… throw yourself off a cliff then start trying to grow
wings on the way down?
Would you step blindly into the path of a three lane
highway on the basis that you have some headache pills in your pocket?
Would you punch your neighbour because he is smaller than you
and has something you want and then be surprised if he takes every opportunity
to try to get his own back?
Would you burn down the house you live in because you want
heat and light right NOW?
Would you poison all the children in your local park
because there is financial gain to be made from the land?
And finally, if the children in the next street were suffering,
would you ignore their plight and go shopping for a new handbag?
OK – I know this sounds like one of those warning ads about
pirated DVDs but this is exactly how the
human race is living right now.
Whether it’s the environment, war and conflict, the global
economy or personal health and wellbeing, we are being totally idiotically
crazy.
Scientists, commercialists and politicians like rushing
forward with plans for how we can ‘manage’ situations, ‘limit’ damage, ‘offset’
(for example) environmental harm. They are indignant when, during
wars, one side or another does not play by the rules i.e. killing people in a way
not approved by the UN (see blog 43. Killing
them Softly). No one in a real position of power is yelling out the
unpalatable reality – no one with clout in the mainstream is pointing out that
the emperor isn’t wearing any clothes. No one with moral command is speaking
truth to power - we have to STOP.
PREVENTION IS THE ONLY CURE.
And we are doing the most fantastic job of fiddling while
Rome burns.
The UK is a perfect example of this mentality. At a time
when international conflicts are decimating civilian populations, the world is
on the tipping point of environmental devastation, economic implosion and catastrophic
global health crises are threatening civilisation, we were launched into Brexit.
Brexit is political spaghetti which will muddle the
national energy, possibly for decades. And the so-called opposition here are
playing at a kind of politics that would embarrass immature 12-year-olds. (Apologies
to all 12-year-olds).
Globally it is estimated that 33% of all cancers and
childhood diseases are now linked to environmental pollution factors. Here in
Britain a report released this year, headed by The Royal College of Physicians
estimates that air pollution alone is causing 40,000 premature deaths. And yet
hopes for economic recovery are being firmly placed on that most powerful of
carcinogens, Consumer Spending – buying crap.
In the UK, as with many developed countries there is an energetic and
admirable focus on finding cures for major diseases. And humans are actually
great at being brave in the face of adversity. Sadly, they are also great at
being deluded, irrational and believing what suits them.
Prevention is kind of boring. Moderation is a real yawn. Stopping
something happening – as any Hollywood action movie will demonstrate – is never
as exciting or motivating as fighting something that has happened or is about
to.
With regard to health, the idea that we can rely entirely on
drugs is bonkers. We still haven’t found a cure for the common cold.
It’s also important to remember that drug production – like
a lot of everything else in this mixed-up world, is motivated by profit – which
is why we have Viagra but no cover-all cure for malaria (see blog 97.) And if
you think drugs are going to come along in time to save us from all the
illnesses and diseases mankind is brewing through self-destructive behaviour, try
blog 54. Glaxo Smith-Kline is not the
answer. We Are and get real.
We are told that genetically modified crops are the answer
to the world’s food shortage. The fact is that there is currently enough food
on the planet for everyone but it is not distributed fairly. So how would more
ownership of food production by multi-national companies help? Here’s another
idea, what about growing food rather than, for example, tobacco.
We cannot simply medicalise our way out of cancers and
diabetes we have to keep people healthy by providing good food not adulterated
by manufacturers. We need clean air and water not adulterated by the overuse of
diesel and plastics (see blog 194 Beside
myself beside the sea) And we have to stop chucking stuff away just so we
can replace it with a new shiny thingy.
As I outlined in blog 155 – with the world in the state it
is in – spending on a designer handbag (for example) is a sign of failure not
success.
What else can I say – wake up and smell the coffee?
*
And on the positive – remembering there are wonderful
creative folk in the world - I have permission from my good friend Jo Butler to
host this short indie video (No Idea
Complete) on which she did composition and piano. Enjoy
*
I’ll be taking a break next week Tuesday 20th so
help yourself to some posts in the archives. Back again Tuesday 27th.
And please do remember to check out My BOOKS Thank you.