I remember when Science was the biggest obstacle to concerted societal action directed to averting the multiplying effects of the overheating of our atmosphere.
There wasn’t sufficient evidence, scientists protested, for rushing to the conclusion that the self-evident changes that had come with the industrial life that the scientific revolution had wrought were contributing to changing climatic conditions worldwide.
There was rising concern from people like me 50 years ago at the first Earth Day in 1970, though the main focus then was on the irrefutable pollution of the land, water, and air, that was visibly degrading life on Earth. But I clearly remember my frustration with how oblivious scientists as a group seemed to be to the ever-increasing threat posed by the destabilization of the climatic processes of the Earth itself. If any scientists had cared what I thought, their reproach would probably have been that I just didn’t understand the elegant beauty of the scientific method. All I could think of was how fucked we all were going to be.
I remember reading, just around that time, “The Education of Henry Adams” published in 1904. His principle theme in that book was that western civilization was in a state of crisis during the 19th Century because man’s production of power was outrunning his ability to control it. He mentioned the overheating of the atmosphere as a direct response to the overuse of that power. So much so, it had already created alarm even way back then, about 150 years ago!
Today, as we all know, the scientific consensus — having finally arrived at a conclusion half a century after my frustrated concern over the obvious — is “Oh shit! We’re all fucked if you people don’t listen to us RIGHT NOW and do what we say!” Apparently, enough of the ‘old guard’ of Science have died off, making space for less obstinate minds to finally realize the obvious truth that the Earth’s atmosphere is not an infinite and unchangeable heatsink. Who’d a thunk it?!?
Oh, but what I wouldn’t give to have witnessed real change over that wasted half-century of half-measures and bloated assurances that nothing was undoable, that brought some of us hope, but little real change for any of us.
Surely there is a hell for the oblivious. I know this to be true, because it is nearing completion around the world as We all continue to discuss the ‘issue’ and get our terms right.
Ecocide, that is. I am not referring to the blind stupidity of those who created the means to harness immense power, but not the means to control that power, nor the means to wipe humanity’s collective butt as we literally shit all over our Mother.
The problem now is, they’re not sure what to do. After all, how do you fix a planet that took centuries to fuck up, when you only have a few precious years of time left?
No worries, the Best and Brightest of us — our commercial wizards — are hard at work applying the immense wealth that they have amassed from their years of harnessing the power that Science has given them, to escaping to another planet.
I don’t think any of us should plan on being invited to that party.
We will — that is, we who are left behind — take our rightful place here in this quickly developing hell for the oblivious. The meek will finally inherit the Earth, but what a hellhole it will be. Thank you Lord Science.