Short of a killer asteroid, we know that the planet itself will survive. Our civilization, however, looks increasingly tenuous. If we don't wipe the whole thing out because of a nuclear exchange that starts in Ukraine or the Middle East or some other place, we will slowly burn ourselves up or run out of resources. We do not look to be planning for a New York or an Accra you can visit in 12023.
What if we did?
If we could get in front of our collective greed and our deep commitment to short-term thinking, what would help us engineer humanity's long-term survival?
It would not hurt if every organization, business, and government adopted a mission statement directed at sustainability. America could still be about the free and brave and Harvard might still offer up truth and light and your dentist would still say your happy teeth is their goal. But let’s add an overarching prime directive. How’s this?
Our mission is to make sure our grandchildren and great-grandchildren will be able to survive, even thrive, alongside the grandchildren and great-grandchildren of our enemies.
Jews don't have to love Muslims but Israel and Palestine are not sustainable, not given the weapons we have. Russians don't have to love Ukrainians, but war is not sustainable, not given the global systems it interrupts. Texans don't have to love vegetarians, but factory farming is not sustainable given the heat it generates.
And so on.
If Not Now, When?
A few weeks ago a friend sent along this article from the Guardian about attention. It is one of many you might find on the disaster screens cause the brain.
Sooner, rather than later, schools will need to have big signs at their entrance: No Smart Phones allowed here.
You can no more be an educator and believe that technology in its current guise is good for children than a doctor can responsibly claim smoking is good for their patients.
There is great educational value to getting online, a little or occasionally. After gym on Wednesday or before physics on Thursday there should be time for students can offer the world their videos or publish their thoughts.
Otherwise, the idea that one needs to be online to learn is just a myth.
I left teaching as a full-time thing when my school made it possible for parents to check on me and my students and their homework every day online and when my school wanted to make sure everyone had laptops.
I fully admit I am a slacker and my students had to actively piss me off to earn an A-. I can think of about 10,000 people who might have served those kids better. Still, we sat and talked with each other and spent a long time debating ancient questions or a few lines of a text. We were, to some greater or lesser degree, present with each other.
But I cannot think of anyone who will be able to teach in the environment. You cannot be with people who are not there.