We Need a Revolution Enhanced by Evolution
It’s Time for Radical Change
The U.S. isn’t the only country experiencing high temperatures before summer begins. Much of Europe is in the grips of a heatwave. In India, birds fell from the sky due to heat and exhaustion.
When life gets hard, Americans often blame the infamous THEY.
Conspiracy theories flourished during the height of the COVID pandemic, for example. The same thing happened during the last presidential election. The current shortages of goods and the soaring gas prices only increase the hysteria. Never mind that the entire world is facing the same challenges. Americans believe they are the chosen people of the Christian god, so ultimately everything is about them.
Climate change is a topic that triggers denial in Americans.
Those who refuse to take note of the rise in catastrophic weather events resort to finding ways to explain away scientific warnings and recommendations. The rational part of our brains takes a back seat to the wishful thinking part.
Nothing is done about this growing problem because we prefer to pretend there is no problem.
Recently, my sister asked if I thought the U.S. was getting harder hit than other countries by climate change. With drought, fires, floods, and severe weather dominating the news, are Americans getting the lion’s share of bad luck?
I had to remind her about the fires in Australia and Brazil.
The floods in Germany. The unprecedented early arrival of heat waves all across Europe. The melting of ice much farther north. The intense heat in Canada and India.
After I jogged her memory, she relaxed a bit.
No one is getting a get-out-of-jail-free card these days. Look around you. Our choices of weather events seem to be limited to either drought or flooding. What happened to soft, soaking summer rains and beautiful sunny days? I want more of that.
It’s getting dicey out there. Haven’t you noticed? The repairs alone are breaking the budget.
Humans need to cooperate rather than compete. We have so many BIG world problems affecting us that it makes no sense to fight like our ancestors. There’s no place to go where we won’t bump into each other. The planet has shrunk with overpopulation. It’s time to try something new.
Working together for the good of all needs to become the new normal.
I know it’s probably a pipe dream of mine. I’m asking far too much of human beings. Yet, I’m convinced this is the only way to evolve further as a species.
America, you need to realize that you aren’t being singled out.
Why not reign in your fear and sense of privilege and focus on world problems. No, we’re not the center of the universe. Yes, everyone was affected by the pandemic. Nobody else cared about our last election.
The whole world is suffering from the ravages of climate change.
The future is precarious not just for America but for all living creatures. Leadership is needed more than ever, but it can’t be the old values of past generations.
We need a revolution based on evolution.
Teresa Roberts is a retired educator, author, world traveler, and professional myth buster.
