Our issue with global population size comes as a clear example. When we as humans noticed that the Earth has limited capacity we came up with several protective measures but did not apply them very fast at first. I do not think, however, that current limiting measures are the only way how to effectively influence extreme population growth. The population expansion occurs largely in developing countries where people are not even aware of it due to the lack of information – therefore education should be much more accessible. It is important to change human mentality – to show people that not everything new has to be bigger and better than before.
This ‘hunger’ for continuous growth could later endanger the quality and safety of their life that had been very different until now. For people to accept this, the world needs to be in a certain balance, naturally, but the change has to start with ourselves. It can sound as a utopia, but this is true not just of the population explosion, but of everything else as well. For example, the size and number of buildings, our food, use of energies (water, electricity, gas…), shopping, all of these influence us enormously. Tendency to increase consumption reflects current consumer age, but it does not give us the right to spend more, quite the opposite. Our attitude is important – to be tolerant and to respect others is fundamental. It sounds simple, and yet I do not see it in people very often which results in many challenges, global as well as personal.
We are adjusted to living with others since we were born, but we often do not behave in that way; rather, we tend to have egocentric attitudes and think mainly about ourselves. As children, we were already told to take care of ourselves in the first place, because only then will we be able to take care of others. But I think we should not forget that we live in a community. Even though self-preservation instinct is dominant among humans, we should learn to live in greater harmony with others, know how to solve conflicts in a way that suits both sides. To understand the other person enough is basic, as not understanding just polarizes events into positive and negative. Communication is the alpha and the omega in everything, even in conflict resolution.
We need to keep in mind that what is characteristic of people in the current millennium is experience, and sharing and enjoying even the smallest details that life brings. Maybe it is the reason to treat everyday communication in the same way. Communicate in a simple way.
But who knows, maybe we will have technology that will give people 100% of everything and thus eliminate any problems or conflicts, financial crises or uncontrollable population growth. A certain kind of a computer? Would that be the apple of sin for mankind? Even then, we should still take care of our humanity so that it never disappears from our lives and actions.
