I am an optimist and believe we will be here to celebrate a New Year in January 2013. I believe that not only will we survive but we will see a new beginning with the passing of the age. Nevertheless we cannot be complacent; we cannot just assume that "the best is yet to come." Humans have intervened in the natural order too much and humans have to recognize the repercussions of our disturbance and make necessary changes for our survival. We have to do our part to change old ways to new ways.
- Just a partial list of the challenges I enumerate in the book include:
- Global warming and climate change, melting ice caps, endangered species
- Increasing incidents of extreme weather, such as hurricanes, tornadoes, drought, floods, and tsunamis
- Increasing incidents and severity of earthquakes and volcanic eruptions, and other earth changes
- The energy crisis of impending fossil fuel shortages, and inadequate and delayed development of alternative fuels
- International terrorism combined with religious fanaticism, the spread of powerful weapons that can be triggered by individuals and small groups and the collapse of democratic governments
- The reappearance of nationalist expansionism and tribal/ethnic conflicts causing extensive suffering and death to minority populations
- The seeming renewal of the "Cold War" between resurgent Russia and the over-extended United States with a near helpless Europe in the middle
- A very real arms race, with arms producers again selling weaponry to all comers
- The existence of, and newly emerging threats of, nuclear blackmail
- The appearance and spread of new diseases through rapid migration of people and importation of animal and vegetable products beyond their natural habitat
- The potential danger of dependence on newly deployed technology without redundancy for backup and shortages of trained personnel
- A failing educational system not providing even basic skills for the Information Age, for a technology based economy and a global society
- A crumbling infrastructure of transportation, utilities, communications and public safety
- The loss of ethical, moral and spiritual pertinence to guide individual & institutional behavior
- The lack of true international law and enforceable justice system
- The growth of piracy—on the high seas, on the Internet, and in the market place through non-compliance with copyright and trademark laws, evasions of patent protection, and blatant theft of intellectual property
- An inability to develop a supportive, non-punitive, tax system
- The lack of meaningful and pertinent political debate
- A failed, fiscally irresponsible government administered by ideologues and special interests
- The failure of democratic and parliamentary governments to address the fundamental needs of their constituencies rather than pandering to superficialities and special interests
- A worldwide lack of sufficient investment in new technologies and basic science
The list could go on and on. It’s like the drumbeat of disaster, the sound of a failing heart or the whine of an incoming missile.
-By: Dr.Joe (Psychic Empowerment for everyone).
