Facing Extinction

The moment when the surface of a soap bubble, broken by a nail, has begun to collapse and fall apart, but hasn't finished yet. Collapse by Sober Rabbit | Flickr | CC BY-NC-ND 2.0
The moment when the surface of a soap bubble, broken by a nail, has begun to collapse and fall apart, but hasn't finished yet. Collapse by Sober Rabbit | Flickr | CC BY-NC-ND 2.0
Author
Catherine Ingram

Facing Extinction
by Catherine Ingram

DARK KNOWLEDGE

“The heavens were all on fire; the earth did tremble.”
–William Shakespeare
Henry IV, Part 1

For much of my life, I thought our species would soon go extinct. I assumed we might last another hundred years if we were lucky.  Now I suspect we are facing extinction in the near future. Can I speculate as to exactly when that might happen?  Of course not.  My sense of this is based only on probability.  It might be similar to hearing about a diagnosis of late stage pancreatic cancer.  Is it definite that the person is going to die soon?  No, not definite.  Is it highly probable?  Yes, one would be wise to face the likelihood and put one’s affairs in order.

You may read the complete essay here. 

 

Share This

Explore More On These Topics

collapse riskdenialeco anxietyexistential riskforesight intelligencepsychology

We have built a world that is now pushing all life on Earth to its limits. The forces shaping our future on this planet are moving faster than we can comprehend, let alone take adequate action. By mapping the systems behind these forces, the MAHB cultivates the wisdom needed to respond.

About the MAHB →

You might like