Sustainable Society?

SUSTAINABLE SOCIETY?

Imagine the kinds of changes that need to be made to put a stop to the constant destruction of our environment. Pollution-free power generation would be a reasonable start. Limiting urban traffic to Public Transit or electric “smart cars” between 6 AM and 6PM would not only cut greenhouse emissions in half, but would double the capacity of existing roads and bridges. We could create a “no-fly” zone over the entire country (except for emergencies), ending the thick jet trails across the clear blue sky in the name of travel vacations. We could prevent more oil spills by refusing to allow oil tankers to sail across the oceans. To put it plainly, a “sustainable society” cannot continue to devour nature’s resources at an ever-increasing rate, turning our world into a barren and desolate garbage dump in the quest for a “higher standard” of living. But even if we stopped the destruction of the “rain forests”, abolished raw sewage, and found safe disposal for chemical and nuclear waste, we wouldn’t have a “sustainable society”.

Although pollution is a serious issue, the real destruction of society comes from inner decay. While disrespect for nature has obvious consequences, our total disregard for fellow human beings threatens the very existence of society itself. Why is it so hard to empathize with the suffering of others around the world? Farmers in North America are not that much different than farmers in China, Europe or the Middle East. Carpenters and laborers work to build bridges and homes in every corner of the planet. Every child needs food, water and shelter no matter where they are born. How can we justify threatening ordinary people in other countries by sending heavily armed troops instead of offering help? The answer is simple - our minds have been poisoned by propaganda and bigotry, and our thinking has become dazed and confused by the power of mass media.

From the dawn of time, con artists calling themselves “experts”, “leaders”, and “teachers”, have basked in popular attention as they spread wild speculations and ignorant ravings across the globe. This is the major threat to a “sustainable society” – the insidious pollution of our hearts towards others. I believe that the current spin and rhetoric of  mainstream media is the most toxic form of waste, and that human governments cannot continue to encourage the mass production and sales of deadly weapons, threatening to drop bombs and kill people for “world peace”. It’s a no-brainer.