Thought I’d clarify because I found, looking at the stats, some previous posts were read thousands of times.
Call it frustration, a sense that things are becoming hopeless. I struggle to find any positive signs that the numerous problems the world faces today are being taken seriously. Never in the history of our species has it been more important that we work collaboratively on a threat that faces not just humans but all life on this planet. Unity is the key to success. We unite, or we perish, as UN boss Antonio Guterres said a few COPs ago.
Take a look around the world today: is there any sign of a collective agreement that we have a problem and that it must be solved as quickly as possible? The world’s second biggest polluter has withdrawn from all efforts to limit emissions and called the whole thing a hoax. Trump didn’t become president by accident; he was elected by people who are either stupid and ignorant or love their bank account more than their descendants. I’m not singling out US citizens; many other nations prioritise wealth over love for their descendants.
Unity? How many conflicts are happening as you read this? According to the UPPSALA Conflict Data Program, there were 61 active state-based armed conflicts worldwide in 2024. Numbers probably not settled upon for 2025. That’s between states, meaning it excludes things like domestic conflicts, which are not limited to civil wars, and tribal warfare, such as one religious group against another, think Northern Ireland during the so-called troubles. Tribal warfare.
Domestic conflicts in Western nations take other forms, such as gender war, sexual orientation, migration, economic injustice, and now, politics, swelling the ranks of the extremes. You don’t have to be a genius to figure out that all this can only end in disaster. As Professor David Suzuki said, it is too late, but now we decide what to do about it.
I can’t think of a realistic solution, I can’t stop Putin from pounding Ukraine, nor Netanyahu from killing Palestinian babies, nor can I stop people from buying vehicles based on the badge on the bonnet, nor can I stop people from flying the family to Disneyland for a ‘selfie’ with Mickey Mouse. Disneyland – now that’s an interesting place. Baudrillard wrote that it exists to hide the fact that the entire United States is Disneyland, and you could today say, the world is Disneyland. So, I step back and have a think about things. For the kids, we can’t just give up.