To Question is not to Reject but to Seek to Make Better

To question is not to reject, but to seek to make better, thus I question science, engineering, technology, religion and free market capitalism, noting that:

• Science on the one hand helps us, while at the same time, destroys us; we have not yet acquired the knowledge, the sophistication, and the wisdom to achieve the former without the latter.

• Technology on the one hand helps us, while at the same time, destroys us; we have not yet acquired the knowledge, the sophistication, and the wisdom to achieve the former without the latter.

• Engineering on the one hand helps us, while at the same time, destroys us; we have not yet acquired the knowledge, the sophistication, and the wisdom to achieve the former without the latter.

• Religion on the one hand helps us, while at the same time, destroys us; we have not yet acquired the knowledge, the sophistication, and the wisdom to achieve the former without the latter.

• Free market capitalism on the one hand helps us, while at the same time, destroys us; we have not yet acquired the knowledge, the sophistication, and the wisdom to achieve the former without the latter.

A typical counterargument against all these statements, that would be put forward by those who adhere to the particular dogmas that each of the above gives rise to, is that: “No alternatives are possible for these are the way they are because … and only minor improvements are possible. Therefore I will not discuss this further, as you are obviously lacking in right-mindedness, for mine is the truth.” Or put another way, my mind has closed in on a fixed opinion, and whatever happens, whatever you say, I have no intention of changing this, regardless of the madness that comes forth as a result.

This, I am sure, you will all find of great comfort when you sit among the ruins of your civilisation.

Time to begin to understand the reasons for choosing a mind that has closed in on fixed opinions, and the collective denial that is necessary to maintain this perspective, and to discuss what to do to change science, technology, engineering, religion, and free market capitalism; this is what I call the journey. And all this questioning is relevant to the matter of sustainability, for if you have not yet realised this, sustainability does not begin and end with climate change. This is just the cherry on the cake, the final piece of lunacy, which just exacerbates existing challenges and problems. And yet few want to see it like this. Denial and delusion are to the found everywhere, and as so it will be that our children will be overwhelmed by the legacy that we leave them.

We have therefore, here and now, at this moment in our history, to choose whether to let this happen, and when I say we, I mean you! This is a matter for all and must not be left in the hands of politicians, for most of them have no intention of doing anything significant to address the challenging circumstances that we now face. For many of them, the scenario is business as usual. And many of those to be found operating in the worlds of science, technology, engineering, business, and religion also think that it will be business as usual.

So I here ask a question: are we here and now, at this moment in time, perpetrating a crime against the unborn; engaging in a criminal act that speaks of a folly never before witnessed in the history of our species? You should take note of this, for what today might seem unreasonable could quickly become a lament along the lines “why did we not listen when it was possible to change our trajectory?” And this is a theme that has found its way into a short story that I have just written. It is called Enigma and is a sequel to A Tale of Two Deserts. And it is also an underlying theme in my forthcoming book, Moments in Time.

To question is not to reject, but to seek to make better. This is the journey …