Are We Responsible Caretakers of this Planet?

Are We Responsible Caretakers of this Planet?

I am inclined to think that each human generation must consider itself as the steward of the earth and therefore must make available to the succeeding generations an inheritance undiminished to that received.

In this context what does "careful and responsible management" mean? I would say that there are two things that must be begun to make the whole process feasible. The first is that the public must be convinced that it is a responsible caretaker and not an owner and secondly the public must be provided with an acceptable standard whereby it can judge how each major issue affects the accomplishment of the overall task. This is an ongoing forever responsibility for every nation but for the purpose of discussion I am going to speak about it as localized to the US.

Selfishness and greed are fundamental components of human nature as we squander ours and all succeeding generations' inheritance. How does a nation convince its people to temper this nature when the payoff goes not to the generation presently in charge but to generations yet to come in the very distant future? Generations too far removed to be encompassed by the evolved biological impulse to care for ones kin.

How is it possible to convince a man or woman to have the same concern for a generation five times removed as that man or woman has for their own progeny? I suspect it is not possible, but it does seem to me to be necessary to accomplish the task of stewardship.

Would it be possible to convince the American people to reject completely the use of air-conditioning so that generations five times removed could survive? Is it possible to create in a person a rational response strong enough to overcome the evolved nature of greed and selfishness? I cannot imagine any rational motivation of sufficient strength to divert the natural instincts of an unsophisticated people for an extended time. Therefore, the motivation force must be emotionally based or the people must become more sophisticated quickly.

Perhaps a compelling sense of stewardship must come through religion. Rationality appears to be insufficient for creating a compulsion to sacrifice immediate gratification for such remote ends.

Are you a good steward of this planet?

I really like this post.

I'm noticing over time when older generations are leaving and the younger ones are growing up I have this concern about the maturity of the younger generation and its ability to take responsability into its own hands.

Maybe its just the people I Iive near and work with, but alot of the good things in the world seem to be taken for granted and not many people seem to care how such things came to be. But its probably the same with every generation.

When people leave a home for good its unlikley they will care what state they leave it in. But if people believed this is their home for good they would care for it much more.

TO: coberst

There is a 'ROOT' problem regarding your Topic (1st Post).

With 'Respect' and friendly intent I request you read the following quotes. The ideas and wisdoms presented by these authors have proven valuable to me, and maybe you'll enjoy some of them.

I'll continue my statement at the end of the quotes.

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'The Cynics are right nine times out of ten.'
- H. L. Mencken


'In the beginner's mind there are many possibilities. In the expert's mind there are few.'
- Shunryu Suzuki


'Personally, I'm always ready to learn although I do not always like being taught.'
- Winston Churchill


'Sit down before FACT as a little child, be prepared to give up every preconceived notion, follow humbly wherever and to whatever abysses Nature leads, or you shall learn nothing.'
- Thomas Henry Huxley


'Everyone thinks of changing the world, but no one thinks of changing himself.'
- Leo Tolstoy


'Most people say/think...' – That's your point? How naïve, since most people are of limited intellect and undereducated.
- Albert Einstein


'The beginning of Wisdom is: Acquire wisdom, and with all your acquiring, get understanding.'
- Proverbs 4:7 (New American Standard Bible)


'All Truth passes through three stages. First, it's ridiculed. Second, it is violently opposed. Then, with great fanfare, it is accepted as being self-evident.'
- Arthur Schopenhauer

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WOOLY BULLY:

The 'ROOT' problem is discussed at (www.vhemt.org)

It's illogical to discuss L,M,N,O,P before there is an understanding of A,B,C (Root Cause).

FACT:
Human Breeders.
There is nothing more frightful than ignorance in action: 238,753 global births (after deaths) 'per DAY'. That's insane!!!


If you fail to 'properly research' VHEMT (this means hours, not minutes) – then the reality will be that you're doing a disservice to yourself, children, and Earth with its millions of creatures.

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Voluntary Human Extinction Movement (VHEMT)
(www.vhemt.org)

Welcome!
You can relate to VHEMT in one of three ways: Volunteer, Supporter, or Undecided.
(www.vhemt.org/join.htm)

VHEMT Volunteer:
'All of us should voluntarily refrain from reproducing further, thereby bringing about the eventual extinction of human beings.'

VHEMT Supporter:
'Intentional creation of one more of us by any of us is unjustifiable at this time. Extinction of the human species goes too far.'

Undecided:
'Stop trying to put words in my mouth. Maybe I'm a Volunteer, or maybe I'm a Supporter. I'd like to know more before I decide.'

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'Quarrel not at all. No man resolved to make the most of himself, can spare time for personal contention. Still less can he afford to take all the consequences, including the vitiating of his temper, and the loss of self-control. Yield larger things to which you can show no more than equal right; and yield lesser ones, though clearly your own. Better give your path to a dog, than be bitten by him in contesting for the right. Even killing the dog would not cure the bite.'
- Abraham Lincoln

Are We Responsible Caretakers of this Planet?

I apologive for the brevity of this post, I'm short on time right now.

I have a question for you though.

Is it my responsibility to take care of this planet? If so, then why?

quote:

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Is it my responsibility to take care of this planet? If so, then why?

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Because it gave birth to you. At the very least you could have appreciation and gratitude towards it. You are as indebted to taking care of this planet as it ages as you are your parents.

TO: awakendwraith


awakendwraith:
Is it my responsibility to take care of this planet? If so, then why?


ANSWER:
Yes. Your "Why" is answered at VHEMT: http://www.vhemt.org/

Personaly, I feel little to no responsibility for taking care of my parents, and this is why.

One day, i was brought into this world. My parents helped me stay alive until i was old enough and strong enough to take care of myself.

I have made every important decision in my life, and I have always taken care of myself.

I feel that I owe them nothing because they only gave me what they owed me. It is my parents responsibility to take care if me in my childhood, because they chose to bring me in this world. It is not my responsibility to pay them back for something I never asked for. That doesn't mean I am not greatful, I am, and I show it in my own way, but it is through choice that I do this, and not nececity.

The planet on the other hand, did not birth me. It has given me all of the recorces I need to survive and flourish, but it is through my own will that I receive them, (I am speaking about all of humanity here, not just myself) But it is not as if the planet said, "Here is everything you need little one, take what you will." Instead this is what the planet said. "Hey, all of you species, all you living things, fight to the death and the winner takes all."

Do you see where I'm coming from? It is not as if the planet WANTED me to succeed. I just happen to.

Is it through mankinds will that we flourish, or through the grace and gifts of the planet?


Now that doesn't mean I don't appreciate the complexity and splender of hte planets recources, but they weren't exactly gifts. They were all by products of basic survival, and humans seem to survive the best...

If you dont see where I'm coming from now, tell me, then I'll try to explain it differently.

TO: awakendwraith


First, 'ChrisD' stated a topic (Personal Responsibility for Parental Care) that doesn't belong under this Thread, that topic requires its own Thread. Therefore, I'm not going to discuss parental care.


You're a smart fellow 'awakendwraith' and it surprised me that you didn't mention VHEMT in your statement (April 21). Why not?

VHEMT is about facts and mathematics which aren't debatable because they're facts.

You speak of your parents and if there was any wisdom in their choice of 'birthing' you into this existence (I too have this moral quandary about my parents) – VHEMT exists to educate people about this.

         *quandary – a state of perplexity or uncertainty

People make many of their 'wrong choices' because of their immorality, egoism, narcissism, ignorance, peer pressure, and so on.


You're correct about the planet Earth – it is a hostile environment.

         'Man stands in his own shadow and wonders why it's dark.'


Using logical standards it's pointless to argue the Thread question if you're not going to first discuss the root cause – overpopulation.

FACT:
The future generations that 'coberst' refers to has a number: 24 BILLION


***The complete premise of this Thread question is an illusion***


Hope you have a great week 'awakendwraith'

You're insane....

I think thats it for the next couple months...

Age is a high price to pay for maturity. Maturity starts when concern for others outweighs self-concern.

You can lead a fool to Wisdom (www.vhemt.org), but you can't make him think, or prefer Virtue.