Letter to the successor (1)

Take my word for it.

The intensions were great, just like the last time around: we were going to cut emissions, invest in renewable energy, quit chopping wood and we were damn sure we were going to save the panda bear. The budget was there, the intensions were there and the people were eagerly awaiting gunshot that would start the race, the quick dash to sustainability.

All it took was the realisation that screwing people over in pursuit of personal gain only takes one far as the lie will take you, to force the speeding masses to a grinding halt, for big oil to turn180°, back to exploring the deepest reaches of the planet and for CO² emissions to skyrocket to new heights. Then the culprits said something along the lines of “We’re sorry, but you still need us, so give us about 700 billion dollars to fix the problem.” and that was that. The poor got a lot poorer, the rich got a lot richer and the dream of sustainability never got past the stage of being just that: a dream cherished by a lot of people, later to be marginalised to the eager, economy destroying ambition of a band of overzealous treehuggers.

Good thing things are looking up for us, these days. Down here in Belgium, the general consensus seems to be that being mad at your government for making drastic budget cuts is the preferable strategy over acting towards the true culprits of a crime committed against pretty much everybody. In Greece, they seem to concur:  89% of the Greek population blames their government for the current crisis, 6% blames the banks and the last 5% blames the EU (for not throwing money at their, admittedly corrupt, government). Grotesquely incompetent as the Greek government may be, this isn’t where the avalanche found its first snowball. We have our friends at Goldman Sachs or Lehman Brothers to thank for that. I’m not seeing a lot of perks that come with my future job being thrown overboard because of a dysfunctional government. This is happening because somebody started a game of numbers, bonuses, real estate and egomania that brought our financial system to its knees. The only possible solution seems to be pushing the reset button and the promise that they’ll never to it again (I’m looking at you Belfius).

So what is there to be done? Take to the streets? All wear Guy Fawkes masks while taking to the streets? Sitting in front of some financial institutions for as long as the riot police will let you? Set something on fire? Kill someone? Make a movie about it? Write a book?

Pretty much, though luckily not everything, that is stated above has been done, but to little avail. Admirable as all these intentions are, a solution is nowhere to be found, the arrogant bastard will still be an arrogant bastard and we all cope in these times of relative hardship.

This is the part where I say something crazy, but take much relief in having said it. The answer is fighting our own human nature. There is something to be said for the people discovering their power as an electorate and walking away from the cold grasping clutches of our present financial system. But a permanent solution cannot be found in what a group of people can or cannot do, the 'root of all evil' is a lot more primitive than that. We are an animal species, whether you, your girlfriend, your parents or your random religious figure doesn’t like it, we are. Just as all species on this planet, our will to survive is in our genes (yes, that is definitely a reference to Richard Dawkins). We are here to survive, reproduce and to be successful. We are meant to duke out amongst ourselves who gets to be rich, powerful, influential and biologically successful. You could say we’re programmed to do this. You see it in the way we interact, behave and map our goals in life. Whether you like it or not, you’re competitive and you’ll want to win. You’re a winner, unless you are confronted with defeat, some then give up, accept their lives as being not fully fulfilled and try make the most of it, then you’re 'a loser'. (this is admittedly a very crude and simple way of putting it, but hear me out none the less...)

The first snowball that became the avalanche boils down to this: If we’re going to save the panda bear, as well as the polar bear, the clownfish, the great white, as well as ourselves, transcending our own primitive nature and all its idiotic mutations and excuses is probably a good strategy. Not doing this gets you the avalanche, doing this gets you something new, because this really hasn't happened before.

Some examples of these mutations or, put a little different, lying to oneself, the human way:

-        “My hunting sustains the balance in the animal kingdom.” rather than “I hunt because I get to shoot things, and it’s fun and makes me feel powerful."

-        Being rich gives a primitive sense of accomplishment. Having a lot of property is no different. Funny how we all seem to be working the hardest for the right to ruin as much of the environment as possible (big house, pool, fast and/or big cars...)

-        “Every now and then there is a war that'll straighten the population numbers out.” This is where the nails is being driven into the coffin. Nobody likes a war, but everybody is seemingly OK with it in order to restore some kind of natural balance among the population.

-        “Humans are meant to eat meat.” Be that as it may, the only thing you’re doing is work your way to a store to by some packaged flesh that vaguely resembles the remains of an unhealthy, gruesomely molested animal, brought to you by one of the most polluting industries this planet has ever known. Think about it, it’s not that hard.

Compassionate, soft people aren't 'just different' from the random selfish rich bastard that uses other people's pension to fund his New York condo. They're ahead of the game, while being shouted down by those that urge people to consume, stimulate the economy and ask as few questions as possible. Being human is being capable of being more than just another competitive individual of the most dangerous species on the planet, with the capability to destroy the very environment it needs to survive. A bunch of easy answers, dumbed  down entertainment and advertising will not make you think, it’ll make you set the wrong priorities and will get you mad at the wrong people. Nothing will fundamentally change, a lot of people are going to die and Dave Grohl will get it right once again when singing:

“Hook me up a new revolution/ 'cuz this one was a lie/ sat around laughing and watched the last one die.”

So fight it, damn you, fight it, and don't let history repeat itself.

Feels like I've said a lot of things half assed and I need to be more specific, so maybe  it's time for me to write you my book now… But in the meantime:

‘Till next time!

Sincerely,
Some guy that tried