Ray Buursma: Exposing one of man’s unfortunate traits
I happened to watch the following videos recently:
Video One
The day is mostly pleasant, although a bit windy. On a patio are tables set for a wedding. Guests stand on the patio, waiting for the wedding party and other guests to arrive. Separating the patio from the ocean is a seawall. The wall’s bottom is poured concrete, strong and sturdy. Above this base is plexiglass, and a railing on top completes the barrier.
The guests congregate and scan the horizon. A few waves strike the seawall, and occasionally a mist sprays over the railing.
A man points into the distance. He has spotted a large swell, still far off but heading to shore. This wave is different from the others. Its relative size is huge! He alerts others on the patio, and they, too, eye the rogue wave.
Although still in the distance, a few understand the threat. They hightail it from the seawall, away from the patio, and up to safety in a nearby building. Most, however, remain on the patio and follow the crest which sweeps ever closer.
Finally, the wave hits the seawall, and nearly everyone recognizes the danger. They sprint from the water which pushes over the plexiglass. A few are mesmerized and stay put. The water knocks them off their feet and sweeps them, the tables and the chairs across the patio. Those who attempted escape a moment earlier are safe but soaked to their knees.
Video Two
A family eats lunch on a deck at a ski resort. The mother points up the hill to a huge snow slide headed their way. The kids and father turn their heads and see the avalanche heading down the slope.
The father reassures the family the avalanche is man made and controlled. They have nothing to worry about. The experts know what they’re doing, he claims.
Seconds later, the wall of snow hits the bottom of the slope, climbs the stairs of the deck, and buries the family up to their shoulders. Had they been a foot closer to the ground, the snow would have covered them completely.
Video Three
Somewhere in the Mideast, a bazaar stands at the bottom of a mountain. Tent owners sell their wares to customers.
Like the scenarios above, a man spots a grave danger. He points toward the summit and shouts a warning. Others look up. Some merchants and shoppers abandon their stalls and run for their lives. Others are frozen in their tracks, either unwilling or unable to retreat.
The rocks reach the bazaar and wreak havoc. Those wise enough to have moved still live. Others are injured, and several lose their lives.
Here’s the point
Man has the ability to foresee and predict future events better than any animal. He can use science and information to clearly foresee effects. Yet he often lacks the discipline to act on foreseeable events, even disasters. Even worse, the more distant in the the future a danger may be, the less likely man is to show concern or take action. “I’ll worry about that later,” or “That’s not affecting me now,” or “We’ll cross that bridge when we come to it” are typical responses he’ll offer when warned of tragedy. By the time he decides to act, it’s often too late.
This characteristic, this tendency to avoid addressing danger until observable, experiential and relatively immediate, can place man in grave circumstances. The videos described above demonstrate this problem. Man’s tendency to procrastinate is a danger to himself.
Signs of looming disaster
Once again, a warming atmosphere is taking its toll on Planet Earth, and Greenland is the spot of the year. Its ice sheet is melting at an unprecedented rate. The ramifications of this unstoppable trend (even if we took action today) are dire, but humans choose not to act since the effects of global warming are not immediately observable. But they are coming.
No cause for hope
Americans, who spew more greenhouse gas into the atmosphere than any other nationality, are unlikely to effect any significant change.
The most effective strategy would be electing and supporting politicians who could legislate mandates. Sadly, however, too many people focus on wedge issues like Critical Race Theory, LGBTQ books in the library, etc., rather than on global warming, a much greater threat. (In past years wedge issues included gay marriage, kneeling during the National Anthem and Common Core. Remember how upset many people were?)
The future looks grim for our grandchildren and their descendants. The fault is ours, for we refuse to address the disaster heading our way. Sadly, that’s our nature.
— Community Columnist Ray Buursma is a resident of Holland. Contact him at writetoraybuursma@gmail.com.
This article originally appeared on The Holland Sentinel: Ray Buursma: Exposing one of man’s unfortunate traits
