Watch out world here comes man!!
This might come as a shock. Very little has changed in the last two thousand years.
The ancient Romans considered themselves the very peak of modern civilisation. They had by far among the single most powerful empires the world would ever see. Ancient Rome prided itself on its flourishing culture; its booming markets, thriving populace and an overall sense of well-being & security. The highly disciplined armies of Rome made even the very idea of an enemy attack seem ridiculous. What ultimately destroyed Rome was the enemy within. Greed & political intrigue ultimately proved to be the downfall of one of the greatest civilisations in history.
Two thousand years on, Im comparing Rome to the whole world. With each country, like every citizen of Rome, having its own problems that it sees more pressing than those of its neighbours. Some countries seem very internally focussed. Some have their eyes on the fortunes others are making and some try to become the overbearing and self-righteous protectors of civilisation, as we know it.
It really is striking when you think of it. The issues that plague us today seem exactly the same, as they were two millennia ago! So much for the great advancements of the human race. Were still trying to stockpile money, food and arms that would make us bigger, better and safer than the Jones. Quite frankly this may seem a little disturbing that weve hardly evolved as a species. That brings to mind a scene from the movie The Matrix which compares humans to a virus. Unwanted, unfeeling and inherently destructive.
Before I sound like the greatest detractor of all time, let me clarify. I think greed is sometimes a good thing. If you put in perspective, the achievements of mankind over our common history, the sheer ingenuity and success of us as a race is mind-boggling even though it may have only been concerned with making things easier for ourselves. But like every good species, our greatest success has been our ability to adapt to the environment we find ourselves in. No single species has ever been as wide an influence on its environment than man. From the dense rainforest jungles of South America to the hot, dry, wide-open expanses of the Sahara, human beings have found ways to harness the forces of nature around them.
Lets get a little serious though. The economist magazine along with Shell recently announced the winners of an essay contest. The winning entry was a piece that was supposedly the interview of an eminent fungi (yes, the same fungi that comprise of mushrooms, toadstools and other capped foliage). If all that was said by the learned fungi was to be believed, than no race is more looked down upon in the animal kingdom than us humans. We need an image change, people. Else we shall find ourselves in the midst of a rebellion! A mutiny of bountiesque proportions, after which we shall find ourselves, set adrift, the castaways of nature.
A superb ad about the nature of the situation we find ourselves in goes like this. It starts of with an island like any other, palm trees, beaches, etc. The camera then zooms out to show us the island as a tiny speck in the ocean. Simultaneously, the voice over guy asks us to imagine that all of humanity was stranded on this island. Limited resources & struggles for survival on an impossibly tiny landscape. The picture continues to zoom out, going higher into the atmosphere until it shows us a view of the earth. What put this among my favourite ads of all time is the next line which goes something like this: Be careful with this island, it is one we can never leave!
This might come as a shock. Very little has changed in the last two thousand years.
The ancient Romans considered themselves the very peak of modern civilisation. They had by far among the single most powerful empires the world would ever see. Ancient Rome prided itself on its flourishing culture; its booming markets, thriving populace and an overall sense of well-being & security. The highly disciplined armies of Rome made even the very idea of an enemy attack seem ridiculous. What ultimately destroyed Rome was the enemy within. Greed & political intrigue ultimately proved to be the downfall of one of the greatest civilisations in history.
Two thousand years on, Im comparing Rome to the whole world. With each country, like every citizen of Rome, having its own problems that it sees more pressing than those of its neighbours. Some countries seem very internally focussed. Some have their eyes on the fortunes others are making and some try to become the overbearing and self-righteous protectors of civilisation, as we know it.
It really is striking when you think of it. The issues that plague us today seem exactly the same, as they were two millennia ago! So much for the great advancements of the human race. Were still trying to stockpile money, food and arms that would make us bigger, better and safer than the Jones. Quite frankly this may seem a little disturbing that weve hardly evolved as a species. That brings to mind a scene from the movie The Matrix which compares humans to a virus. Unwanted, unfeeling and inherently destructive.
Before I sound like the greatest detractor of all time, let me clarify. I think greed is sometimes a good thing. If you put in perspective, the achievements of mankind over our common history, the sheer ingenuity and success of us as a race is mind-boggling even though it may have only been concerned with making things easier for ourselves. But like every good species, our greatest success has been our ability to adapt to the environment we find ourselves in. No single species has ever been as wide an influence on its environment than man. From the dense rainforest jungles of South America to the hot, dry, wide-open expanses of the Sahara, human beings have found ways to harness the forces of nature around them.
Lets get a little serious though. The economist magazine along with Shell recently announced the winners of an essay contest. The winning entry was a piece that was supposedly the interview of an eminent fungi (yes, the same fungi that comprise of mushrooms, toadstools and other capped foliage). If all that was said by the learned fungi was to be believed, than no race is more looked down upon in the animal kingdom than us humans. We need an image change, people. Else we shall find ourselves in the midst of a rebellion! A mutiny of bountiesque proportions, after which we shall find ourselves, set adrift, the castaways of nature.
A superb ad about the nature of the situation we find ourselves in goes like this. It starts of with an island like any other, palm trees, beaches, etc. The camera then zooms out to show us the island as a tiny speck in the ocean. Simultaneously, the voice over guy asks us to imagine that all of humanity was stranded on this island. Limited resources & struggles for survival on an impossibly tiny landscape. The picture continues to zoom out, going higher into the atmosphere until it shows us a view of the earth. What put this among my favourite ads of all time is the next line which goes something like this: Be careful with this island, it is one we can never leave!
posted by Pierre at
10:26 AM
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