Existential Ponder

We have three existential realities to ponder. First, does the planet have the capacity to support human life for another 50 years? Second, is Russia begging the question of the war to end all wars? And third, when will my life end, and how?

Seems to me, these are the current basic questions having to do with our existence. Of course, number three is always with us. Most of us hesitate to think about our death, but it is a reality. Birth and death are the bookends of life. What happens between the ends is what we do, how we live, the life we experience. Before that nothing. After that nothing, or maybe something depending on your theological perspective.

The other two existential challenges, however, may interrupt our lives. And yet, each of these challenges are occurring because mankind has played a heavy hand in making it happen in the first place. We helped make it happen; we can help make it end.

If we don’t help, make both of these challenges end – peacefully – then our end prematurely is in sight. Well, maybe not your end, but your children and their kids. They will not have the full life experience we did because of what we chose to do and not to do.

The planet is in trouble. all of science concludes that discussion. All that is left is what we decide to do about it as the human race. We are overdue with this discussion and solution. Best we get on with it.

Which leads to the second challenge. Irrespective of the planet’s health is the health of human interaction and comity. Getting along with others is the core of the trouble. Russia seems to think it is owed hegemony over a large swatch of land and has the power to impose on the rest of us its trading objectives and economic requirements. We owe it nothing but respect and human aid for medical help in time of crisis. Humanitarian assistance for food, shelter and safety is something most of us believe in. other than that, a nation has the right to do whatever it pleases within its own borders. Break humanitarian standards, however, and the conversation shifts quickly.

Russia does not own Ukraine, or any of the other bordering satellite nations. What Russia does with all of those nations is the business of the world community. Yet Russia is betting on that community to hold back its aid to Ukraine lest World War Three is created. Bluff or not? Who know what is in Putin’s twisted mind? The point of intervention, however, has arrived.

Is the global village going to allow Russia to destroy Ukraine and her people at will? That is what is now happening? What is our response?

Clearly, if World War III does happen, nuclear devastation could easily occur. That would be a pity. But it also would be the result of poor human activity. We all got ourselves in this mess. It is up to us all to get us out of the mess.

Like the planet’s health, international relations are the business of us all. Those two issues are the bookends of man’s existence. Are we going to continue to ignore and shrug off the consequences until it is too late?

If so, contemplating our own deaths has been made vastly simple.

April 14, 2022

 

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Intimacy

As we mature, we become deeply involved in relationships. Some of this is basic family relations – siblings, parental – and the like. Next is friends who enter our homes and we theirs. Neighbors, classmates, mutual hobbyists and so forth. Then we develop friendships that go much deeper. We comfort one another when we are hurting physically or emotionally. We discuss the matters of life and learn much more about ourselves and each other. We can even anticipate how others will react to various situations and stimuli. Good friendships do not spread to everyone we know. No, good friendships are special, close and deeply personal. We focus attention and brainpower on these few friends. Some special relationships focus on specific topics of interest and importance. Yes, we have specialized friendships. Most common. But one day, we get to know one person very well. An emotional connection forms with deep roots. A need to know the person more fully expands in personal ways. We sense this b...
Read more

Bits & Pieces

Pie: Apple pie more specifically. With Thanksgiving just passed, many of us enjoyed a good apple pie. Sure, there was pumpkin to accompany the turkey, but in our family multiple pies are offered in the holidays. Apple is surely one. Pecan, pumpkin and others, too. But I almost always choose apple. When I was in college, I was asked what kind of pie did I eat most often. In front of my mom, I answered apple, because I was always looking for a pie as good as mom’s own. Of course my mother was pleased, but it was a true statement just the same. When I was married, Ann’s pie was darned good. Her mother’s recipe. But we fiddled with the recipe until it took on its own generational name, and boy, was it good! Today I still order apple pie for dessert because I am always looking for a great pie to challenge our family recipes. I rarely do find such a prize. Do others do the same? Do you search for a great pie of choice, continually? If you do, what’s your story? Why do you do this? ...
Read more

Remembering Tom Sherlock

Tom Sherlock died on Wednesday, April 3rd. He was 65 years old and did not survive a heart surgery. That was his unexpected end and sad enough. But there is more to his story. Tom joined Dan Schuyler and George Safford to create what became the Village Chronicles, a weekly newspaper serving Warrenville, Illinois. That paper expanded to serve Winfield and then West Chicago. The paper published for eight years and built a good reputation for itself. Tom served the paper in several ways. He was our information technology guru, provided hardware and software to support the paper's operations. He was our sole bookkeeper, accountant and financial manager. He designed our distribution process and provided office space for meetings and layout and typesetting. His efforts supported the work of 32 volunteers who wrote and reported on the communities we served.  The newspaper broke even financially most of the time, but it was a struggle. Tom managed to find money to keep the newspaper afloat...
Read more