As 2021 comes to a close...

"Greed and competition are not the result of immutable human temperament...greed and fear of scarcity are in fact being created and amplified...the direct consequence is that we have to fight with each other in order to survive". - Bernard Lietaer, Founder of EU currency system. 

Greed, Hate and Ignorance are the three illnesses that has plagued humanity since the beginning of civilization, The Buddha is said to have said some two thousand six hundred years ago. In this day and age Alvin Toffler the author of Future Shock and The Third Wave, converted diametrically the same , Wealth, Power and Information will be the dominant ingredients for any society to become master over others; the flip-side of the coin. Today we  are seeing the manifestation of these two principles being played out all over the world albeit locally or globally. It is a sad and foreboding future mankind is facing whether we see it as it is or prefer to continue living in denial and acceptance of the inevitable. For those of my age this scenario is playing itself out in a rapid pace as we watch the changes taking place since the end of World War Two as I was born a few years after. The fact is, is that one might think that humanity had learned the lesson of the consequences of the ailments as pointed out by the Enlightened One but instead over the 60-70 years, mankind it seems is doomed to repeat the same errors made by those that contributed towards the causes of the  two Global Wars; and we have the audacity to call ourselves civilized. 

The dye it seems is cast and the milk is spilled, I am getting less and less convinced by the day that humanity will be able to arrest and reverse the process of our planetary decadence. Our minds are being sucked irreversibly into the black hole of our own making; we have become worse than the parasites that eats at its own host's vital organs, we have become cancerous. Greed and hatred prevails all over the world and through the lack of fortitude and wisdom we are fast drowning in our own quagmire of self generated waste. Out of the 7-8 billion of the human population we have to date perhaps not even ten percent are aware or even care of the state we are in and much less strives to do anything about it. It is a dog-eat-dog world we live in and what can be done about it is simply to become aware of it and make the changes that is needed from within ourselves. Time to step back and do a double take of the whole situation or our existence and take appropriate action no matter how or insignificant we might deem it to be; toss the stone into the pond and see how wide the ripples grow. 

According to the Population by World Data Lab on the Internet, I am older than 95% of the world's population to date and 97% of all people in Malaysia; in short I am getting old. With this knowledge no matter how accurate it might be I realize that I stand among those ready to take the next step called the one step beyond and it is also my realization that I  have survived this life beating the odds over a large number of people and deserves the recognition from and to myself. 

We estimate that you will live until 11 Oct 2033 if you were an average world citizen. Whereas in Malaysia it would be until 08 Mar 2033.

I hope not, 2033?! What would I do till then? Kay sera sera, whatever will be will be, the future is not ours to see, Kay sera sera! I used to sing this song made famous by Doris Day if I am not mistaken when I was a young boy and loved to sing.

And not too many like to listen to a sad and depressing state of affairs these days and most would switch on the denial mode and turn towards the pleasures and entertaining events floating around to satisfy the ego. Shit never happens until it slaps one in the face or affect one's pocket and when it does there is always an escape route through back doors and alternate realities of HBO and NETFLIX. Then again there are those who are still looking for victims to scam wherever and whenever taking advantage of the economic uncertainties and simple ignorance. It is the season of greed and hate of fear and insecurity and it is also the season to be jolly as Christmas is around the corner. Merry Christmas and Seasons Greetings to one and all for 2021, a year that is inglorious and best let it rest in ignominy.