[Humanity’s] present state, indeed even its immediate future,
is dark, distressingly dark.
Its distant future, however, is radiant, gloriously radiant—
so radiant that no eye can visualize it.
Shoghi Effendi, The Promised Day Is Come
by Christine Muller
Jane Goodall, who is well known for her important work with chimpanzees, wrote a book* explaining why she still has hope for the future of humanity despite ominous scientific predictions about the climate and the Earth’s natural systems on which we all depend.
She gave four reasons for her hope:
Reason 1: The Amazing Human Intellect
“Even though chimpanzees, our closest living relatives, can perform super well at all kinds of intelligence tests, even the brightest chimpanzee could not design that rocket from which crept a robot that was programmed to crawl around the surface of the Red Planet – Mars – taking photos for scientists on Earth to study. Humans have done such incredible things …” (p. 45)
Reason 2: The Resilience of Nature
“There is a kind of built-in resilience – as when spring brings forth leaves after a bitter winter of snow and ice, or the desert blooms after even a tiny amount of rain falls. And there are seeds that can germinate after lying dormant for many years. They contain that tiny spark of life waiting for the right conditions to release its power. It’s what Albert Schweitzer – one of my heroes – called the will to live.” (p. 80)
Reason 3: The Power of Young People
“It actually makes me angry when people say it will be up to young people to solve [humanity’s problems]. Of course, we can’t and shouldn’t expect them to solve all our problems. We’ve got to support them. And I truly believe the young people of today are rising to the challenge in a most remarkable way. Once they understand the problems and are empowered to take action – well, they are changing the world as we speak.” (p. 127)
Reason 4: The Indomitable Human Spirit
After sharing stories of societies and individuals that have overcome huge obstacles, the interviewer asked Jane: “But when it comes to the grim environmental situation we face today, do you think we could all come together and use this same energy and determination to tackle climate change and loss of biodiversity?”
Jane responded: “There is no doubt in my mind that we could. The trouble is that not enough people realize the magnitude of the danger we are facing – a danger that threatens to utterly destroy the world. How do we get people to heed the dire warnings of the people on the ground who have been fighting this danger for so long? How do we get them to take action?” (p. 159)
Jane Goodall then explains that this is the reason why she has traveled around the world “trying to wake people up, make them aware of the danger, yet at the same time assure everyone there is a window of time when our actions can start healing the harm we have inflicted.” (p. 159)
What gives you hope?
Dear reader, you are invited to share your views about Jane Goodall’s reasons for hope as well as any thoughts they may have triggered. What are your reasons for hope? What are some Baha’i perspectives about the topics raised? What are you practically doing that may inspire others for similar actions and provide hope?
If possible, your comments will be incorporated into next month’s Sustainable Living Conversation. Please, send them to cmuller@wilmetteinstitute.org within the next two weeks.
Reference:
* The Book of Hope by Jane Goodall and Douglas Abrams
