I remember April 1970, the first "Earth" Day, I was 13. Newsweek and Time magazines ran cover stories on the event. It was a big deal.
But please don't call it that. The Earth couldn't care less if it lost its atmosphere and oceans and all its lifeforms died. It would keep doing it's orbiting rotating thing, blissfully unaware of the day one billion years from now when our Sun blossoms into a red giant star and consumes it.
No, it's "Human Race" Day. A much more accurate description. Us, celebrating us, hoping we don't kill ourselves. And we might.
In April 1970, the Hippies of America, the "Environmentalists", were king. That would end half a month later, and less than a year after Woodstock, in the USA with the shooting deaths of 4 students at Kent State University by the Ohio National Guard. "Flower Power" and the Beatles-esque "Peace and Love" thing are all well and all, until the bullets start flying. The movement died a quick death, but not completely. The attitude remains. I have it. You too?
Currently "Climate Change" is the big issue. Should it be? What about ocean pollution? Well, both of them are problems. So why are they problems? Industrial waste. Why so much waste? Because of Industry. Because people want, and need, "stuff." All 7,000,000,000 of us. So as many see it, the real problem is Overpopulation.
And what's the solution to that?
One solution is we can adopt the People's Republic of China's attitude and make it a law to have one child per couple. Um, I don't think so as it runs up against "Freedom".
I think it's obvious we should start getting serious about colonizing our Solar System, starting with the Moon. Small steps, Elle. We can do this, we have the Engineering (thank you, Science), and we can make the jobs and therefore the money.
What are we waiting for? The next elimination round on American Idol? Is that REALLY important?
Finally, I would rather it be renamed "Humanity" Day, but that would be too accurate.
By calling it Human Race Day, we remind ourselves that racism still exists, and what we need to tell the Racists is: there is only ONE human "race", homo sapiens sapiens, one with incredible diversity, and incredible potential talent, if only we would quit the bullshit and get to know one another as individuals and ... get along.
And maybe that's the bigger problem.
But we're human. We can solve both problems, one step at a time.
Hopefully, in unison.
Hasta va vista, and for my Christian friends and families, Happy Good Friday.
Love and peace always,
Steve Colyer at http://tetrahedral.blogspot.com/
April 22, 2011
Human Race Day
P.S. feel free to pass this around.
Now you talk sense.
ReplyDeleteHumanity party? Now!
Humans forget that we are the same as our environment, the same atoms and molecules. We eat and drink them, take them through air and skin. We cannot avoid that. Look at what your body is made of, see you around on the environment. Scaring?
Yes, scaring. And thank you, Ulla. Your weblog Zone-Reflex is one of the oldest on my feeds. I may not always agree with you, but you have given me what I consider to be the greatest gift any human can give another, which is to make them THINK ! I mean, I was already thinking outside the box (with one foot in), and you've added to that, so thanks again.
ReplyDeleteAdded a link to Ted Danson's Oceana.
ReplyDeleteThanks to John Rizzo of Virginia by way of Maine and Pennsylvania, for helping me revise the paragraph on "Climate change."
ReplyDeleteHi Steven,
ReplyDeletePerhaps the earth doesn’t care if we exist and then again the cosmos could, as it might become a lonelier place without us.
“For we are the local embodiment of a Cosmos grown to self-awareness. We have begun to contemplate our origins; starstuff pondering the stars; organizing assemblages of ten billion billion billion atoms considering the evolution of atoms; tracing the long journey by which, here at least, consciousness arose. Our loyalties are to the species and the planet. We speak for earth. Our obligation to survive is owed not just to ourselves but also to that Cosmos, ancient and vast, from which we sprang.”
-Carl Sagan, “Cosmos”
Best,
Phil
I'm not sure the Cosmos cares either, in fact I'm leaning toward: doesn't, but that's one of those big metaphysical "I'll never know before I die, or probably not" things, with me. My concern, immediate and otherwise, is what to do with the world today as we know it, and leave the bigger questions up to Philosophizers such as yourself, poets, and the likes of Carl Sagan, and whatever he was smoking when he said that. ;-) Nice Carl quote btw, thanks.
ReplyDeleteWOW, thanks. That was nice said. Usually folks are angry at me :)
ReplyDeleteI like to give gifts :)
Usually people think in an inverse way, so the result is opposite to reality. If you turn your question upside down, maybe you see clearer? I learned that from psychology, actually.
Biology is a big anomaly, says Matti, and I see what he means. So many wrong assumptions.
I am also convinced that if we take the biology as an reality and tries to explain its physic, we also get rid of many wrong ideas in physics. There are too many wild ideas. It takes an eternity to learn them all :(
I can only feel comfort with the thought that neither do physicists know everything. They are not at all so clever as they seem when they use so many 'magic' signs. Peculiar figures etc.
They may get mad at you for promoting theories generally considered "crackpot." I see you as a fellow "wonderer."
ReplyDeleteIn any event, since you're a biologist and I'm not, but I like Fractals, I put up a bit of the old introduction in my latest post, Fractals and Human Biology.
Maybe the general scientist is wrong?
ReplyDeleteI have tried to examine the claims of TGD, although I am no math people, and I have found nothing wrong. Yes, one thing was wrong, emotions, but them he has changed now.
Although his model in biology is very simple, it actually fits almost every situation. The hard thing is to make a sufficiently basic theory out of that complexity. And to tie living things to ordinary matter.
To look at anomalies and paranormals is actually a good idea, because, if you can get them fit into the model it is great, and a real step forward.
Bad theories instead creates anomalies and fundamental 'constants'.
I would really want to know WHAT physicists think is wrong with TGD. As the situation is now it is a fight with windmills. Very frustrating.
The best way to promote a theory to the experts in any field, is to be one of them yourself, but even that is no guarantee of success. Plenty of PhD's in Physics argue with each other. This is why i like mathematics more. A theorem, unlike a scientific theory, is indisputable. It is what it is. No argument. Mathematicians are a friendlier bunch, I simply prefer their company more.
ReplyDeleteOK Ulla, I haven't seen Matti's theory in a year and a half, pls link it again and I'll have a go at it. But be warned, if it is put through the wringer that is John Baez' The Crackpot Index and doesn't get a perfect score of minus five, it will be shunned.
I don't like crackpot indexes of any sort. To categorize theories into boxes has only one reason. Either you admit you cannot understand, or you don't want to understand.
ReplyDeleteI agree with you there are hopelessly many theories, and the necessary discussion between them is filled with arrogancy.
One thing is difficult with TGD, it is SO COMPLEX. But that is also its strength. You can look at it from many viewpoints, and still come to the same solution. They try to joke that TGD has any solution AFTER it has been found, but it actually also PREDICT many things, that not many theories can do. And reality IS complex.
I would need an evaluation of its math. Especially the new U-matrix.
http://matpitka.blogspot.com/
There are links also to his homepage.
His view is very much like Neil Bates :)
I know it would be better to be one of you, but I am not, and there is nothing to do at it any more. Sorry. I am the one I am. Certainly a bit crazy :)
Matti wrote a nice comment at Bee's "BackReAction" weblog yesterday. Did you read it, Ulla. :)
ReplyDeleteNo, sad for that, because now I can't find it. Maybe deleted? But why, if it was nice?
ReplyDeleteBee almost never deletes anything unless it tries to sell someone's theory, then she publicly chastises them and asks them not to do it again.
ReplyDeleteThe link is here. Go to the very bottom of the replies.
Matti thinks so high of Lubos, that this banning feels very much.
ReplyDeleteI seldom read his blog nowadays. It is not worth it. Lubos really turns to a frantic madman at the computer, the difference is only that he does it with his own name. He is burning his own bridges.
Not even for the entertainment. I feel sick when I look at it.