Despite the recent torrents in London, this summer, England has been experiencing a serious drought. But not only England, most, if not all of Europe has been experiencing a sweltering summer with gigantic forest fires that have consumed countless homes in addition to trees and wildlife.
But there is another problem that is exacerbating the crisis: leaking pipes. Water companies in England and Wales lost more than one trillion liters via leaky pipes last year. In the US, the situation is not much better. According to a report on Technology Networks Applied Sciences, “An estimated 20 to 50 percent of water is lost to leaks in North America’s supply system.”
If the climate is changing and droughts have become more frequent and more severe, why are we not doing something about it? Why are we letting so much water go to waste? There is a simple answer to it, and this is the hidden cause that makes the climate crisis so severe in the UK and around the world: We do not care about each other. If we did, we would not let this happen.
“If previously, we could get away with our negative attitude toward each other, today’s world is so interconnected that everything we do affects everyone else far more quickly and intensely. If kindness, or even mutual consideration were optional until only recently, today they are mandatory.”
If I were to build a home somewhere for my family, would I not see to a proper water system? Would I not see that it is properly maintained? Of course I would. Because I love my family, I would see that our water supply system is intact.
In other words, the leaking pipes are merely an indication of a much bigger problem: alienation and carelessness among us. Why do we have homeless people? Why are there drug addicts lying in street corners until their lives run out of them? Why are there so many people abused and bullied and enslaved? There is only one cause behind all these wrongs, one problem that we need to fix. From the slightest injustice to the most horrible crime, they all stem from our lack of care, from our indifference, coldness, and the pleasure we derive from other people’s pain. If we cared, or at least did not hate so much, our world would be infinitely better.
Every problem has its scientists and experts who make plans for tackling it. (Notice they do not talk about improving, much less solving it.) They never succeed. For all the budgets that they get, things are not getting any better. There is a good reason for this: There is no care in all their plans, no heart in all their actions.
How come mothers can usually raise their children successfully unless external circumstances beyond their control prevent it from them? In fact, sometimes they succeed despite impossible circumstances, but these are exceptions, not the rule. Mothers succeed because they care, and for no other reason. They have no plans, no foreknowledge about being a mother, and often get conflicting advice from friends and “consultants.” Yet, for the most part, they raise their children fine. Why? because their love guides their actions. If love guided our relations with our fellow persons, we would be living in a very different world, a far better one than we have today.
If previously, we could get away with our negative attitude toward each other, today’s world is so interconnected that everything we do affects everyone else far more quickly and intensely. If kindness, or even mutual consideration were optional until only recently, today they are mandatory.
We can argue that caring for each other is unrealistic and idealistic, that it is an unachievable and naive goal. It may seem that way, but if you consider that the option of letting things continue as they have been leads to certain decimation of much of humanity, I hope you will agree that idealistic or not, it is worth giving it a serious effort. If we acknowledge the fact that we are all dependent on each other, we will realize that no matter what, we must find a way to stop hating, and start caring for each other, even if just a little bit.
