What else needs to happen to learn the lesson? Apparently, the reality that the fevered world is showing a series of symptoms is not significant enough for the powerful greed and apathy of the most thankless species that shelters, human beings. It is true that the planet and its multiple traces and scars show that throughout its existence there have been many episodes of mass extinctions. The problem, or the particularity of it, is that each of these events – according to what has been “established” – had as its protagonist mostly causes or external elements. It was never observed as today, that its own tenants caused such a level of irreparable damage. Frantically and seduced by the obtaining of dominion, strength or conquest, they do not rest for a measly second in abandoning the idea that we must continue to raze everything in our path.
We look with some perplexity to live on our knees embracing the illusory idea of wanting to continue self-realization through the acceptance of the rules that weave the relentless development in its complete algorithmic extension, and that as one of its consequences leads us to leave in oblivion fundamental concepts for the meaning of existence, like happiness or freedom. This supposed self-realization makes us live from deception, that is, we go out of our way and believe ourselves to be freer the more we abuse ourselves and the world, as Chul Han has been long and skillfully proposing. In that terrible and contradictory way of life we move thoughtlessly without being able to quench the petty thirst like that of a hungry predator that roams the various corners of its habitat. The paradox is that this thirst or that which makes us “lose our minds” is protected in aspects that are frankly irrelevant, or worse, it is protected in issues as futile as the accumulation of money. Money, power, economy and politics, unite and control our self-styled “leaders” allowing them, through the regulation they impose on them, to lead us to this precipice. What kind of leaders are those who push you to death based on their exclusive, guided, and petty benefit? Is the architecture of the modern social order on the idea of Republic designed in the separation of the 3 powers of the State, not giving the width?, Is democracy as a regulatory, vigilant entity, and as a mechanism of power or control of citizens, is sufficient or is it being inefficient? Isn’t this the time to make a major revision of how we live and organize, about the free fall of the planet? Will the handful of transnational human beings be willing to cede power for the good, or will it continue to be for the bad, how far do you want to go? Do we still have to assume that there is no other system of life than neoliberal cannibalism?
Today we have more than 1 year and a half of the worst pandemic on record and all the signs point to us being desperate to return to “our normality”, to produce again and to continue with the same rhythm, that is, to continue pushing the world down the ledge. What a way to want to go back. It is a scandalous and dangerous arrogance that walks blindly on the tightrope and ignores, for example, that a couple of days ago the UN report (IPCC) confirms in an unappealable way and confirms the total failure of the model of life that we have adopted. The deforestation of the world, the excess of plastic, the overexploitation of all kinds of natural resources, the large factories and industries that do not stop during the 24 hours, the new techniques of the food industry unbalancing natural systems and habitats, the accelerated extinction of species of living beings, or the absurdity of being in presence for a long time about how more goods are produced than are needed and at the same time, thousands of people die of hunger or thousands become displaced by being victims of failed states in which they have neither the goods nor the most basic needs covered.
All this seems to be insufficient for something as simple as awareness and acceptance of the change of course that must be adopted. Recently the prestigious journal The Lancet publishes that in 2019 alone there were more than 356 thousand deaths that were related to extreme heat. That from the year 90 until now there is a growth of 74% in this matter. Older adults, people with basic respiratory problems and children, the most affected. The study ends and among its recommendations – as no Hollywood script has foreseen – it proposes that a measure prIn the future, it will be to dress in wet clothes considering the extreme heat. Incredible, but true, that happens outside in the open air, while millions of human beings are still locked in the houses living – which paradoxically is a privilege – and adopting a new virtual life in which zoom has taken over and has produced new dynamics of existence with new routines and challenges, not without important complexities. Point that needs a complete separate writing.
Chile cannot ignore and be blind to everything that happens, there is no doubt, for example, that the “Dominga” project should never have been approved. Despite the fact that it is said that there is no longer time, I think we still have the opportunity because either a global pact of protection is generated, or the world will categorically continue to warn that it deserves a new humanity.
The content expressed in this opinion column is the sole responsibility of its author, and does not necessarily reflect the editorial line or position of El Mostrador.
