To add to the catastrophic numbers of mass deaths of birds and fish in 2011, recently over 500 penguins washed up on the Brazilian coast. Their death is presumed to be due to a combination of starvation, environmental pollution, and climate change. We still have not been able to reasonably ascertain an integral scientific reasoning behind the massive deaths of birds and fish happening around the world, except with the word 'Harakiri.' That is what I decided to call my song and record in discussing these events. The possibility of massive species committing ritualistic suicide based on the unavailability of food and/or adverse environmental conditions is not beyond the scope of today's reality. The term is also reflective of our unconscious lifestyle-related human suicide that we seem to be committing together on this planet with our carbon footprint, excessive consumption and waste. The dying off of these species, like the dangerous disappearance of bees, is a foreboding omen of our own death.
Overall, we are quite ignorant of the interconnectivity of events around the world. For example, the lack of rainfall in equatorial, especially sub-Saharan, countries will lead to further northward immigration causing more political problems in Europe and pushing political parties and populations further to the right. Job creation in the fields of polluting resources to satisfy immediate economic concerns will lead to less investment in renewable energies and endanger the long-term survival of all species. Climate change has turned into the arch-enemy of civilization and rightfully so, since civilization has excluded concern for the environment until recently. Civil strife, occupation, economic downturns, and the slide in the economic index are minor issues to the increasing accelerated rate of environmental devastation occurring before our very eyes. Overpopulation's net carbon output cannot be overcome by the Kyoto protocol nor slight changes in our lifestyle. We need to start thinking about what's next because this model is irreversibly broken.
A journalist recently asked me if I was referring to the end of the world. Instinctually, I replied, no, I'm referring to the end of our WORD. We have tracked the ascendance of all former civilizations through their writings, from cave drawings, to papyrus manuscripts, to books, and now to digital. The earth is billions of years old, humanity millions of years old, while all known civilizations have only been around for about 10,000 years. All modern religions were created within the constructs of the city of civilization, having similar constructs and limitations, all patriarchal. We are missing the intuitive, maternal sense of our indigenous past. Humans were placed on this planet as caretakers, not takers, which is what we've turned into on a global scale. Civilization has fueled progress in psychology, technology, and the sciences, all left brain activities. We will not be able to come to grips with the changing tides without a good balance
of our psychological, technological present with our intuitive, indigenous past.
The dominant animal has overproduced and is causing havoc on his own environment. That is how we would be viewed by an alien race or other species. We turn on the television and see mass deaths, bombs, war, starvation, floods, and still make it to our 2 p.m. meeting without a glitch.
Reset time.
Serj Tankian
So, yes I do believe in natural climate changes, but I do believe we humans have sped up the process. My personal beliefs are that the average American citizen won't care until we get another natural disaster equal to the Dust Bowl before the average citizen cares
As for the rest of my thoughts on this article and those concerning our resident troll buddy,l will address the issues my next day off. Good day to you, sir.
"Irrefutable evidence from around the world-including extreme weather events, record temperatures, retreating glaciers and rising sea levels-all point to the fact that climate change is happening now and at rates much faster than previously thought. The overwhelming majority of scientists who study climate change agree that human activity is responsible for changing the climate. The United Nations Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) is one of the largest bodies of international scientists ever assembled to study a scientific issue, involving more than 2,500 scientists from more than 130 countries. The IPCC has concluded that most of the warming observed during the past 50 years is attributable to human activities. Its findings have been publicly endorsed by the national academies of science of all G-8 nations, as well as those of China, India and Brazil. " -- Dr. David Suzuki
I believe that the Dust Bowl from the 1930's was a good indication of how bad it could/can get considering it only lasted a short time and did a tremendous amount of social/economic damage. Modern science has only recentlybegun to study our effects on climate change. I believe it is the price to pay for living in a land of cornucopia, feast or famine.
I believe that it will take another Dust Bowl or a continued dwindling water supply before the general population wakes up and takes concern. The wars for water will be much, much worse than the ones for war ever are/have been.
@MarkTiller- Ahhh..I see you've managed to find your little hateful ( and non-spelling I might add) way back to this blog post. I also see that you dont get it....as to be expected. Where, in your unintelligible and awfully mispelled babble, do you make a case that I have done anything to you? To each their own I say. As for you, my little angry misguided friend, you need a drink and maybe a nice dose of Prozac so you don't explode. By the way, in being so hateful to me and to Serj, you look like a complete and utter troll. You shouldn't come onto an article he has written and bash him. You sound just like someone on Facebook who loves to bash him on his fan page. You really do need to find a new hobby and quit spewing your hate on Serj and on law enforcement. See corrupt cops? Report them. Serj is incredibly talented and intelligent, so I doubt he would "hat" me and find such a problem with me. You really are quite a rude and disrespectful person. Now, please leave me alone and quit spewing your hate on Serj.
You know, last time even in central Europe happen strange things, there's a lot of places where we can experience the sweltering heat, after that coming storms, unusually heavy rain, hailstorms and tornados. Recently whirlwind havoc hectares of forest in NP of Bory Tucholskie in Poland. I think it is a cause of mix of civilisation's activity and global warming but... who really knows!? Around we see meaningless wars, fall of global economy, people are only fighting each other, so who will care for the Mother Earth? Only we - screamers. Our weapon in fight agains CEOs & friends is to scream, as loud as we can.
I firmly believe we've already passed the point of no return as regards our negative impact on the environment. We're marching towards extintion with blinders on our eyes. The sad thing is that we're going to take a lot of innocent species down with us. And yet nobody seems to care about all this and the future consequences of our collective actions. How could the obvious be ignored?