Welcome to this week’s editorial,
Though it is early days in the year 2022 I am predicting that the most important movie you will see this year is Don’t Look Up. It is a MUST WATCH.
Don't Look Up is a 2021 American film written, produced, and directed by Adam McKay and starring Leonardo DiCaprio and Jennifer Lawrence as two astronomers attempting to warn humanity about an approaching comet that will destroy human civilization. The comet is an allegory for climate change and the film is a satire of government and media indifference to the climate crisis. (Wiki)
So here we are in 2022 and looking about I see little, if any, hint of alarm at where the planet as a whole is going. Though it did make the news the wild fires in Colorado that killed three, destroyed nearly 1,000 homes and damaged hundreds more, managed to receive a few minutes coverage before we were once again reabsorbed in our own calamity of Covid, blame gaming and Rats. The fact that the Colorado fire happened in the middle of winter, made all the worse by a tinder dry forest as a result of summer scorching seemed to only raise the interest of a few.
We too lost 1000 houses to our bushfires and we too lost lives. At the time it was big news around the world because it was intense and also very timely. There were worldwide protests about Climate Change, there were summits and deals, there was politics and promises. Our Bushfires helped to provide evidence to the parties who were pressing for changes to be made. Ours was a horrific example that made it to TV screens the world over.
But what have we heard of Climate Change and the ticking clock that the Earth is on a irreversible path toward catastrophe unless we do something fast? The great GabFest of Glasgow seems to have lost its momentum and the promises that Biden made to America’s commitment look to come to nothing due to a lack of internal support. The EU has threatened Carbon Taxes but will most likely back down when China responds with sanctions and tariffs. But Google “Climate Change” and the ether is nearly silent.
Instead it is business as usual for the advanced apes on the planet as they desperately try to ensure their own survival against possible extinction by a virus or two.
In a hundred thousand years from now, if there are any geologists left, they might discover a layer, much like the layers we find on cave floors, that will speak of the times of humans in 2022AD.
In that layer will be plastics. So many plastics. And spread evenly throughout the layer of devices, packaging, disposables and detritus will be face masks, gloves, millions of nose buds and plastic rapid antigen test kits. Of interest, and concern, will be the all the other layers that will then follow.
The scientists are telling us that those layers will be ash. A chemical analysis of the layers will also reveal vast quantities of airborne particulates and toxins and all life form traces yielding astonishing levels of microplastics. What exactly decimated humanity? We won’t be around to see the analysis and reports.
I commend to you the movie “Don’t Look Up”. Maybe, just maybe, in that 2022 layer that the future geologists unearth they might discover a USB stick with a copy of the “Don’t Look Up” movie on it and, on watching it, laugh to themselves that rather than ‘looking up’ the humans of the day should have Just Looked instead. Enjoy 2022, and may whatever lies ahead for you be less than that predicted.
Until next lei
