Our Inheritance: The Earth

When two people wish for a baby, expect a baby or have a baby, they both wish the baby nothing but the best in every area of life.

They want the baby to be healthy, to have a good education, every opportunity and to be happy. It’s always been this way, it is like that today and will always be.

Parents’ wishes are universal, the same throughout the world and history. They seem basic and normal. They are. Except that the world is changing. The things that could have been taken for granted just one or two generations ago, can’t be today. The wisdom we inherited from older generations may – or may not – be valid under today’s circumstances. (Wisdom doesn’t lose value over time, it’s reality that depreciates.)

We always knew what to feed to babies, toddlers and growing children. Today, the same foods don’t have the same nutritional value. Worse, many carry hidden health risks. Raising a healthy child now is much harder than it used to be.

Good education translates into a prosperous life. Ensuring that a child gets the best education possible has always been parents’ wish. Good education remains valuable today, the cost of it however skyrocketed. Few parents can afford to pay for the best education. Students relying on student loans, find themselves paying exorbitant interest for MANY years after graduation.

Happiness? Well, happiness used to be a combination of good health, good income and the joy of raising a family of one’s own. To some degree, it still is. With some notable exceptions.

No person is an island. We live in the context of our time. We and our understanding of life are shaped not only by our parents and history but by exposure to the media. Reports of progressive environmental erosion, climate change and disconcerting political news seem to predict impending doom. Being exposed to such information has a profound impact.

Many are wondering about the future. When the prospect of future seems uncertain, we begin to doubt our power to influence the course of events. Consequently, many question the purpose and meaning of life. In such a context, the pursuit of personal happiness may appear futile.

Some think that finding true love or having a baby in an already overpopulated world that will face food shortages, contaminated water, global pollution, climate change and more in a foreseeable future may not be a wise or desirable goal. (Of course, there is much more for us to worry about.)

Never before in the history of humanity had we had to worry about the state of the Earth and its ability to sustain life. It didn’t cross our grandparents’ mind that there may not be a livable Earth for their grandkids. Yet, here we are.

We are the heirs of a predatory civilization. The preceding generations exploited natural resources, damaged the Earth and feasted on ill-gotten spoils, now we are stiffed with the bill. Click To Tweet

It makes you think, doesn’t it? It also begs questions. Are we powerless? Is it too late to enact change? What can we as individuals, communities and people do to change the course? Check the MAKE IT BETTER section of Alternative Human Community magazine for answers! Yes, there are answers.