about you, you, and nothing but you? Humans lived naturally for 3 million years. Our troubles began just a short few thousand years ago when be became self-aware (the important word in that phrase being “self”).
We have seriously de-matured. That process is escalating rapidly as we adopt more and more technology. Education has devolved to approx. the 5th– to 6th grade level. We no longer make decisions for ourselves, trusting instead in politicians and bureaucrats (who are becoming millionaires from the money you and I work hard for, earn, and pay taxes on). As we do less for ourselves, less will be asked. Governments and computers will make our life choices and decisions for us. When this happens, we are doomed, and will never return to living as we were designed.
“Never happen” you say. On the contrary, it IS happening, or (more accurately) it has already happened. If we don’t change, immediately, we will never be able to go back.
The good news is … we CAN change. Seek out Climate change groups and Activist organizations. And join us.