Humankind is falling apart

[warrior1]

Because of hate, greed and intolerance.

We don't deserve this planet.

[shenmue]

1. I agree

[arcane1]

2. And we definitely don't deserve another planet n/t

[G_j]

3. A word from Howard Zinn,

"To be hopeful in bad times is not just foolishly romantic. It is based on the fact that human history is a history not only of cruelty, but also of compassion, sacrifice, courage, kindness.

What we choose to emphasize in this complex history will determine our lives. If we see only the worst, it destroys our capacity to do something. If we remember those times and places—and there are so many—where people have behaved magnificently, this gives us the energy to act, and at least the possibility of sending this spinning top of a world in a different direction.

And if we do act, in however small a way, we don’t have to wait for some grand utopian future. The future is an infinite succession of presents, and to live now as we think human beings should live, in defiance of all that is bad around us, is itself a marvelous victory."

— Howard Zinn

[el_bryanto]

5. Wise words. nt

[BootinUp]

7. Those are very good ones. nt

[Uncle Joe]

22. That's a great post, G_j.

[G_j]

23. thank you, Uncle Joe

your respect toward others here is so valuable. You go out of your way to acknowledge people's contributions. It is really good to have you here. I hope we all take something from the simple act of just saying thank you to people for their efforts. It doesn't go unnoticed. Thank You!

[Uncle Joe]

24. The pleasure is all mine.

Peace to you, G_j.

[Anansi1171]

29. Speechless!-nt

[aint_no_life_nowhere]

4. And they're taking a lot of the ecosystem and wildlife with them

I hate to think what the world will look like in a couple hundred years.

[madville]

6. I tend to be more positive

With medical technology, historically low crime rates, safety advances, and all the new technology around us I think we are living in some of the best times the US has ever seen.

I hate it when people lament for the "good 'ole days" when times were more simple. From what I've seen those old times sucked pretty bad compared to today.

I'm excited for what the future will bring, even if it's somewhat unknown, it's such a waste to be miserable I just won't do it.

[MineralMan]

8. Speak only for youself, please.

[cali]

9. and that is what he/she was clearly doing, MM

[MineralMan]

10. Hi, there...

[woo me with science]

13. Did you see your name on that post? nt

[cali]

11. Humankind is always falling apart. I had a classics prof once who

said that she believed the only thing keeping us from plunging into complete chaos was some anchorite praying in isolation on some windswept hilltop.

She was NOT being literal, of course.

[cyberswede]

12. Here's a picture to cheer you...

Whenever despair sets in, think about babies and kittens.


Or puppies and babies.


Or kittens and puppies:

[ancianita]

19. Yes. When we think humanity fits one narrative or level, babies of any species provide balance.

[gordianot]

28. We are the last human species to survive dogs helped us hunt cats killed vermin that carried disease

We evolved and continue to evolve together. Humans, dogs, cats are forever linked for better or worse this planet produced us.

[longship]

30. Have a gorilla.

[Humanist_Activist]

14. Compared to when? We are certainly better than our ancestors...

we are, in general, less violent, less intolerant, and more...developed ethically than at any time in the past.

Its extremely uneven, generally because ethics hasn't progressed universally, but in much of both the developed and developing world, humanity is better at treating each other with more empathy. We are even beginning to expand this empathy to other species, creating, in the future, a true global society.

We have plenty of challenges to face, but, and this is key, they are solvable. Don't fall into misanthropy.

[Phlem]

15. And, as someone has already said, the extreme lack of empathy.

Business and corporations don't run on empathy, squeezing the middle down to the poor does not promote empathy, the theater of war is always present and extremely lacking of empathy, and all of this has been done to all the people in the world. We do not breed empathy, it's considered a weakness, especially in the hypocritical Bible.

I remember a Thom Hartman segment where he said, "Corporations were first allowed if they benefited the people".

My how far we have come.

[Tetris_Iguana]

16. I think it's just par for the course

until some man made disaster destroys us all. Probably mixture of nuclear holocaust and superbugs.

[rustydog]

17. But haven't people always been this way? Falling apart, we as a species were never together really

Do we hope that as an animal species, we can survive long enough to evolve into a brighter, loving being? At the rate we are destroying the planet, it does not look too good.

Mankind, as a whole, is terribly hateful, violent, vengeful (sheezzz, we even have a Vengeful, but loving, God!, Just say you're sorry and you get to go to heaven!!! Unless you are Gay, God hates Gays!

We, a Christian nation, have the death penalty. And we, as a Christian nation have executed innocent people and continue to do so.
We as a Christian nation have homeless children in numbers that may rival the great depression...and Republicans and their ilk call these less fortunate "users, a drain on our nation" We as a Christian nation want to make "Welfare Recipients pee in bottles before they get their FREE Cadillac-buying money!

We, as a Christian nation, in our horrendously ignorant right-wing fed hatred, protested busloads of CHILDREN yearning to breathe free.

"..Keep, ancient lands, your storied pomp!" cries she
With silent lips. "Give me your tired, your poor,
Your huddled masses yearning to breathe free,
The wretched refuse of your teeming shore.
Send these, the homeless, tempest-tost to me,
I lift my lamp beside the golden door!" Unless you're Mexican...

We aren't falling apart, we were never together. Ever. isn't it sad? We as a species are so darned intelligent. We wiped out diseases, we went to the moon (maybe) we can communicate with people on the other side of the world in seconds on the computer or phone...We can wipe out hunger, but hunger is such a great weapon...

If there is a God, he sure chooses poor representatives on earth. And he allows them to screw us on a daily basis with hatred, bigotry and greed that would make threading a needle with a camel child's play.

[tabasco]

18. Overpopulation

is the main problem.

[RobertEarl]

20. "See that button, Mr. President?"

"What, this button?"

"Yes, sir, that red button there that says "End it.""

"What's that button do?"

"That button, sir, is the one you push when that is that last thing you want to do."

"You mean like this (just about pushes button)"

"NO, NO, no, sir, please don't play around like that. The Russians haven't launched yet."

"Heh, heh, heh, (smirk)"

********************

That's how far out on the edge we are, folks. Teetering. You know 'smirk' was just dying to push that button.

[Shankapotomus]

21. We deserve this planet

What we don't deserve are those among us committing crimes against the earth and humanity.

[G_j]

25. yes, as much as every life form.

We all do. If we humans could adopt the attitude of basing our decisions on how they will effect seven generations beyond us, or even just our grandchildren, we would be using our brains to survive. The human brain seems to be in serious flux at this point in history.

[Rex]

26. Someone always says that every century.

And somehow we manage to hang on by our fingertips.

[Lint Head]

27. Human kind has a case of the Simpletons. Simple minded people in power.