It is easy - for me anyhow - to look around the world and become demoralized by all the problems humanity faces. A warming planet puts our entire species at risk, as does the risk posed by nuclear weapons and their proliferation. Turmoil caused by poverty and famine abounds, and all around the world, powerful countries are led by small, scared, and narrow-minded men.
And yet we continue to strive for something better. What else can we do? The only thing it takes for evil to win is for good people to do nothing. So we persist and move forward.
As always, happy Wednesday and happy reading.
This Day in History
1961 - President Kennedy announces the creation of the Peace Corps. Understanding what many American today cannot or will not see, President Kennedy knew that our safety and security are inherently tied to the safety and security of the rest of the world. As Kennedy wisely noted: Our own freedom and the future of freedom around the world, depend, in a very real sense, on their ability to build growing and independent nations where men can live in dignity, liberated from the bonds of hunger, ignorance, and poverty. Oh how wise we would be to remember those words.
Africa's Green Wall
The single biggest issue humanity faces is self-induced extinction due to climate change. The damage we are doing to our own planet will ultimately become irreparable - if it isn't already - and result in global turmoil culminating in massive violence, and likely, mass extinction.
Thankfully many people realize the size of the threat, and around the world there are numerous great efforts in place to address it. In sub-Saharan Africa there is an amazing eco-project underway that is helping to stabilize the region (from the Economist).
Endeavors like these are exciting, and prove that humanity has what it takes to effectively combat the challenges we face. Ingenuity is not our problem; willpower is.
The New Network
In the last two decades social media has become a huge part of everyday life. The world is more connected than it has ever been before...for humans anyhow. It is worth considering how this new connectedness will breed collectiveness, and what the benefits and downsides of that will be (from Medium). We can already see this trend in play, let me provide an excellent example.
Recently there has been a focus on helping refugees from Syria, and comparisons made between Syrian children and Holocaust victim Anne Frank. Perhaps no individual associated with that awful event engenders much sympathy as Anne Frank, whose journal while in hiding before her capture is a heart-wrenching tale.
Of course the world did not know about Anne Frank until well after her death. And while the Allies were aware of the death camps, there was much less knowledge about the extent of the evils happening than there is today. But now many are - courageously - making the comparison between Jewish victims in Europe and Arab or Muslim victims in Syria. Despite the differences between such peoples, we are more inclined to see them as united by the most powerful similarity: their common humanity.
Educating Finland
The Scandinavian countries are known for progressive policies from higher taxes to more robust social services, but Finland's new decision about public education is radical (from Brightside). Abolishing school subjects seems inane, but forcing students to choose from a menu of cross-curricular classes seems brilliant. So I'm withholding judgement, but I'm intrigued. It may take decades to know if this decision has any effect at all, and if so, how to measure it, but the proposition and implications for public education are large.
Feed the World
One area in which humans have made colossal - if not always positive - progress is the production of food. This task once consumed our entire existence, as it still does for many species. Now a small handful of people produce enough food for the entire world. For the time being anyhow. The challenges of climate change, as well as some agricultural policies and practices threaten the sustainability of the global food chain, and we will need to innovate to continue producing enough food.
One important, if controversial, innovation has been genetically modifying food to grow bigger or faster. Of course, humans have always done this, only much more slowly and much less savvily. We selectively breed crops to produce as much food as possible, but we have only recently started doing this in a lab. This scares people. Including me. But the science is certain, GMOs are not harmful as many critics believe (from Time). As with any science, this can be changed by future studies, further examinations, and the like, but at present anyone inclined to accept that human activity causes global warming ought to also accept that GMOs are not dangerous.
A Face Made for Radio
Just kidding fella, how could one not love that smile!? Jake is curious and friendly, always trying to make friends, and always hoping for treats. Seen here begging from his human Nick in California, Jake undoubtedly received a treat for his unwitting participation in this photo shoot. When the weather is nice Jake can be found taking Nick for walks while in search of food and friends. Big thanks to Nick for sharing Jake!
Will's Weekly Trivia - Spread the Word!
My goal in 2017 is to increase readers by 100. If you know someone who you believe might enjoy the digest, the dogs, or the trivia, please be sure to share Willful Intent's new opt-in form! And don't forget to submit any thoughts and dog pics via the feedback form!
IF you choose to answer the question, respond to staton.will@gmail.com with your answer. Please note that by competing you are giving me permission to publish your first name in the trivia leader board each week.
Last Week:
1. In which city did the 1980 Winter Olympics take place? ONE POINT
2. How many teams were initially part of the NHL? ONE POINT
3. The Atlanta Braves were previously located in which two cities? ONE POINT APIECE
Answers:
1. The 1980 Winter Olympics were held in Lake Placid, NY.
2. There were six teams in the NHL when it was founded.
3. The Braves previously played in Boston and Milwaukee.
This Week:
1. Which US President declared a war on poverty? ONE POINT
2. What is the capital of Finland? ONE POINT
3. Mesopotamia is usually considered the first area in which early humans settled and developed agriculture. What does Mesopotamia mean? ONE POINT
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