A retired professor of biology, living nearby, is giving three classes on the 6th extinction. The book The Sixth Extinction by the biology and ecology writer Elizabeth Kolbert serves as a source for the classes but many other books are also mentioned such as Too Smart for Our Own Good by Craig Dilworth, at the University of Uppsala in Sweden.
Whether it is global warming that is going to wipe us out or a nuclear war or an endless drought or floods or fire, I don’t know. I have heard of various nasty possibilities since about 1972, when “The Limits to Growth” came out. “Limits” was based on computer models that expected by 2025 or so, that pollution would be up, important supplies such as oil, water and food would be down and in general, humankind would be in a pickle.
Personally, I think a certain amount of alarm may be good for us but the amount varies from person to person. Going about in a state of stressed fear and fright does not seem healthy or necessary or conducive to getting the full dose of joy from our limited days.
When I actually try to look back on warnings that really saved me or my wallet, I can’t think of many. (I realize that unaided memory is not all that reliable.) I could have had many helpful warnings and completely forgotten about them. I asked Lynn what warnings paid off for her and she said that the doctor’s warning that the baby would be born within 24 hours was a biggie.
It is clear that Earth is being stressed by humans. The biology professor said that some credible figures indicate 3 species per hour are going extinct. She warned us not to read the Dilworth book, mentioned above, just before going to sleep. I have not read Kolbert or Dilworth but I have looked through a synopsis of the book “The World Without Us” by Alan Weisman, which tries to portray what the world would be like without humans.
However, many of us are not ready to leave. What exactly will happen to us, I don’t know. Like those before us, we will have to do our best and see what we are given.
--
Bill
Main blog: Fear, Fun and Filoz
Main web site: Kirbyvariety
