Where will the drive to modify our behaviour come from? The young generation will have no mercy for us that just keep going blindfolded forward. The new generation will have a collective and collaborative mindset and will initially be regarded as a threat to the established, older part of the population. We who do nothing but look after our selfish needs.
The young generation are the ones who will push through the changes in behavior that are necessary if we are to have a place for all the inhabitants of the earth in the future. All inhabitants are equal to all living things and resources. Someone's freedom is total as long as it does not affect someone else's equal freedom.
Growth is the key word for society at the moment. Without growth, society cannot develop further. In my opinion, this is a truth that needs a lot of modification. Growth cannot happen at the expense of us draining all raw materials and eradicate all other living things. It needs to be based partly on the fact that we do not consume more than what the planet can reproduce within the course of a year, and partly we need to use our resources in a much smarter way than we do today.
A lot of people just steam along in the same old habitual rut. Change is hard and I want that thing or that job so that I get a higher salary, let me do the change later, is the mantra of today. Status is important, so this overexploitation and protection of the environment will have to wait. We'll deal with it then, besides, the effects won't have time to kick in during my lifetime.
If everyone thinks so, it will be our children, grandchildren and their children who will have to suffer the consequences of our actions and our satisfaction of our convenience. Too bad for them.
Several questions bubble to the surface based on the above. One is that we need to think through how we can use our resources in a much smarter way than today. Part of this can certainly be handled through new technological solutions, several of which already exist but need political support to be realised. This is where Artificial Intelligence comes in with great force and new solutions that we haven't even thought about will be generated.
Another effect of AI is that many jobs will be taken over or become fundamentally changed. This in itself means that we humans need to think through how we will get our income in the future. However, it is not only AI that requires us to start doing things in different ways than we do today. If we are to get down to what a globe can produce in a year, we need to change many things in the way we live.
Does it mean that we have to stop doing everything that we are used to? Wouldn't believe that, but we need to make conscious decisions about everything we do, and take the big picture into account when we make decisions that affect others. We can always just press a button on a computer, tablet or phone and order something that is with us the next day or a day later. Can't we wait a day or two, or even an extra week or two. This makes it possible for some goods to be produced only after ordering and does not need to be kept in stock for immediate delivery. Of course, there are some goods that need to be available at very short notice, but this does not apply to most goods.
A perspective that is missing today is the effect that our actions have on our future generations. If you were to think through the time aspect compared to planting an acorn, that has only become a fully grown tree many generations later. The one who planted knows that there can be no return from this action in this persons own lifetime. In the same way, we need to think through what effects our actions have on our future generations.
If we want our children, their children and their children well, it is not okay for us to continue as we are doing. They will sit with unwanted consequences and be forced to deal with things and deteriorating living conditions for generations to come. Actually, it doesn't feel like we have their best interests at heart, but more our own selfish motives.
Who will then push through the necessary changes in our societies and our social economy? It doesn't seem to be the ruling middle-aged or older part of the population because, on the whole, we are making insufficient efforts. In my opinion, women will be the strong driving force. The lot falls on the younger ones, our youth and our children who have the ability to be empathetic with all living things. They have a different condition than the rest of us and they will take command pretty soon. The rest of us have the opportunity to become part of the interaction that is required, or to end up on the substitute's bench.
Sometimes it sounds like our politicians just talk and that there is no action. This is not a completely incorrect statement, but it does not absolve us as individuals from our responsibility. Partly to do something directly, but also to influence our politicians to exchange words for action. Force our decision makers to spend time into places where the impact of our current behavior has dramatic impact. First hand impressions beat most written papers.
We all have decisions to make, do we want to be in the winning or losing team?
Be conscious!
Ulf