The creeping death of humanity

It started as an agrarian revolution and those who came hundreds of years later said it was the beginning of human civilization. People see the evolution of man’s occupation from being a hunter and gatherer to a domesticator of plants and animals as advancement in humanity. Those who feel they could not have been strong enough to defend themselves from the harsh conditions in the jungle see it as a chance for them to be alive today. The revolution later shifted from the means of livelihood to modes of production; from the use of hand implements to the use of machines and the revolution is still going on even at 21^st century.

With an increase in human population, the competition for the scarce resources has taken us back to the mode of survival that existed in the wilderness before the start of human civilization. This is well explained by Darwin as ‘survival for the fittest’. Our women are now looking for that strong male who can give them the strongest progeny to survive harsh environmental conditions more aggressive that never. The difference in the 21^st century is the enemy which is no longer the harsh weather conditions and wild animals but harsh economic conditions and wild human beings.

Today, man is the main enemy of humanity and survival of other species on earth. One man is struggling to have the entire world for himself. Natural resources have become the motive for political struggle and a reason for man to oppress another. One wise man once said that nature has enough for everyone’s needs but not for everyone’s greed.

The worst part of the struggle is that men are fighting future generation as well. Natural capital does not increase with use like human capital. We are not only exhausting oil which can be replaced by solar and wind but we are also damaging the beauty of our land, the purity of our air, the fruitfulness of our soils and the freshness of our water.

Climate change is real. We are already experiencing unpredictable weather patterns and the rise in global temperate. The melting snow and the expanding of ocean water are already raising sea levels and more than fifty million people are soon risking being displaced from their homes.  Food productivity in Sub-Saharan Africa will be down by 50% in 2020.

I am not going to say that our children’s children will not see the elephants, lions and rhinos. I didn’t say there’s a likelihood they will walk around with bottled oxygen but I said something needs to be done now by me and you.

Kenfrey Kipchumba Katui. The author is the founder and the executive director of Scope Intervention.

Email: director@scopeintervention.org