The other evening while engaging in the primary American male pastime, channel surfing, a show appeared that predicted the future for humankind. I watched for a while but personally find future prognostication a useless science as experts on any topic are usually on target about as much as throwing darts blindly. But when you see the numbers and uses of material earth in order to support an economic structure that only survives on growth you have to think a bit. Peter Singer offends some people as he thinks at the extremes, but the question is interesting and as a grandpa I hope life and the earth remain the joy it has been for us.
If you want an amazing view of nature I strongly suggest 'Planet Earth.' It is simply the best nature documentary, take some time this summer and see it.
By Peter Singer
"Have you ever thought about whether to have a child? If so, what factors entered into your decision? Was it whether having children would be good for you, your partner and others close to the possible child, such as children you may already have, or perhaps your parents? For most people contemplating reproduction, those are the dominant questions. Some may also think about the desirability of adding to the strain that the nearly seven billion people already here are putting on our planet’s environment. But very few ask whether coming into existence is a good thing for the child itself."
http://opinionator.blogs.nytimes.com/2010/06/06/should-this-be-the-last-generation/
http://opinionator.blogs.nytimes.com/2010/06/16/last-generation-a-response/
"A human being is part of the whole called by us universe, a part limited in time and space. We experience ourselves, our thoughts and feelings as something separate from the rest. A kind of optical delusion of consciousness. This delusion is a kind of prison for us, restricting us to our personal desires and to affection for a few persons nearest to us. Our task must be to free ourselves from the prison by widening our circle of compassion to embrace all living creatures and the whole of nature in its beauty. The true value of a human being is determined by the measure and the sense in which they have obtained liberation from the self. We shall require a substantially new manner of thinking if humanity is to survive." Albert Einstein
If you want an amazing view of nature I strongly suggest 'Planet Earth.' It is simply the best nature documentary, take some time this summer and see it.
By Peter Singer
"Have you ever thought about whether to have a child? If so, what factors entered into your decision? Was it whether having children would be good for you, your partner and others close to the possible child, such as children you may already have, or perhaps your parents? For most people contemplating reproduction, those are the dominant questions. Some may also think about the desirability of adding to the strain that the nearly seven billion people already here are putting on our planet’s environment. But very few ask whether coming into existence is a good thing for the child itself."
http://opinionator.blogs.nytimes.com/2010/06/06/should-this-be-the-last-generation/
http://opinionator.blogs.nytimes.com/2010/06/16/last-generation-a-response/
"A human being is part of the whole called by us universe, a part limited in time and space. We experience ourselves, our thoughts and feelings as something separate from the rest. A kind of optical delusion of consciousness. This delusion is a kind of prison for us, restricting us to our personal desires and to affection for a few persons nearest to us. Our task must be to free ourselves from the prison by widening our circle of compassion to embrace all living creatures and the whole of nature in its beauty. The true value of a human being is determined by the measure and the sense in which they have obtained liberation from the self. We shall require a substantially new manner of thinking if humanity is to survive." Albert Einstein
