Public discourse on politically contested matters—like climate change, refugees, distribution of resources, etc.—seems to be at a low ebb. We need to find ways to address these issues constructively if we are to have any hope of meeting the challenges of the coming years. But how can we be a part of the solution and not just a part of the problem?
Although I was raised as a strict Irish-style Roman Catholic, after many years of deep thought, I am now an atheist, humanist, rationalist and sceptic, and have come to the conclusion that this is the most important unanswered philosophical question. I do not believe there is any need to postulate a creator, because belief in a creator god leads to the obvious next questions of who or what made god, and who or what made who or what made god, and so on indefinitely.
Nauru is in such a parlous state of dysfunction that New Zealand has just announced it is no longer willing to fund its justice system. Staff who report the abuse are sacked and medical staff now confront the threat of a two-year jail sentence for reporting the abuse of women and children. I am worried we have that we have become a country that denies people their basic human rights.
Because this is one of the root environmental problems we face. My grandmother was born into a world with 75% fewer people and this seemingly unstoppable growth undermines all of the good we do. If we halve consumption and double the world’s population, we have achieved nothing, but forced sterilisation is obviously completely unacceptable, as is the total freedom to have 9 children if you feel like it. You should care because at the moment the future does not look like now with more electric cars; you should more picture 40m people in rags foraging in a gravel car park the size South Australia for 27 potatotes.