BY GARY JOHNSON
Reprinted from Loose Change (TCBMag.com)

So how does it feel living right smack dab in the middle of the Anthropocene Age, the newly named era of history where “man,” by virtue of his sheer numbers, seems to have become the dominant influence on our physical world?

And how’s that working for you, my Man?

One thing is for sure: Regardless of the geologic ages we’ve weathered, humanity still seems unable to grasp the “greys,” the sometimes incongruous and always complex issues that require not only deep dives but a whole lot of transparency, particularly when it comes to addressing problems that literally affect the survival of our species.

Case in point: A large group of scientists (how often do they have to say it, and how many does there need to be before we actually believe what they’re saying?) have come out en masse (again) to warn us that the damage we’ve inflicted on our environment likely has become irreversible. They’re not waving their hands hysterically insisting we do something, but merely informing us that what we’ve done is irrevocable, i.e., we’re screwed no matter when or if we decide to wake up and legislate meaningful environmental change. It should be obvious, even to the most skeptical, what climatic trends indicate for our children and grandchildren within 50 years. At this point, anything we do will only offset, rather than cure.

Population studies indicate there will be 9 billion people on the earth before the end of the century. Our world is grossly overpopulated already. Resources don’t exist to address the needs of 6 billion people, much less 50 percent more. The contrarians suggest that declining populations will deplete future work forces and hinder economies from growth. As deniers of the more dire big picture, they consider only their own backyards.

But then it’s not just about the how manys; it’s also about the whos.

More than four in 10 children are born into single “parent” households. Seven in 10 among blacks, five in 10 among Hispanics, and three in 10 among whites. A child born to a single mom is five times likelier to live in poverty, statistically having little chance of becoming a contributing member of society. As adults they have high probabilities of being serious drains on society, either as recipients of entitlements, spending their lives in and out of the criminal justice system, or exponentially increasing the problem by becoming parents themselves. Because 21st century work forces provide fewer jobs for the uneducated, the prospects of employment spiral downward as well. Even bleeding hearts don’t need a demographer to see the trending. As more children are born out of wedlock in increasing disproportion to mainstream society, more assistance, financial support, and crime prevention will be necessary to keep society in reasonable balance. The money’s not there, folks.

Pundits persist in whining about the growing “gap” between rich and poor, yet they resist calling out the reasons why—and, more importantly, what can be done to turn the ship around. But then, pundits and politicians don’t “do” solutions. Too risky. Voters and readers love getting riled up over black and whites; they don’t deal well with greys. Those sweet, sound-bitey black and whites are much cozier to manage, and God forbid someone should tell the truth. Messy.

The current “all God’s children” model of government—i.e., entitlements funding unfettered population growth—is broken. This isn’t about tree huggers versus rednecks, big oil versus the Sierra Club, the fish industry versus Greenpeace, rich versus poor, or Republicans versus Democrats. This is about you, me, our friends, our families, and our quality of life. A tree worth hugging.

Bang on your legislators to come out of their chicken s**t political closet. America needs immediate environmental legislation to address climate change and qualitative population control. Legislating behaviors and forcing accountability around population should be as much a priority as health care.

We persist in living in a black and white world. It’s not working, unless you consider polarization a productive state of being. There is a rallying point we can all gather round that is as obvious as John Travolta’s sex life. It’s about whether we’ll have a planet worth living on in 50 years. If one good thing could come from the Anthropocene Era other than Steve Jobs, it would be that it was the age humanity finally woke up.

The alternative? Set up lots of shots on the bar and wait for the Rapture. Don’t get me started.

Editor’s Note: Gary Johnson is President of MSP Communications in Minneapolis, MN and authors the blog Loose Change for TCBmag.com.