Random Thoughts on a Winter Day

  1. Watching a certain “financial celebrity” talk about the danger of less population for civilization, I am reminded that money doesn’t mean a person is wiser than others.
    Overall, only a tiny percent of humans contribute to progress, and this has always been the case- so what we need is not more humans, but better education, equality of opportunity and a more level income spread for the people who are already here- too many bright minds are being starved to death due to poverty, or never get an opportunity to do anything with their minds- maybe if we invested more money into the people instead of into politics, wars, and the wealthiest bank accounts of a few hundred thousand global wealthy, the already existing would create a better civilization.
    With the long term impact of global warming on the land, food and water resources, we don’t need more babies- we need better for those already here and a plan for what comes next for the already existing (and not just humans- stopping the sixth extinction and ITS impact on entire ecosystems is going to be a big issue soon, as well).
    Resources are finite, yet the ownership of those resources- land, food production, water- is moving into fewer and fewer hands.
    The income gap is creating a widening poverty group… and hungry people are not inclined to bother worrying about political and corporate shenanigans…so the temptation towards corruption and a weakening moral compass increases.
    Quality over quantity- 12 billion starving with 500000 families owning the world is not a solution to our civilization surviving…. having better education for all, equality of opportunity/resources for all, is a better idea than a world of 12 billion starving, ignorant, cringing, suffering from hunger…while a few others have more luxury than even the Kings of ancient Persia and Egypt enjoyed.
    I think the certain people have a skewed vision of what constitutes civilization.

    2) I think we all need to remember that there is a difference about a difference of opinion that does not harm/oppress/persecute/endanger/kill another person and a difference of opinion when it comes to the best truck to drive, the best way to approach general economics, the best place to put in a new road or how big a school playing field should be- but now, politicians and pundits with private agendas have put the focus of opinion-making on social issues and ignorance versus expertise and that is where the danger of opinion as community policy lies.
    The truth is, there will always be racists, misogynists, religious fanatics, sociopaths, the scientifically illiterate, the conspiracy theorists, the zealous , the cruel, the abusers and users in every community- the trick is to not give them power and control, or let them dominate every issue… because in doing so, the people that used to represent a small percent of the fringe on issues will begin to intimidate/brainwash/trick/manipulate others into believing the nonsense.
    So find a rational, reasonable position to take and opinion to express on every issue, find your allies on those issues (whether male/female/young/old/Dem/Repub/Socialist/Libertarian/what have you, and join that ally to both present the fact/science-based reasons you have the opinion and rebut opinions based on fear/hate/ignorance/spite.
    I know there are times in every town when certain ideological groups move in and try to take over, I recognize that there are times people find an issue they can ride to a populist leadership- but usually, balance returns and eventually, the exploiters/panderers/populists/etc go back into the woodwork and things start to get better again.
    But it gets harder to rely on that when fringe voters now dominate the public discourse and political candidates of the worst sort are gaining ground by pandering to the worst in people. I suppose each person has to look at each other and ask “Do I know the character of this person and how they treat other people, both those they agree with and those they don’t; both those they like and those they don’t? Are they kind? Are they honest? Would I trust them if my life depended on it? How can I discover what their character is?” and go from there.
    Time will be the judge, tomorrow’s people will be the jury and we will all know if the decision- guilty or acquittal- was correct.