THE HOT BREATH OF OUR CIVILISATION
Ian McEwan, novelist (published in Burning Ice, by Cape
Farewell).
THE PRESSURE OF OUR NUMBERS, THE ABUNDANCE OF OUR
INVENTIONS, THE BLIND FORCES OF OUR DESIRES AND NEEDS
ARE GENERATING HEAT - THE HOT BREATH OF OUR CIVILISATION.
HOW CAN WE BEGIN TO RESTRAIN OURSELVES? WE RESEMBLE
A SUCCESSFUL LICHEN, A RAVAGING BLOOM OF ALGAE, A MOULD
ENVELOPING FRUIT.
WE ARE FOULING OUR NEST, AND WE KNOW WE MUST ACT
DECISIVELY, AGAINST OUR IMMEDIATE INCLINATIONS. BUT CAN
WE AGREE AMONG OURSELVES?
WE ARE A CLEVER BUT QUARRELSOME SPECIES - IN OUR PUBLIC
DEBATES WE CAN SOUND LIKE A ROOKERY IN FULL THROAT.
WE ARE SUPERSITIOUS, HIERARCHICAL AND SELF-INTERESTED,
JUST WHEN THE MOMENT REQUIRES US TO BE RATIONAL,
EVEN-HANDED AND ALTRUISTIC.
WE ARE SHAPED BY OUR HISTORY AND BIOLOGY TO FRAME OUR
PLANS WITHIN THE SHORT TERM, WITHIN THE SCALE OF A SINGLE
LIFETIME. NOW WE ARE ASKED TO ADDRESS THE WELL-BEING OF
UNBORN INDIVIDUALS WE WILL NEVER MEET AND WHO, CONTRARY
TO THE USUAL TERMS OF HUMAN INTERACTION, WILL NOT BE
RETURNING THE FAVOUR.
PESSIMISM IS INTELLECTUALLY DELICIOUS, EVEN THRILLING,
BUT THE MATTER BEFORE US IS TOO SERIOUS FOR MERE SELF-
PLEASURING. ON OUR SIDE WE HAVE OUR RATIONALITY, WHICH
FINDS ITS HIGHEST EXPRESSION AND FORMALISATION IN GOOD
SCIENCE. AND WE HAVE A TALENT FOR WORKING TOGETHER -
WHEN IT SUITS US.
ARE WE AT THE BEGINNING OF AN UNPRECEDENTED ERA
OF INTERNATIONAL CO-OPERATION, OR ARE WE LIVING IN
AN EDWARDIAN SUMMER OF RECKLESS DENIAL? IS THIS
THE BEGINNING, OR THE BEGINNING OF THE END?
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