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StumbleLETTER TO THE EDITOR:
Greed will lead human race to destruction
Monday, Aug. 9, 2010 | 2:01 a.m.
The human species throughout its existence has moved from one place to another. Why? When settled in an area for any length of time, humans would use all the resources, pollute that space and move on.
Now that we have technology that can drill, explode and destroy the environment faster, we are running out of livable space. The phrase “take care of the planet” is misguided. The planet will be fine and heal; it is man who will vanish.
Stephen Hawking, the physicist, recently told the website Big Think that “we are entering an increasingly dangerous period in our history.”
Hawking noted that “there have been a number of times in the past when survival has been a question of touch and go,” such as the Cuban Missile Crisis, and the frequency of such occasions “is likely to increase in the future.”
Andrew Dermont of Big Think writes that “the planet is heating up, Earth’s population is expanding at an exponential rate, and the natural resources vital to our survival are running out faster than we can replace them with sustainable alternatives.”
“I believe that the long-term future of the human race must be in space,” Hawking told Big Think.
But if we develop the technology for space travel, we will do the same to that environment, until we learn not to. Man will become extinct due to his greed.
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Speaking of environmental disaster....
In southern Arizona, you can see miles and miles of the wash areas with tons of trash. One wash just south of Tuscon recently was surveyed...it had 5,000 discarded backpacks, countless water bottles, discarded food wrappers, clothing, feces and thousands of soiled diapers. When a flood comes, everything gets swept into the river, then out to sea. That's just a single wash about a mile long. Multiply that by thousands.
Hundreds of footprints can be seen trampled into the fragile desert floor. The once lovely and pristine Sonoran Desert has been turned into a stinking, filthy landfill. Locals grieve to see their quiet, serene and unspeakably beautiful deesert destroyed.
Where are the environmentalists? Is their outrage selective only to the issues that enrich their leaders?
A lesson we will never learn. This goes out to all nations.
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One of the best letters herein I have ever read
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It is factual, well written and informative
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Live Free
We need to find a better balance between rewarding those who truly produce wealth by their innovation and and farsightedness and those in need. As Ghandi said we have penty for our needs, but not enough for our desires.
And yet amazingly we are living longer, wealthier, and living in a more peaceful time than ever before. Hawking, and other star gazers should stick with what they know and leave the prognosticating of doom to the crazy 2012 believers.
Vern, with all due respect to Stephen Hawking, he is wrong, and of course, so are you...
Patrick Gibbons, ugh, I don't even know where to begin. You are one of those who contribute to the problem because you don't have the insight or forward thinking to grasp disaster until it actually happens. Germans should have been able to foresee what Hitler would bring, but they had to play it out. "We're fine today, so that must mean we'll be fine forever." What kind of logic is that? You like statistics: Do you have a clue what the population rate increase is like, and the rate at which natural resources are being used up or polluted? It seems like you must, but if so, are you really that simple-minded that you can't see the logical consequences?
And here's another example: Americans had to play out the Iraq War to see it for what it is: a travesty that has cost billions or trillions for no good reason, that has made the U.S. more hated and less safe, that has cost thousands of innocent Iraqi casualties as well as our American casualties, that has caused massive environmental destruction in Iraq, used a ridiculous number of resources, etc. etc.
Why is it that I, and others, were able to see that logical outcome before it happened, while others could not because they have no insight about the future, yet those who have no insight feel that they're right?
Hey Gunner...what is with the non sequiturs?...kinda harsh on Mr. Gibbons, doncha think?...I am certain he does not need me to defend him, but it is Vern, you, and your ilk "who contribute to the problem because you don't have the insight or forward thinking"...all evidence would indicate I am correct...
...I refute Vern's assertion that 'greed will lead human race to destruction'...however, I do believe that stupidity could lead to the destruction of the human race, as I believe you asserted...examples abound, especially on the pages of the Sun...
Speaking of "stupidity":
When I read the nonsense posted by gogo, jank, purgatory, larryvegas, future, bbbrain and the like, I am reminded of the wisdom of that late, great philosopher ... George Carlin, who said "Just think how stupid the average person is, and then realize that half of them are even stupider!"
It is impossible for Republicans and the fringe right to see "the handwriting on the wall". I've often wondered why they were so wrong about so many issues.
It's finally dawned on me while reading these responses. They lack imagination! Their ideals and beliefs are fixed in stone rendering themselves inflexible. They have always been reactionary and could never see the end game. It's similar to pitting a checker player against a chess player.
Imagination is a quantitative part of problem solving, and the lack of it retards trouble shooting and/or solutions.
Oh my allah...it just came to me...what a revelation!...Vern & Stan are correct...JanK & I are wrong...let's all start building space ships per Stephen Hawkins so that we can be ready to escape the earth before our collective greed destroys the human race...
...guys, that is your proposal?...my oh my...you seem like thoughtful people...why the bizarro behavior?...
Greed has become the root of all evil in the USA led by the Wall St. Ganksters and their marriage to the radical extremist so-called republicans, Fox Fraudcasting-Beck, Hannity, O'Reilly, others, hate radio, that segment of the MSM, and the boot licking wingnut bloggers that just act as a feed.
These "Things" are one ugly propaganda machine that spews out lies, even preposterous lies over and over trying to brainwash the American citizenry.
Now we come to the Brownshirt criminals and thugs that intimidate, beat up, and even inspire murder. These are vermin like "potty mouthed" Andrew Breitbart and others that are the equivalent of the Watergate burglars/Plumbers and the "Rat F"""""s, who do the dirty tricks.
Be on the alert, keep those Democratic eyes open whether you are a Traditional Republican, an Independent, a Democrat, or others.
The Constitution, the Bill of Rights, our Rule of Law are at stake here from those that want to annihilate America.
Meh. God has a plan. The Bible says we'll all be OK as long as we believe, so what's the worry?
God put everything on this planet for us to use as we see fit (except things like our reproductive organs and a strange selection of assorted plants that have been known to make people happy) so we're just following God's plan. Also, we're told to be fruitful and the exponential growth of the human race, therefore, is just one more example of us doing His bidding. (Also, because we are all children of God and therefore not animals, there is no reason to think that the same problems that befall an animal population that grows too large will befall us, too).
Now, if it ever turns out that the Bible was written by men with an interest in controlling the population to aid them in realizing their own personal goals, aims and aspirations, then we're totally screwed, but certainly no one would ever make such an assertion because there are no historical examples of people using religion for anything other than altruistic reasons.
Rusty Shackleford, There is quite a leap from believing and knowing. I have known religious people that would argue they know there is a God. It is not they believe, it is that they want to believe.
Christianity is rightly made for the Hypocrite that uses religion as a crutch, Within Hypocrisy just about anything can be justified and forgiven.
Kings, Emperors, the rich and very rich are amoral but they want the masses to have a religion to keep them turning that cheek and on their knees worshiping them but not really worshiping God.
Gunnowner,
Funny, that is what I say about the political left. They (meaning people like you) embrace the very policies which retard economic growth and innovation needed to solve current and future crisis. They attack the science that brings us food and medicine and the very engines of our economy that allow billions of people to live in great amounts of wealth never before seen in human history.
In other words, left-wing economic policies are self fulfilling prophecies - they lead to all sorts of destruction they try so very hard to avoid.
Great lampoon posting Rusty .. hehe.
VidiVeritas - "Christianity is rightly made for the Hypocrite that uses religion as a crutch"
I would apply that statement to just about all organized religion.
PRG, The boy who thinks he is the master of deceit and deception is only fooling himself. He would not last a second in the land of "Smoky Mirrors."
As we speak, Russia is burning to the ground,
with the worst fires and heat in history.
In the last few days huge floods are killing
people world wide.
Ignorant republicans say nothing is going on.
Take off your blinders, republicans.