The Earth, or rather life on Earth, has survived many cataclysmic events and each time (so far) has clawed its way back. The peaks of evolutionary complexity were crushed and over time new forms evolved to take their place – not better but different. We are the present calamity as we destroy the life around us and bring in the biggest wave of extinctions since the last asteroid hit. Already in my lifetime the changes have been dramatic. In my own backyard hedgehogs are a rarity, honey bees absent, few butterflies frolic on the flowers, slowworms, lizards and grass snakes are almost never seen and the streams are devoid of darting sticklebacks. The joys of my youth have vanished.
It saddens me. But I know things will recover.
When we are gone life will return, though it will, I fear, be far too late for so many. Many of our most extraordinary will be gone forever.
Over long periods of time, millennia, new forms of complex life will evolve. Maybe we will even see intelligence evolve again? Maybe not? Whatever evolves will not be predictable and neither will it inevitably be an improvement on what we have now. But the planet will recover. I do not think we are yet capable of destroying all life – just the more complex forms.
I look ahead to those distant times with a modicum of hope. Perhaps in a few million years time the planet will have recovered from our outrages and be vibrant with complex life again? I hope so. And I hope those new forms will prove as wonderful as the variety we now have all around us. But there are no guarantees when dealing with the chance and luck of evolution.
That hope for the future does not prevent me from mourning the demise of the creatures that once teemed over our green jewel of a planet. I mourn for the tiger, elephant, rhino and gorilla, the frog, newt and bee, the butterfly, stickleback and chimpanzee and the hundreds of thousands of other species that we are presently mindlessly destroying.
I mourn. Even my hope for the future fails to raise my spirits. We had so much and we are carelessly throwing it away, discarding living creatures like trash.
You never know what you have until its gone don’t they say.
Too true – and it’s going fast Anna.
Our evolution has been cultural ever since we started wearing animal skins and the question is, will even that be quick enough to adapt in time and save us … 🙁
It has to doesn’t it? There isn’t any choice. If we don’t act now we lose everything.
As the Aussies say, too right!
Bonza Dave.
Unfortunately, not a lot of people appreciate what they have.
You’re right Pooj – they take it all for granted.
Yes they do and it’s so sad!
So we have to change that. How’s college?
Yes we do! It’s very interesting and I am loving the subjects I took! We are learning about John Hick’s ‘The Problem Of Evil’ and it’s very interesting. And Pascal’s Wager although I strongly disagree.
Learning things is very fulfilling. It is what we do best.
Yeah and I like arguing like you do so the seminars are fun!
Argument is good!!
My niece is really depressed about all this. She saw a psychologist for the first time yesterday. I told her she has to remember that these things have been happening to the earth forever but we just didn’t know a lot about it. It’s impossible to be innocent now with social media. I’m worrying about her…
It depresses me too Cheryl. I see the changes and read a lot. It is dire. We are making such a mess of things.
A requiem for the planet. In the 60s and 70s we thought we could fix it. In the 80s and 90s we recognized it not so easy a task, and now we realize it’s out of control. Mother Earth is angry as hell and she’s letting us know.
I kinda wish she’d get the job done before we mess the place up permanently.
Today is the day Planet X, or Niburu, would collide with Earth. I found myself wishing it. But there’s hope for this place yet, we just have to ride it out. Of course, older ones might not enjoy the discomfort that comes with the changes that need to happen.
There certainly seems to be some changes needed – as Neil Young said – Mother Nature’s on the run.
I see the earth and its people on a downward trajectory. But I choose to believe that we can limit the damage to the planet, that we can start living cooperatively and not competitively, and see the human race continue. I choose to believe this, and I am gathering people and ideas and technologies that support this idea. My inspiration is twelve step fellowships…two drunks talked to each other in 1935, and millions have totally changed their lives.
Victoria – I choose to believe that too. I choose cooperation.
Who were the two drunks? Is that AA?
yes, and AA has become a great force for good
I can well understand that. Alcoholism is a pernicious addiction.