Our Republic is threatened with the upcoming November 5 presidential election. Domestically, we are faced with a convicted lying felon with an authoritarian mindset. Authoritarianism is defined as favoring or enforcing strict obedience to authority, especially that of the government, at the expense of personal freedom especially with a limited brand of white male nationalism, to the exclusion or detriment of the interests both here and abroad ;with an imperialist policy of extending the country's power and influence over others. This essay is directed at the existential crises of nuclear war; climate change and AI related technological changes.
What Pres. and/ or political party is best equipped to deal with a potential nuclear catastrophe? We have not encountered World War III nor have we been faced with the missile crisis that existed in Cuba in 1962. Since that time, we've had a Cold War and numerous limited wars. Recently we've had encounters in Syria; Russia and Ukraine and in Israel. Will Russia employ their nuclear weapons or will Iran involve themselves further in the Middle East ? Putin clearly wants to reestablish the previous Russian Soviet Union - Iron Curtain supremacy ruled by Stalin. What political figure is likely to support Putin’s lust for more power?
In 2015, the United States, United Kingdom, Russia, France, China, Germany and the European Union established an Iran nuclear deal framework. Then, in 2018. Trump and the Republicans pulled out of that nuclear deal. Trump did that because? It's been reported that, according to Putin, Russia is suspending its participation in the New Start Nuclear Treaty. The US may be forced to expand its nuclear arsenal unless a change occurs with Russia according to an administration official.
Men and women went to Capitol Hill on May 15 and 16 with long medical histories related to rare cancers and autoimmune disorders who lived near nuclear testing sites in New Mexico and Nevada from 1945 - 1962. Unfortunately, many have not been compensated by the federal government for what they've gone through. Should the House extend and expand the radiation exposure compensation act?
According to this Devastating Disasters article on the Internet, "experts" say the most endangered cities in United States most likely to be attacked in the case of nuclear war include New York, Washington DC, Chicago, Los Angeles, Houston and San Francisco because the cities are large and highly populated, have important infrastructural facilities and are crucial to the US economy and overall structure.
Currently there are 32 countries that are part of NATO and designed as a military alliance. Up to now, we have not had a large military conflict in Europe as we did in World War II. NATO has been successful. However, with Russia invading Ukraine and Trump's "friendship" with Putin as well as his negative rhetoric regarding NATO raises the question. Is Russia.our nuclear friend or foe going forward especially since Putin wants to reestablish the Russian Empire ? Further, our survival depends on the prevention of a nuclear war not on the interest of any particular person. Does the narcissist want world peace; acquiring land, resources, property and security at the expense of others ?
A second existential crisis that affects everyone is the ecological collapse, facing us. We are raping our land of resources and are using polluting chemicals harmful to us all. A movie called Dark Waters chronicled the Dow Chemical Company with its use of Teflon and the disastrous health effects.
The use of modern industrial farming is based on artificially fertilizing the fields that have disastrous health effects poison rivers, lakes and oceans with a devastating impact on marine life. Habitats are degraded, animals and plants are becoming extinct and the entire ecosystem such as the Great Barrier Reef off Australia and the Amazon rainforest might be destroyed. “ We have behaved as an ecological serial killer now and we are becoming an ecological mass murderer. “
A consensus scientifically reports that human activities as with the emission of greenhouse gasses such as carbon dioxide are causing the Earth's climate to change at a frightening rate. With expanding deserts, disappearing ice caps, rising oceans, more frequent extreme weather events such as hurricanes and typhoons, we are disrupting agricultural production, making much of the world uninhabitable and sending hundreds of millions of refugees in search of new homes. And who pulled out of the Paris Climate Accord? Biden announced a 600 M in climate investments in 2024 .
It should be noted that Russia, Iran and Saudi Arabia depend on exporting oil and gas and have no interest in collapsing their economy. Also, higher temperatures are likely to turn Siberia into the breadbasket of the world. As the ice melts in the far north.,the Russian dominated Arctic sea lanes might become the arteries of a new global commerce and become extremely important in world trade. Once again the importance and influence of Russia cannot be understated.
Permafrost is flowing across, two thirds of Russia throwing cities and towns that were constructed to house miners sent to dig up subterranean troves of oil, gas, gold and diamonds. Outside one small town deep in the Siberian hinterland, the crater is rapidly opening up -known to local residents as the gateway to the underworld. Already more than 1/2 a mile deep and about 3000 feet wide, this crater is growing as the ground beneath it melts. The cliff face retreats 40 feet every year revealing buried treasures once locked up in the ice.
A group of health experts that include economists,and lawyers in the US government are addressing a public health crisis. People are dying on the job from extreme heat and it is expected that would require employers to protect an estimated 50 million exposed to high temperatures while they work. Workers include farm laborers and construction workers, but also people who sort packages in warehouses , clean airplane cabins and cook in commercial kitchens. Last year was the hottest in recorded history and researchers are expecting another record-breaking summer temperature .
The Biden’s administration's push to fight climate change has sprinkled billions of dollars across America for projects including new transmission lines for electric power and for planting trees. But in this election year, officials in Nevada and beyond are facing new threats from climate change and are wondering whether the flow of assistance will last.
The third existential crisis is the AI technological threat or disruption. The US government forbids genetically engineering human embryos. However, this doesn't prevent other scientists from other countries from doing it. Bioengineering and AI might upgrade humans and create new life forms. When it comes to formulating ethical guidelines, should a convicted felon lead us?
More specifically, a microorganism going to one species can incorporate genetic codes from a completely different species into itself and thereby gain new capabilities such as resistance to antibiotics. In one experiment scientists grew an ear made of cattle cartilage cells on a mouse. Further, geneticists may have isolated the genes responsible for monogamy. What would Don Juan say?
Perhaps genetic engineering and other forms of biological engineering might enable us to make far-reaching alterations in our physiology, immune system, life expectancy, and in our intellectual and emotional capacities . Perhaps we can prolong human life, conquer incurable diseases and upgrade our abilities.
On the other hand, the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency, are developing cyborgs of insects, and the US Naval Undersea Warfare Center reported its intention to build cyborg sharks in the hope of identifying underwater electromagnetic fields made by submarines and mines. Also, the newest generation of hearing aids are sometimes referred to as bionic ears. The device consists of an implant that absorbs sound through a microphone located in the outer part of the ear. The implant filters its sounds from five human voices and translates them into electric signals that are sent directly to the central trainer and from there to the brain.
Which political party might be able to influence the directions that scientists are taking? What party do we want to lead us into the future? Do we want a convicted felon with a history of exploitation , seeking revenge who wants to be a dictator to lead us? Biden issued an executive order to ensure that America leads the way in seizing the promise and use of AI .
Next week, I will comment on the salient domestic issues of capitalism, power, democracy, the Constitution, the government ,, the criminal justice system , big money, and politics employing Jack London’s novel “ The Iron Boot. “
PS
Check out the documentary "Turning Point The Bomb and The Cold War on Netflix.”
References
Harari, Yuval Noah. 21 Lessons for the 21st Century ; Sapiens: A Brief History of Mankind.
The New York Times May 26, 2024 articles: " Danger Grow As Workplaces Become Harder;" " In Nevada, Heat Is On to Secure Climate Cash Bonanza;" "A Giant Crater in Siberia Is Belching up Russia's Past" and "Nuclear Testing. Victims Deserve More."
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