The right choices for a world at the crossroads

The year 2024 scorched and scalded but just about let the planet survive. Let us hope that the new year, despite portents of war and worsening of the climate crisis, proves different

- Gopalkrishna Gandhi

Let us accept it. The sun sank last evening, disappointed. Disappointed in us, earthlings. In the way we are treating the earth and each other.

Let us accept this fact too: The sun that has risen on the new year this morning has done so, rather unsurely, in hope.

Hoping against hope about the future of Planet Earth in the custody of Man, and the future of the weak under the domination of the strong. "Planet Earth?" its ruthless custodian asks. "What in hell is that?"

"I know what the world is. I do great business with it. I know what the globe is. I circle it with my spaceships and get a hold of it. But the earth...whatever is that?" When told about the earth being the home of our homes and when reminded of the perils posed to it by something called the climate crisis, Man retorts, "Rubbish."

When gently reminded that rubbish is, in fact, what he has created and which he dumps unflaggingly into the rivers, seas, coasts, and mountain slopes, he repeats, "rubbish, rubbish." And lets the zillion times zillionth plastic bottle go bobbing into the nearest hillside or seafront.

And as to the domination of the weak by the strong, he raises a fist and says, "It is the duty of the strong to dominate the world. They are strong so that they can rule and protect the world." When gently, too gently, told that the strong are not strong because God made them so, and the weak are not weak because they are meant to be weak, he snorts, "Everyone wants me, Man, to be Superman. Now you, little imp, you get lost!"

This is the inherited legacy of 2024 deposited on the doorstep of 2025.