Reply #128: And yet, what is the number one issue according to polls?

[riverdeep]

The economy. Or, "How come I can't get my stuff as cheaply as I used to?"

Terrorism, the economy, jobs, immigration, abortion, etc. All these issues that Americans think are so vital, are actually insignificant compared to environmental issues. This reality isn't reflected in our conversation, however. Every once in a while an announcement is made in between the clatter of Britney, and Obama and Hillary, and baseball and steroids, like some unholy countdown. "Oceans dying". "Rainforest in danger." "Soil erosion aids catastrophes." "Mutations occurring in species of amphibians." All these and many more go shooting out, and if they are heard at all above the din, they are summarily ignored while we go back to our consumptive ways. "It can't be that bad, or someone would tell us, everybody would be panicking." But that isn't the way these things go. Denial and delay is the name of the game. When it becomes obvious to even the masses, it's too late.

But I'm not going to revel in our predicament and with glee hope for the extinction of our species (along most of the other species). We have a struggle going on here. An ancient struggle between our best and worst selves. It will come to a head in about ten years. If we make it, we will experience an evolutionary leap in culture. If we fail, we'll take our selves down and most others with us. Unfortunately, we don't have a great history of acting in our best long term interests, but we'll see. Maybe there is something about this time that is different. Maybe not.