LOOKING TOWARD THE FUTURE — IF THERE IS ONE

People are selfish because they are trying to save the planet for their own benefit, to have a nicer place to live. They are not genuinely concerned about the planet itself, just about their own comfort. With the fires, floods, and other disasters, it's clear that they overbuild and challenge nature, and they face the consequences. I am eager to see the sea levels rise and some cities disappear. The map of the world is going to change

Many people view nature as something external, not realizing that we are a part of it. They might say they are going for a nature walk or heading to the country because they enjoy nature. However, nature is within us. If you are in tune with it, like the Hopis who understand the balance and harmony of nature, you wouldn't overbuild or engage in foolish activities. It's like a symphony where everyone plays a part, not just one group dominating.

People crave material possessions. They want the latest gadgets. We have become slaves to these gadgets and toys. Everyone desires a cell phone that can do everything, even make pancakes, thinking it will bring happiness.

I enjoy chaos and disorder. I'm a fan of entropy. When I first learned about entropy in high school science, I was immediately drawn to it. They explained that in nature, all systems are breaking down. I thought that was great and wondered if I could contribute to it myself.

It's not just in nature. In this country, the whole social structure is beginning to collapse. You can see it starting to come apart at the edges and seams. I like this because it makes the news on television more interesting, exciting, and fun. I watch television news solely for entertainment. My favorite thing on television is bad news! I love bad news, disasters, accidents, and catastrophes. I want to see explosions, fires, and chaos. I'm not interested in the budget, tax negotiations, or where the Pope is visiting.

Show me a hospital on fire with people on crutches jumping off the roof, and I'm thrilled. I want to see a paint factory and an oil refinery explode. I want to see a tornado hit a church on a Sunday. I want to see chaos in the streets, a nuclear meltdown, and the stock market crash. I love seeing people under pressure, hearing sirens, seeing flames and smoke, bodies, and graves being filled. That's my kind of TV. I just want entertainment.

That's why I watch auto-racing. The only reason I watch is for the accidents. I want to see cars on fire. I don't care about drivers racing 500 miles in a circle. I want to see chaos in the pits and cars doing 200mph cartwheels. Where else can you see a 23 car collision without being in it? If a car flies out of control into the stands and kills spectators, that's their risk. It just means more fun for me.

I admit it. Most people won't admit they enjoy watching these things. They pretend to be appalled, but they love it. Explosions are fun, especially the closer they are to your home. If an explosion happens far away, like in Pakistan, it's not as interesting. But if it's in your hometown, it's exciting.

I love bad news. The more bad news, the better, as it speeds up the system's collapse. I don't mind if the water quality is poor. I'll drink it unless it smells strongly of sulfur. Then I might buy a soda, but it has to be loaded with chemical additives. I like a lot of chemicals in my food and drink.

I'm not one of those people who constantly worry. Do you know people like that? There are whole countries filled with them. They worry about everything: the air, the water, the soil, insecticides, pesticides, food additives, carcinogens. They worry about radon gas, asbestos, and saving endangered species.

Let me talk about endangered species. Trying to save them is just another arrogant attempt by humans to control nature. It's this arrogance and meddling that got us into trouble in the first place. Doesn't anyone see that? Over 90% of all the species that have ever lived on this planet are extinct. They disappeared naturally. Every day, 25 species vanish, regardless of human behavior. We should let nature take its course and stop interfering.

We think too highly of ourselves. Everyone wants to save something: trees, bees, whales, snails. And the greatest arrogance? "Save the planet!" We can't even take care of ourselves or each other, yet we claim we can save the planet? I'm tired of Earth Day and self-righteous environmentalists, these white, bourgeois liberals who think the only issue is the lack of bicycle paths. They don't really care about the planet. They just want a clean place to live because they fear future inconvenience. Their narrow self-interest doesn't impress me.

The planet is fine; it's the people who are not. The Earth has been around for four and a half billion years. We've only been here for maybe 200,000 years and have engaged in heavy industry for just over 200 years. How can we think we're a threat to this planet? The Earth has survived earthquakes, volcanoes, plate tectonics, solar flares, and much more. Do we really think plastic bags and aluminum cans are a big deal?

The planet isn't going anywhere; we are. We might leave behind some styrofoam, but that's about it. The Earth will continue long after we're gone. It's a self-correcting system. The air and water will recover, the earth will renew itself. If plastic isn't degradable, the Earth will just incorporate it into a new paradigm: Earth plus plastic. The Earth doesn't see plastic as a problem. It probably views it as one of its children.

So, plastic is here, and our role is complete. We might be phased out, and I think that's already started. The planet might see us as a mild threat and defend itself like a large organism. What might it use? Viruses. They mutate and adapt, making them a perfect defense against us.

I don't worry about the small things like bees, trees, whales, or snails. I believe we're part of a greater wisdom that we'll never understand. I call it the big electron. It doesn't punish or reward; it just is, and so are we, for a little while.

George Carlin (paraphrased)