The Sixth Extinction: A must read

The Sixth Extinction
Probably one of the most sobering accounts of our existence at large, and the implications of what were our actions will eventually take us.

If the 20th century was a time of expansion and growth for human population and economies, the 21st century will surely usher in a peak and decline in both. Today I talk about my "favorite" disaster, called The Sixth Extinction. Even in the age of politically correct environmentalism, most people could care less about the Earth's plant & animal species unless their decline bears directly and immediately on their own welfare. Accordingly, I will talk about some clear-cut examples where the health of the natural world adversely affects our future survival.

Before I do that, however, I want to touch on what I call, for lack of a better term, friedmanism.

I am referring to Tom Friedman, the influential Op/Ed columnist for the New York Times. I want to make it clear before I proceed that I am not launching a personal, ad hominem attack on Mr. Friedman. I'm sure he's a nice guy, sincere and well-meaning. However, he exemplifies an all-too-common way of thinking about the Big Planetary Issues that virtually guarantees that they will not get fixed.
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But let's examine why, aside from being uninformed about physics, Friedman is optimistic. The short answer is: he's got to be! Friedman has to be a "blue skies" kind of guy if he wants to be a mover and shaker, and a fixture at the New York Times. The alternative is quite literally unthinkable.
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Although we humans have been trashing the planet, and continue to trash the planet, Tom Friedman must cling to positive illusions about outcomes. But such unreflective optimism is not supported by reality. Unless a miracle occurs, there is little doubt about the species extinction outcome in the 21st century if we keep doing what we're doing.

But the power of positive illusions is that "people who remain optimistic in the face of insurmountable odds are healthier and finally more successful than those who have a more realistic attitude." Thus friedmanism is almost universal among high-functioning, successful human beings. It thus afflicts almost all of our society's leaders and elites, i.e. those people who are charged with keeping the growth machine running.

Any salesman will attest to the upside of maintaining positive illusions, but there is a downside as well—bankruptcy and destitution.

There is a lot more to digest and I URGE everyone to read this article. I find myself lucky to have found 2 profoundly interesting articles within a span of a week (the other is here). It usually is months at a time before coming across stuff this good