Human. Mankind. A great species in the biological world that are so smart that create wonderful things and tools. We build society and we call it CIVILIZATION. We have glorious history of at least few thousand years and we are looking to write another few thousdand years of pride.
We have every reason to be proud when it comes to comparison with the past, but for how long it can last? Another few thousand or hundred years? I doubt it. It should be a merit to mankind if our so-called civilization can last for another century. For the past century we prospered exponentially at the expense of the precious materials, energy and environment quality. We will continue to live better and better, till the day when all crises become critical enough to stop us from substantial prosperity.
Just imagine how much garbage we generate daily and we can predict the rate of decrease of our usable materials and energies. Just calculate from the moment we come to the world till now, how many clothes, books and papers, tools and accessories we have bought and throwed away. (It's already countless) If we take this number and multiply by 60 billion (though there are many people are poorer than us there are also many people richer than us) ... Somemore plus those not reusable materials: plastic, battery, e-waste...
Don't forget we have only had advance transports for not more than 200 years, electronic gadgets and appliances for not more than 100 years, computer and internet for not more 50 years...And we are already surrounded by hell lot of crises, do you really expect us to prosper another few centuries? Substantial development? It can only slow down the rate of decrease but can't save us from extinction.
I believe our civilization will come to an end someday not long from now. (If you compare to the past period of history of at least few centuries) Doom's Day you may call that. But why does it matters? Every start have an end. Nothing is permanent in this world. Just live in the presence as if there is no tomorrow. Every brand new day is a merit to us as you just don't know what day is the final end.
But I am not extreme conservative environmentalist. Of course our society can live lot longer if we live primitively. But i think no one in the world oppose the creation of usable tools by genius like computers as it greatly improve our quality of life (though the creation of computers in many ways degrade our environment quality). Since the start of civilization / agriculture (burn the forest and start plant crops), we were already "degrading" the nature. It's unnatural for mankind to sit back there and live life primitively. Mankind will never be satisfied and is always looking for ways to improve life, to chase after the maximum pleasure and joy they can have. Hence to call for environment protection is not to go back to ancient times but try to extend the period of our survival as a whole.
So, it's not saying our effort to save the world is useless, it does help to extend period of civilization...but in the end, it will still come to and total annihilation...no matter what and how. A very pessimistic way of thinking perhaps, but I just can't imagine how our civilization will last long. But that's not the end of the world right? Perhaps in the future far away from now, there will be another species more intelligent than us. We will be their "lost civilization" as what "Atlantis" appears to us. Or maybe the extinct species of dinosaur. Who knows? But we were once humans, a very intelligent species in the world that can create magnificent tools, arts and "magic".
湖弧荡，影映禅
