Stephen Hawking may be right

Who Are We Fooling?

Stephen Hawking may well be right when he claims humans have just another 100 years before we need to find a new planet to live on. Personally, if we do succeed in finding and colonizing that planet, let me on behalf of the human race apologize in advance to that planet because we will destroy it.

It’s deeply disturbing that much of the same technology we rely on to find new worlds to colonize will be the same technology we use to destroy this planet. If a rocket can be created to transport man to far away places, surly it will be armed and used against our enemy. We seem destined to bring mankind to its knees with only a select few chosen to move on and wreak havoc somewhere else. It’s as if we have morphed into one gigantic board game where there can only be one winner.

Whether it be politics, religion, economics, or the less important world of sports and entertainment, there has become too much of a mindset of not just wanting to sit on top of the world, but to destroy all others in the process.

Having reached retirement, I now realize I am pretty much good for one thing, and one thing only: a source for the state to take my money in any way they can. If Trump and the GOP have there way, after working hard, paying my taxes on time every year, raising a family and putting them through college, my reward will be to pay five times more for my health care than someone half my age.

At 30, I never saw this coming. If I had, I might have decided to be a chain smoking, alcoholic sponge that consumes countless calories just so I might die before having my money stolen by the state in my old age. Instead, I chose to live a much healthier lifestyle, exercise, eat well, and get my check ups just so I can be punished for my healthy choices.

In the last 30 years, I have watch our political structure transform from one where bipartisanship was still very common into one where shutting down the government is considered by some to be better than making sure it performs its duties.

We are setting about increasing our funding for our military because lets face it, it is the only area our government knows how to improve. We can’t get roads paved, bridges repaired, public transportation improved, or our environment cleaned up, but we can damn well blow the world to pieces more times than there are stars in our galaxy.

Sorry, but our kids are also dumber than ever. Sure, they can use their thumbs in ways we never imagined, but if it can’t be found after a quick internet search, our teens just quit because the work has become too difficult to do.

Online our cyber friends have replaced human interaction, which makes it easier for us to become disconnected with our fellow man and become more ruthless and cold-hearted. Those who survive their childhood will be well suited to move on and become the increasingly ruthless and uncaring leaders of tomorrow that will make today’s leaders look like saints and not the sinners they really are.

We’re fatter and unhealthier than ever while people living in poverty, unable to pay for their basic needs or forced to work two or three jobs, prepare to be told they no longer have health care.

Why not resort to a life of crime over college? After all, criminals who get caught are housed, fed, and cared for by the state while college grads are lucky to find a job at a local Wendy’s.

Our leaders think the only answers to our problems are either tax increases that punish the hard working or tax breaks for the wealthy who hoard money rather than reinvesting it into more jobs that go toward making people feel productive and valued.

Every four years, we fool ourselves into thinking a new leader has our back and will do good by us as long as we vote for him or her — only to realize we have been sold a bill of goods by not just the candidate we supported, but by the money hungry media looking to capitalize off our discontent.

We allow them to bait us into divisive fights over race, gender, religion, and yes, politics because controversy sells better than good news and feel good stories. Our unhappiness results in the happiness and increased profits of our media and politicians.

So what do we do about all of this? For the most part, we bury our heads in the sand, pray to God we do not fall victim to this load of crap, and leave this world with a family behind to deal with what we have compounded.

Stephen Hawking may be right; another 100 years is all we have left. Then again, what if he is wrong? What if we have less time and not more? Who is willing to gamble with the time we have left on this planet? Who can just throw up their arms and not care about what we leave for those who may be the final generation on Earth? And who is still sticking their heads in the sand and pretending this is all just going to go away and work out?

If my parents were part of the greatest generation ever, how is it my grand kids, if I ever have any, may well be part of the final generation?

Top photo is a screen shot from YouTube of Stephen Hawking on the HBO Show “Last Week Tonight With John Oliver”