The Idiocy of Easy

Some of the rhetoric that Mr. Maniates reflects an element of society that I believe I have seen growing ever increasingly over the last few decades. It starts with a sense that we have achieved, at least in developed countries, a level of education that allows to analyze critically the world around us. Certainly, we can consider ourselves lucky to be wealthy enough to get educated in a system that allows for and even upholds critical thinking skills rather than prescribed knowledge. Thus, when Mr. Maniates states, "we cannot permit our leaders to sell us short," he is declaring his and our curiosity, inspiration, criticism, and indignation.

We are and must be curious, as this is human nature. Ironically enough, it is this very part of our human nature that has perhaps led us to environmental crisis. Our curiosity has led to us to innovate, to grow, to consume. Whether it be knowledge or resources, we have sought to progress and delve deeper in spite of our questions and in search of our answers. Should curiosity then be considered our undoing? My answer would be absolutely not. Curiosity is not the evil. It is the blinders placed upon on our curiosity that is against our nature. Why should we be pushed to innovate microchips or mining practices? Develop faster modes of travel or stronger building materials? And yet, when we seek to find alternatives to outdated ( in that they are finite and destructive) modes of providing energy, we are encouraged to cut corners? We do not need to have our minds shaped to think that environmentalists are doomsayers. We do not need to be given platitudes about simple answers to the great problem facing in the environmental degradation we carry not, and we certainly do not need to be told that no problem exists. As Maniates states, we can struggle together. Furthermore, we are at our best when we do so. Therefore, we cannot let lobbyists and leaders mislead us with thinly veiled rhetoric that serves to protect their interests. We simply must continue to foster the curious questioning spirit that we all have naturally. It is this that must be protected at all costs. Interestingly the cornucopian/malthusian debate may in fact be moot. Limits may almost certainly exist to our sources and sinks, but no limits appear to exist to the innovation of the human mind. Our recent elections have shown that ideas and excitement can become dollars and power. And they do not need to be spoonfed simplistic ideas. Can we not use this as proof positive that we can overcome the idiocy of easy?