We not me

 

“Geography has made us neighbors. History has made us friends. Economics has made us partners, and necessity has made us allies. Those whom God has so joined together, let no man put asunder.”

—John F. Kennedy

 

By Alex P. Vidal

 

MOST recent global catastrophic events: Mayon volcano spewing lava in the Philippines; flash floods in the United Kingdom; wild fires in Canada and California; poisonous smoke in New York (that’s also “sinking”); drought in Somalia; earthquakes in Hokkaido, Japan and Bay Area, San Francisco; super typhoon in Guam.

Melting snow in Yosemite National Park; gas leak in Suffolk, Virginia; tornado in Pennsylvania and Colorado; landslides in Northern Italy and San Clemente, California; fish kill in Quintana Beach, Texas; alleged UFO spacecraft crash in Las Vegas; brownouts in Panay Island and Ninoy Aquino Manila Airport.

From volcanic eruption, floods and wildfires to hurricanes, high temperatures and drought, the devastations of climate change have left no human habituation untouched. 

Humans may have created today’s global climate crisis. Yet we are not the first humans to grapple with its challenges.

What’s really happening to the universe? Global warming? Signs of the times? The “end” is near (God forbid)? Or both? Is humanity in real deep trouble? 

Is prayer—lots of it—not enough to save mankind?

“We not me” is the battlecry of my first (and now inactive) Twitter account. It’s about time we take seriously our environmental science, which has shifted toward a more collaborative approach, one that emphasizes cross-disciplinary teamwork.

We think such a framework is necessary in today’s universe, where many variables can come together to impact the planet’s harmony.

 

-o0o-

 

WE’RE JUST A LITTLE PIECE OF THE PUZZLE. We are nothing but mere polka dots in this material world, so let’s love and respect one another regardless of sex, age, economic status, profession, religion, race, educational attainment, political affiliation. 

Let’s be kind—and extend our patience and understanding—to those who have mental and emotional issues in life, and those embroiled in marital and familial dilemmas. 

Let’s dismantle our excessive pride and arrogance; let’s deflate our ego and empty it with toxic air; let’s always give way and sacrifice for our parents, the seniors, the children, and those with physical deformities. Let’s keep our cool all the time especially when provoked, and when truckloads of problems and challenges ransack our life.

Let’s co-exist with nature, respect human and animal rights, and read good books. We not me. Let’s meditate and pray. 

 

-o0o-

 

SOCIAL MEDIA GUIDE. If there were no “unfriend” and “block” settings, the social media, particularly Mark Zuckerberg’s Facebook and Elon Musk’s Twitter, would be a veritable Pearl Harbor, a Marawi City siege, or an inter-galactic space battlefield.

We “unfriend” people when we feel their presence is already inimical to our interest. 

We “block” them if we think their existence will hamper our happiness and growth—and when they have become annoying and vexatious to our life. 

We decide what kind of food to place inside our body. If the food provides nutrients, we grow and become healthy. If it is toxic, we release it in the toilet before it can poison our digestive system.

Social media “friends” and “followers” should represent our daily bread or the food we partake. 

To avoid a diarrhea or LBM, let’s eat only quality and good food. So as not to belabor ourselves clicking the “unfriend” and “block” settings each time a lunatic will run berserk and terrorize our wall, let’s carefully choose and scrutinize the “friends” we accept. 

There is no pesky and constant trip to the toilet room if there is no virulent item inside our stomach. There is no hysterical clicking of “unfriend” and/or “block” in the setting if there are no venomous characters in our friends’ list.

(The author, who is now based in New York City, used to be the editor of two daily newspapers in Iloilo.—Ed)