I am always amazed at futurist who think they can foretell how the earth will survive in a major disaster. Albeit short of the earth being struck by an asteroid they call a planet killer are there ways you can survive in the future?
This is undeniably the ultimate question because as the old say goes “You can take a horse to water, but you can’t make it drink”. This also holds with the human species as well. You can put in place elaborate plans and provide the necessary tools for survival but if people don’t accept the disaster (pending change) unless it is forced on to them they will not.
This is simple human nature. The body is not adept at rapid change. If you don’t believe me then you need to take a hard look at history throughout the last 3500 years.
Lets face facts that change is hard no matter what kind. From loosing weight, quitting smoking, changing spending habits, etc. Human beings find comfort in what is everyday and adapting to radical change is just not in the everyday situation.
So how does one really take change on in any form and still survive? My opinion is head on. When confronted with hitting a wall most will do what ever they can to avoid it. Yes there will be those that simply give up and commit suicide. If you don’t believe me take a hard look at Japan. Or those who jumped to their death during the great stock market crash in 1929.
There are those who have the mental capability to change and those who don’t. Saving face is not one of them by the way. Let’s leave honor out of the equation for it has no purpose in this example.
Surviving a disaster can be simple as long as you have time to prepare. This has been proven over and over. But when people are caught off guard and don’t know a disaster is coming they panic. This is part and partial to the human brains coping process.
When I worked as a paramedic, I was witness to this all the time. Every accident or medical call I attended reveled that those directly involved including those who were seemingly not directly involved were affected.
We are just not ready to take a leap unless it is the last resort to our pending survival.
What complicates the eventuality of this pending doom is the population of this earth has stretched to the point where no matter where you go there is no place to hide and ride out the storm. If the global change means an ice age for example, is there really enough room in those land masses that aren’t directly affected by say the actual frozen portion to hold the survivors of the affected area. My feeling is there is not.
Let’s say the top half of the earth was affected by a mini ice age where everything just north of the equator suddenly became frozen. There would be a mass exudes from the north to the south. Moving to the warmer side of the earth. The south portion of the earth would not have enough supplies or infrastructure to accommodate the sudden influx of the extra people.
Oh there would be enough land to hold the survivors but not enough food. So everyone of the survivors both those who fled as well as those who accepted the people would most likely starve.
Yes this is not a pretty site for sure, but that is my point. Even with this there would be those who survive and live on but not in a life that you and I are accustom. Radical change would affect everyone who survived.
Today there are a vast number of countries in the world. The more countries the more decisions have to be made at the political level. And as you are probably aware getting politicians to make a decision can be almost as painful as the actual change. They too (these politicians) are not adept at making life changing decisions without their committees and lots of wrangling, e.g. what do I get out of it, philosophy. It’s all about me, me, me first. Not about the people they serve.
So in the long run it would be up to us individuals to figure out how we are going to survive in an un-certain future or whats left of one if we are faced with a change of monumental size.
The best thing we humans can do is work to persuade our politicians or elected officials that plans need to be put in place to protect the future of our species and that change enevabilety will arrive. And then take steps in our own way to protect our selves as individual. But remember you should do this in a constructive way. Running out side and yelling the sky is falling does not count!
Throughout the humans existence those who survived where those where were in some way physically prepared for disaster before it arrived. Building proper shelter, storing food and other necessary supplies, etc. Learning to live in reality is key. Remember when the big one comes there is hope for survival. Even without your beloved iPhone or BlackBerry.
Hit the jump to see so of the futurist view of surviving the big one!
