wafflehead - your last post deserves a big answer than I have now time to give, but let me say this: I totally agree with you, have been thinking that for a long time - I remember - long ago just looking across a border (actually various, as my native country bordered both three communist countries; Hungary, then Czechoslovakia and also Yugoslavia) and thinking, it wasnt a bad thing that these forests between communism and the West weren't cleared and not many people trespassed, as it gave nature a chance to restore what man had destroyed and apparently there was a lot of wildlife there. That - most likely - has changed - but similarly once flying over the North-Western part of Yugoslavia and is now Croatia - I saw a lot of forest - again I was thinking it not to be a bad thing.
I was also thinking that Nature is very powerful and it doesn't take long for plants, animals to settle where people once wreaked havoc - I still think that.
We, in Australia, are slowly becoming aware of the fragile nature of our specific environment, at least the young people I speak with seem to be aware of it - but it will take a major shift in the requirements we have about housing before we realise we cannot extend our cities more and more 'into the bush' - I am guessing here: but the increasing danger of bush fires might be a natural check on the 1/4-acre block thinking (I have to admit, I do live on such a block, but bought an old house with it). Decent housing in multi-storey buildings will be the answer - but here we really really need Government intervention and supervision as private industry will only every build cheap and nasty stuff, to turn a quick buck.
There are all kinds of forces working on us of which we are only dimly aware and some might be for the good. For example women's lib, the banalisation of sex - late marriage, or no marriage at all - at least in many Western countries, will work as a stop to ever-expanding humanity; (humanity's fertility) - and we are exporting those values to the so-called 'developing' countries as well - so maybe we will contain our numbers.
I do believe we are in a crisis, and also the awareness of that crisis is seeping in. - I notice that our news services are now openly talking about 'climate change' - only a few years ago this was unthinkable and the existence of such was strenuously denied by certain sections of the community.
It is easy to visualise and adopt an end-of-world scenario, but I am too much of an optimist and I can see all kinds of good signs as well as bad ones. I hope I live long enough to see some of those wonderful inventions scientists, technicians, plant breeders, city planners etc. etc. are working on. We already have so many tools, so much knowledge, we still have the raw materials to save our world over into a new age - and perhaps conquer parts of the visible Universe as well. As I have said before Nature/God/the Big Spirit of the Universe/Mother Earth - whatever you want to call it, has amazing restorative powers.
I do not expect our politicians to be the ones who will be in the vanguard of creating this New World, as usual, they will be dragged along kicking and screaming - but quietly: in laboratories, at universities, at some work places where intelligent men/women slave away and have good ideas and try them out, agriculturists etc. - people in their homes working on computers, schools; churches even - (to get us new rules or teach us to stick to the old and proven ones) - might bring us closer to finally bring on a good age, maybe even a golden age - I mean it can't get any more horrible than the last century has been!
You see, I am not as pessimistic as you are, I certainly wouldn't want the 'Kardashian' name to be perpetuated in any way or form.
Well this turned out rather long - sorry - need to run, so much 'spring cleaning' to do - I am a 'Madam' after all . . . . obsessed with things the lords of creation are not. Taurisk
