Youjin+(Jenny)+J+Collapse+Reflection

Reflection

The society as it is today is facing a crisis -- one that can potentially bring on a global collapse. Resources, whether they be water, energy, or food, are being depleted at an exponential rate, leaving almost nothing behind for our future generations. Our manipulation of the natural environment, such as the artificial formation of irrigation paths and the use of pesticides in soil, is now reaching its limit in terms of its efficiency. Compounded on these are social and economic factors that come into play.

What is the reason behind all of this? Diamond is right: "humans have a tendency for short-term thinking." Majority of the people on this planet are overwhelmed with daily concerns about immediate well-being, much more than they are with issues that truly matter in the long run. As painful as it is to acknowledge our short-sightedness, quick realization of our past mistakes and efforts towards a better future are imperative to bringing us back on the right track.

In that process, using the power of education is crucial. We not only have resources from the past, but also the ability to use those historical experiences to take our understanding of the current society to a deeper level. Why not use our keen insight to bring a positive change to all of us, and prevent ourselves from repeating past mistakes?

Education may seem negligible, as it may only mean the passive exchange of knowledge amongst certain individuals. Some may believe that large-scale, immediate actions are impossible by educating students one by one. But after all, changes come from small actions. If the individual farmers start to limit their use of chemicals, if the citizens decide to minimize their use of personal automobiles and utilize public transportation, and if the government officials use the "money and willpower" we have in relative abundance, a sustainable society can be established. Such is the role of education in this strive for a new path; to teach an individual what he or she can do to bring change.

And if this begins, it will spread. As more initiative is drawn and more funding provided, greater transitions such as technological development in renewable technology may also occur. In the two different roads we have ahead of us, we can and will choose the road of success.

Whether or not this new society will again encounter its own issues, we cannot assert. But looking back at historical trends, it is almost a given that we will never be at a stage of perfect and eternal harmony, and new crises await us every time we overcome one. Thus, ultimately our survival depends on the speed, efficiency, and willingness of our response to these constant challenges that block our way. Are we able to tackle these issues quickly enough? Do we have the brainpower necessary to find the solutions to whatever may await us? And do we have the willpower, as a collective global society, to confront all these problems with confidence? If an answer to each is yes, we are heading towards the right path. Each time change occurs, the way of life may evolve and differ; but in the end, it may still be good.