Will the Complexity of Societies Empty Mother Earth


Who is in charge of the huge arch of human experience on planet earth to see if humans are doing what it takes to survive over thousands of years into the future? The answer, of course, is no one. There are a few people looking at it and writing about it, but no central authority has the responsibility to guide human behavior and activity toward a sustainable path.

The link points out a couple of interesting facts about we humans. We now think our first humans-like ancestors came into being about 300,000 years ago. That would make the number of generations of humans at about 15,000. That is, each of us has 15,000 grandparents who lived before us. 

During nearly all of those 300,000 years, humans lived on a sustainable path. Unsustainability started only 10,000 years ago. That is when humans stopped walking around finding food and started living in one place by planting and growing foods. Prior to that, the same technology was mostly passed down from one generation to the next. 

That is not to say life was "good" or life was "peaceful." Groups, maybe individuals, killed each other with stones when competing for food. This stress and strife did not endanger existence of planet earth. Our problem today came from improvements in technology.

Ten thousand years ago, stationary tribes needed labor to plant and grow crops. Children were a source of labor so parents had more of them. As the population grew so did the complexity of human societies. The more complex the societies the harder to agree on problems and unite in solutions. The correct solution is, like climate change right now, out of reach. Our many religions, vested interests and large numbers put obstacles in the path.

I don't know if other religions have the same solution as Christianity to huge complex problems, but praying for a solution is a joke. It would be more honest to say one has no solution.

How refreshing it would be if all of Christianity said, "Global warming and the human role in it threatens human life on our planet. Let's set aside all religious and political beliefs and go with the best science we have available to us."  

I'm optimistic atheists could guide us though this. I have no such optimism about Christians.

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