What criteria will ultimately define whether or not Homo sapiens will continue to exist into the distant future?

Introduction

From the comic perspective, there is no guarantee that the human species will survive well into the future.  The fact that humans are rational and self-conscious beings with the ability to make choices provides us all with the opportunity to establish universally accepted policies that would help define a more peaceful, harmonious and productive environment for not only ourselves but also for future generations.

 Currently in the year 2025 humanity is plagued by a magnitude of serious and foreboding problems.  Some of these include repeated and destructive acts of aggression between peoples of differing and disparate cultural, or religious, or ideological beliefs.  In spite of the fact that we live in a technologically enriched human environment, supposed racial differences remain a source of intense animosity and hatred.  Along with these kinds of conflicts are the much more ominous wars spawned by empire building and driven by hatred and the desire for conquest.  These kinds of issues have plagued human civilizations for thousands of years with no end in sight.

There is also the steady and inescapable evidence of the ongoing reality of the degradation and destabilization of the natural environment as a direct result of human activity, and the substantial peril of climate change that has the potential to undermine the very future of humanity in both the immediate and more distant future.

All of these factors are clearly understandable and recognizable through a process of reasoned and thorough analysis.  The historic record is clear and the long-term science-based projections regarding the impact of climate change are undeniable.

 

Discussion

Considering all these factors as outlined above, I have formulated a list of societal transformations in thinking that suggest a paradigm shift from the current state of human existence that would hopefully disrupt the seemingly endless cycles of violence and retribution and allow for a more peaceful and harmonious human world.

 

·         In this technological age in which the Internet has radically transformed the access and dispersal of information so that all kinds of data are transmitted and received nearly instantaneously, the boundary between that which is representative of the truth and lies and misinformation has grown indistinct.  It is therefore incumbent upon human societies to reject lies and misinformation disguised as truth and embrace and uphold an acceptance of the truth as embodied in science and other disciplines that base information upon trustworthy, reliable and insightful data.  A definitive emphasis on seeking what is true would advance progress in human affairs and provide for a clear recognition of real problems that need attention and require resolution.  The one very particular and immensely important example of this is that of the reality of climate change.  With this emphasis on the truth, effective leadership could be readily chosen to address the enormity of this issue over those who choose to minimize its importance to meet their own ends and promote hidden agendas.

 

·         A universal acceptance of the unavoidable reality that life on planet Earth is fragile – this remarkable planet that sustains us is, after all, suspended in a hostile cosmic environment and dependent upon a thin layer of atmosphere that provides life-giving oxygen and the myriad and complex ecological interrelationships that sustain all of life.  The continued sustenance and abundance of living organisms on earth requires a viable natural environment that is absolutely dependent upon the willingness and determination of humanity to protect it.  Since human activity over the recent past has seriously disturbed the delicate balance that sustains life, it has become imperative to implement universally accepted and ecologically sound policies to protect that atmosphere from the onslaught of poisons and other substances that imperil life on the planet and modify human behavior so that it becomes more congruent with long term survival of the living world.  At the heart of this attitude shift is an acceptance of the nature of reality and incorporation of the unmistakable role of science in uncovering the tangible aspects of the multi-faceted and  intertwined ecological relationships that maintain the living world. 

 

·         A universal acceptance of the reality that all people regardless of skin color, or cultural and ideological differences, or sexual orientation are all members of the same species, Homo sapiens, and are all deserving of the same level of respect, caring, compassion, and rights.  This recognition of the fact that all people are equal members of the human family would require the abandonment of cultural mythologies rooted in so-called racial differences and a universal acceptance that race is in fact an erroneous construct that has little congruence with reality.  Such an acceptance would ultimately undermine noxious and destructive policies that have such a myth as its operating principle – a system of belief that justifies untold wars of aggression and violence that ultimately creates an enormous burden of unnecessary suffering.

 

·         A universal acceptance of the value of the Commons.  The Commons refers to the sum total of those aspects of everyday life that are necessary to serve and maintain community life such as an adequate supply of good nutrition, drinkable water, clean air, access to adequate and dependable health care etc.   The current emphasis placed on the individual and individual rights has led to a distribution of economic resources in many societies that is skewed disproportionately towards those with considerable wealth.  This has led to a diminishment of the emphasis placed upon the pivotal importance of the Commons.  As a result, many communities find themselves bereft of the essential materials and services that are required to sustain and maintain the Commons.  The result of this imbalance has led to a great deal of unnecessary suffering and instability.   

 

·         Traditionally, public education has focused upon the necessity to transfer information in areas of learning that include such disciplines as language, mathematics, history, literature and science to young minds.   However, the predominance of the Internet as a near instantaneous provider of information of all kinds has diminished the value of this approach to some extent.  In the modern era, it is imperative that education has an additional focus - to introduce young minds to the nature of reality and to encourage attitudes that embrace the principles as outlined above.  In addition, public education should also introduce the young to the skills required to explore their own thinking and discipline their minds to understand their own motivations, potential, imagination, creativity and ultimately how to control their own behavior.   The development of such skills would be of unfathomable use in later life – opening up the possibility to use reason, intellect and sound judgment in analyzing and evaluating the immediate environment.

Conclusion

Admittedly, the details (as outlined above) of the paradigm shift suggest an enormous transformation and disruption in the ordinary lives of humans.  I am not proposing that these changes are achievable in their totality.  However, the clear and present danger of doing little or nothing to mitigate the eventuality of a major and catastrophic change in climate may provide sufficient motivation to address this overriding issue with creative and effective resolve.

In order to be effective, any agreed upon strategy to avoid the more serious and devastating aspects of climate change would necessitate a worldwide initiative(s).  If collective action were applied on a worldwide scale, such a unified approach would represent the first time any such action was ever attempted in the entire history of human civilization.

This would represent an enormous first step in approaching the paradigm shift as outlined above.  If this were to happen, the door would be flung open to the possibility of a truly peaceful and harmonious human world.

 

Questions

Since I do not look upon my point of view and perspective as any final word on this subject, I would like to end with the following series of questions –

·         Are you satisfied with the current state of humanity?

·         If not, what kind of scenarios do you envision for humanity in the near and distant future if nothing has changed?

·         If not, what kind of better world would you envision if humanity was to undergo a major transformation – how would it manifest itself?

·         And finally, what would you propose we do collectively to fulfill this dream?

Final Years

I have now entered the beginnings of my eighth decade. Time is relentless in its forward motion. Life is inherently fragile and finite – this is a fundamental reality of existence that impacts not only our rather miniscule existence but our home world, the earth, the sun whose solar furnace gives us sustenance and even the galaxy in which our star together with its planets represents a small part.

I have spent much of my adult life embroiled within the world of politics at some level. At this state of my existence, I find this kind of involvement entirely unproductive. I have grown terribly weary of the apparent inability or unwillingness of a significant portion of humanity to effectively incorporate reason, intellect, understanding, thoughtfulness, kindness, compassion and love into the conduct of their lives. As a result, humans seemed to be locked into a destructive and mindless pattern of ignorance, bigotry, hatred, aggression, violence and retribution that has haunted the entire history of human civilization.

There does not seem to be any reliable and persistent remedy for this uniquely human reality. I no longer have the wherewithal to maintain this involvement with what seems like an insolvable problem. It is for the coming generations to apply their collective energy to the problems we face.

My fundamental goal for my remaining years - as long as the health of body and mind will sustain me - is to keep my essential sanity intact in this human world with its penchant for chaos and upheaval. To do this, I need to persist in my determination to avoid delusional states of being; keep my eyes wide-open; continue to appreciate the inherent beauty of existence, embrace the powerful dimension of love and contribute in whatever way possible to a better world for those who follow me in this dance of the generations.

Another Dimension to Life

 

Although it is true that the practical aspects of living, as embodied in economics, politics, human relations etc. require my attention, I am a sentient being endowed with the remarkable gift of self-consciousness. To me, my life is precious as well as the lives of all others around me including immediate friends and family. I am but a singular member of the entire human family and of all things living that adorn this most magnificent planet. I am by nature an ephemeral creature with a limited lifespan. As such, I have limited capabilities and in I am, in fact, control of very little.

My conscious mind allows me to take in the many wonders of this most amazing universe, most of which transcend nearly everything that is perceived as important within the scope of human vision. I have an innate capacity to examine my surroundings and attempt to make sense of all that I take in - to appreciate the essence of the air that I breathe and that sustains me, for example. I try to pay homage to the sheer magnificence and scope of the cosmos that envelops existence. I can purposefully focus on love that is the necessary ingredient in all sustainable human endeavor and defines our humanity. I can choose not to be transfixed or be subsumed by those aspects of human life that bear little resemblance to the real nature of existence.

I can use my conscious mind to be attentive to whatever any new day may bring and open my myself to the extraordinary variability of light and shadows that dances before me; to be aware of the depth and range of color, tone and texture; to truly listen to others when they speak and make every attempt to communicate a true aspect of myself; to embrace the precious moments I may have with care and appreciation.

There is a world of possibilities that beckons me. This world encompasses both the real and the imagined; the possible and the improbable; a future of harmony and peace; a future of chaos and disbelief. I do know that the universe that dances within the terrain of my inner-self is populated by wonder, and by a deeply held hunger for understanding the nature of things. My inner self is occupied by creativity, by art, by writing and the natural beauty of existence and the power of love.

The Upcoming Presidential Election – November 5, 2024

I must proclaim at the outset that this election cycle has been the most bizarre, surreal, unsettling and disturbing environment for a national Presidential election that I have ever experienced. I never would have imagined the current political, social and cultural milieu that we are in as a people and nation when I first was eligible to vote.

It has taken on a distinctly Orwellian character where lie becomes truth and truth lie. Where misinformation and purposeful misdirection has become the norm. Where one candidate Donald Trump, in particular, is seemingly incapable of even a glimmer of personal integrity – devoid of any recognizable moral compass. Where social media has become a conduit of falsehood, overt bigotry, hatred and mean-spiritedness. This aspect has gotten so severely distorted that death threats directed at those who hold differing views have become commonplace.

In this nation’s relatively brief history as a democratic republic, it would have been unthinkable that a person of Trump’s character, diminished intellect, morally bankrupt aspirations would have ever been considered as “presidential material.” This is a human being who has clear and unambiguous clinical symptoms of suffering from mental illness. This is an individual who is a convicted felon and actually attempted, as a lame-duck president, to unravel the results of a presidential election that he clearly lost.

To add to the apparent national insanity is the fact that a majority of the Supreme Court, two of its justices have shown clear evidence of conflict of interest and unethical behavior, have ruled that a sitting president apparently has the authority to take actions aimed at undermining the very foundations of democratic government. This ruling effectively supported the ability of Donald Trump to run for re-election thereby giving the fox free access to the chicken coop.

How did all this come to be? How is it that we could be on the threshold of electing a person totally unsuited and incapable of being in a position to use such power and authority? How is it that we could, as a people, consciously choose to put into power an individual who has clearly asserted with pride and determination his natural affiliation with autocratic rule – with national leaders of the likes of Vladimir Putin of Russia. How did we come to this place where we could effectively participate in our own undoing as a free and democratic people?

There is no singular answer to these questions. We do know, of course, that this type of convergence of forces is clearly recognizable in the history of human civilizations. Also, it is patently clear that a sizeable proportion of the American people have been effectively excluded from the “American Dream.”

We do know that national wealth is skewed heavily towards those who have a hold on wealth and power. We do know that our perception of ourselves as a prosperous people is more an illusion than a tangible reality. Too many of us have felt excluded for too long. This reality has left a residue of fear and insecurity that can be readily exploited by those in positions of inordinate wealth and power. Those in such a position who are decidedly unscrupulous understand how to manipulate these feelings to their own advantage.

There are additional aspects of the American character and psyche that are contributing factors. As a people, our emphasis on the primacy of the individual has had a marked impact on the sense of our participation in community life i.e. the Commons. This proclivity to pay overweening attention to self has diminished our capacity to care for others.

Also, our tendency towards the use of aggression and violence to address personal and communal problems has made us insensitive to the plight of others. This has been made apparent as exemplified by the overwhelming personal possession of arms and armaments and their use or threatened use.

Lastly, the continual use of horrific violence in our history from the institution of slavery, the near genocide of Native American populations and foreign policy objectives that have exploited our vast national arsenal of weapons of mass destruction has, in my mind, exacerbated our capacity for violent aggression as an accepted means to resolve problems.

In conclusion, if we possess any real aspirations to address and correct these underlying issues there is hope that we can restore a sense of sanity and purpose in our lives as a people of these United States.

My Worst Fears

If my worst fear becomes real and a clear majority of American voters choose the likes of Donald Trump as their leader, then I have no real choice but to surrender to this new reality – for the people have spoken. However, I reserve the right to speak out for what is right, just and fair. I reserve the right to speak out against lies; against blatant violence and aggression directed against minorities, the innocent, the enfeebled and the weak. I reserve the right to remain true to myself.

In just a few days, it will become vividly clear whether the American people choose a path for the future that encourages truth, reason, intellect, compassion, fairness and justice, or one that finds comfort in bigotry, outrageous and provocative lies, repression, violence and hatred. That latter choice will certainly bring many days of darkness, chaos, senseless retribution, vengeance and grief.

It is not only in the United States that these kinds of stark choices are evident. It is my contention that the real source of this potential for unnecessary social chaos and dislocation lies within the architecture of the human brain. As humans, we have collectively failed to learn how to discipline the innate tendency of our lower brain to react violently and without reason to the conflict that necessarily comes with living in community with others, especially within a complex human environment.

I am inundated by great sadness and often overwhelmed by the undeniable reality that humans continue to make choices that ineluctably lead to unnecessary pain and suffering. Where the simple recognition that all peoples are members of the same human family would change everything.

Ode to Existence - Revisited

 

Ode to Existence

Revisited

Enmeshed and so often, entrapped

within this human world

distraction the norm,

conversation distilled into

a kind of relentless babble

born on the wings of bits and bytes,

joy equated with pleasure

and childish excitement,

happiness to be forever

pursued and hoarded like treasure,

a synthetic world of trinkets

and idle possessions,

heirlooms acquired,

building vast fortunes

of synthetic and finite illusions,

all with little consequence

all with little meaning.



And yet,

the reality of existence

moves along its

indefatigable path,

within the boundaries of

the wondrous cosmos.



Surrounded by the matrix

of the living world,

passengers aboard this fabulous spaceship

Earth,

caressed by capricious winds,

greeted by morning mist

tossed upon perilous water,

enlivened by sunlight,

subdued by nightfall,

intimidated by fearsome storm,

forever surprised by the intrinsic beauty

delicate intricacies of nature’s tendrils

that reach into every corner and crevice,

every delicate spring blossom,

every blade of undulating grass,

every tree no matter how massive or

diminished,

every creature within its domain,

every idle thought that triggers

perception,

every substantive or meaningless dream.



Surrounded by this most amazing

universe,

this most fabulous galaxy

decorating the heavens with

innumerable stars,

witness to the dance of the planets,

subtleties of light and dark,

to the wild configurations of

shape and form and texture and color.



Blessed with this most awesome capability

of the sentient mind

to uncover the mysteries of

the nature of things,

to explore the vast and inner terrain of

self,

to find meaning,

to explore possibilities,

to appreciate detail and

discover function,

to search for truth

and find it,

to know peace

and appreciate the essence of love.



Life is a voyage and a journey,

bounded by explosive birth

and the finality of death,

constrained by the

vagaries and vicissitudes

of unfolding time,

life is to be affirmed

by wrapped attention,

life is to be possessed

from moment to moment and

neither squandered nor abandoned.


Finally, I would like to finish on this optimistic note regarding humanity’s future -

There is a deep-seated and persistent hunger that manifests itself globally; this hunger is for a more equitable, just, peaceful and saner world. There are many communities throughout the planet that are working towards this goal in innumerable ways. These organizations are clearly growing in size and number and are becoming more and more interconnected. If this trend continues, it offers significant hope for meaningful change, for it may ultimately expand the idea of family beyond the rigid boundaries of genetic affiliation to encompass all of humanity. This is my fondest desire, for there is so much needless suffering in this somber world that humans have created for themselves.

There is a formidable wealth of imagination, ingenuity, intelligence, generosity and potential that is bound up in the lives of billions of humans whose lives are unnecessarily cut short or minimalized by poverty, disease, conflict, war and scarcity – all of which are wholly preventable.

If that cumulative potential were only released; if war was only made obsolete; if the untold wealth diverted to weapons and instruments of death was only redirected towards enhancing human progress, what a different world we would have. If those who have been taught to look elsewhere for salvation would only look to each other for answers, what a different world we would have. If only all of us would find peace within ourselves and reflect on the well spring of our own behavior, what a different world we would have. If only humanity would speak the word love and truly mean it and accept the implications of this kind of surrender, what a different world we would have. If only we would comprehend the emptiness of greed, prejudice and mindless acquisition, what a different world we would have. If only we would remove the blinders that obstruct our minds and see the beauty inherent in diversity and the universality and interdependence of all of life, what a different world we would have. This is my fondest wish.

A Persistent Hope

In spite of this nagging sense of despair, I still remain hopeful – that hope lies with the next generations to follow.  I can summarize this hope in the following way.

There is a deep-seated and persistent hunger that manifests itself globally; this hunger is for a more equitable, just, peaceful and saner world. There are many communities throughout the planet that are working towards this goal in innumerable ways. These organizations are clearly growing in size and number, and are becoming more and more interconnected. If this trend continues, it offers significant hope for meaningful change, for it may ultimately expand the idea of family beyond the rigid boundaries of genetic affiliation to encompass all of humanity. This is my fondest desire, for there is so much needless suffering in this pathetic world that humans have created for themselves.

There is a formidable wealth of imagination, ingenuity, intelligence, generosity and potential that is bound up in the lives of billions of humans whose lives are unnecessarily cut short or minimalized by poverty, disease, conflict, war and scarcity – all of which are wholly preventable.

If that cumulative potential were only released; if war was only made obsolete; if the untold wealth diverted to weapons and instruments of death was only redirected towards enhancing human progress, what a different world we would have. If those who have been taught to look elsewhere for salvation would only look to each other for answers, what a different world we would have. If only all of us would find peace within ourselves and reflect on the well spring of our own behavior, what a different world we would have. If only humanity would speak the word love and truly mean it and accept the implications of this kind of surrender, what a different world we would have. If only we would comprehend the emptiness of greed, prejudice and mindless acquisition, what a different world we would have. If only we would remove the blinders that obstruct our minds and see the beauty inherent in diversity and the universality and interdependence of all of life, what a different world we would have. This is my fondest desire.

Song of Despair

How long

before the clock of needless death

and true madness

finally stops ticking.



How long

before those granted power

stop condoning and encircling

applauding

those who proclaim the

right to slaughter the innocents

reigning death and horrific destruction

from the sky

reminiscent of the darkest days

of Vietnam,

condemning those who

recoil from such an extreme

desecration of life.



How long

before we speak out

loudly to

those who proclaim lie over truth

bigotry and hatred

over compassion, kindness

love,

before we reject

chaos, needless suffering and death and

choose peace and harmony instead.

How long

before

we understand

that without a moral compass

the human world will fall into

a hell of its own making.

A Divided Nation

Given the current state of an obviously divided nation, it becomes quite apparent that the world of modern humans is constantly inundated within the fabric of illusions that provide a false representation of the essence of our collective humanity. This artificial world is buttressed by a constant and torrential storm of information where the demarcation between truth and prevarication is ambiguous at best.

It is regrettable that after thousands of years of human civilization, the human species remains collectively driven by fear, suspicion, bigotry and hate. These feelings are powerful enough to propel humanity to unimagined extremes of violence and degradation. It is equally sad that although science has clearly demonstrated that all humans are members of the same species – the same human family, horrendous and destabilizing divisions over politics, religion, ethnic origins and imagined racial differences persist.

I personally have grown weary of all the unnecessary suffering that comes as a direct result of actions, both personal and collective, driven by hatred, bigoty, closed-mindedness, calousness, ignorance and a basic insensitivity to the human condition.

In my estimation the fundamental quality of being a sentient creature on this most remarkable planet is the ability to experience and appreciate existence. We all share this remarkable capacity to communicate with and understand each other. It is such a profoundly important gift to not only consciously experience existence, but also to seek to encompass and truly comprehend existence in all its many forms and aspects. A singular lifetime does not afford me the ability or capacity to embody all of existence, but at least, allows me to enjoy and participate in the adventure of living.