“No Quick or Easy Solutions for the World’s Biggest Problems”
Shira Ovide said in the New York Times, and I say in my article, “The Slow Evolution of Change”
Shira Ovide says, “Technology is part of the solution, but mostly we have to find the answers through collective human will and effective action.” Then she lists the specific world problems. Some might be resolved by collectives — some can not.
1. Coronavirus pandemic and Climate change: I too believe that answers to these two problems can only be achieved through collective human will. But the other world problems that she lists, will never be accomplished by a collective or the whole. There are too many variables and differences within them. But technology could help if the tech designers put their minds toward them. What they must do is study less the innovative gizmos and market money makers, and study more the problems from a human perspective, and all their variations and differences. Collecting variations technology is good at. So techies must study the problems first, then consider how technology can answer them.
2. Disagreement over the appropriate role of government: The problem here is the constant battle for power throughout history, even today with the majority rule. There needs to be better discussions of the pros and cons of each perspective of each issue in which government has a role. Media could help here, but today most media is also severely prejudiced with their own narrow perspectives. The need of a specific role should be deeply discussed. There should be complete transparency for all levels of society — and forgo extreme privacy, media sensationalism and taking sides.
3. Systemic racism: Here media is at fault. To constantly feed us media about racism can make us angry, especially those of us who have never been racist. Please, I beg for a study of those who are racist and perform racist acts be studied, and actions considered for them — not us who have lived worked, socialized and loved all races. It is so difficult to take much more in media slamming at everyone as guilty of racism. Instead of always showing and talking about each race separately, why doesn’t media show and write what’s best — all races functioning together? Or, does media think it won’t sell?
4. Inequality in wealth and health: A good solution has been mentioned many times. Just with all finances, balances are needed. The only way to accomplish this is to bring high wealth down, and poor wealth up — recreate the middle class again. Of course the wealthy will battle against higher taxes — but that should not matter. And the poor in wealth should not just be given money — they need to be shown how to take more responsibility when money is given. In 1980 Buckminster Fuller at a seminar in Harvard Square said, “We are going through a time to test whether the human invention is a good one!!
5. Increases in Homicides: The primary basis for homicides is anger and its similar emotions: envy, greed, etc. But most dangerous is the belief in freedom to express anger in all its forms, especially in murder, to attack what the killer sees as the cause of his emotions. Why aren’t children taught how to manage — and balance — their emotional feelings? It is far more important than STEM education, or any of the analytical subjects.
6. Education systems that fail many people: When I did a seminar for a middle school in Quincy Mass, it involved the teachers, and I learned a lot about the whole education system. The middle class teachers said they could only do with what the elementary teachers gave them. And the elementary teachers said they could only do with what the parents gave them. Yes, the parents are the roots of education and most important first teachers. Today, most parents don’t want the job, and keep asking for child-care to do it. Perhaps we need a better system for parenting, and not have it based on biological sexual determinants? Perhaps I am biased because I had a mother who loved me and was my greatest teacher, including every grade and through college and beyond.
Thank you my readers for listening.
