CULTURE OF PERMANENCE
A transformation of our technology and values could make it possible to build a society that will stand the test of time
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BY CHRISTOPHER FLAVIN
Humanity now faces a challenge that rivals any in our history: reaching a new balance with nature while continuing to expand economic opportunities for the billions of people who still lack a decent standard of living. And as we face this daunting task, hope may be the most valuable commodity of all.
To master our problems, it is not enough that we be aware of them. We need a realistic expectation of surmounting them, and a viable strategy for doing so. Going backward to achieve balance with the natural world is hardly an acceptable choice. But at the cusp of a new millennium, what does moving forward mean?
We can anticipate only the rough outlines of a sustainable society--a blueprint based on some fundamental principles. Just as any aircraft, from an ultralight to a jumbo jet, must abide by the laws of aerodynamics, so must a lasting society achieve ecological harmony. At some point both the oceans and the atmosphere must be stabilized, and human demands must reach a new accommodation with the other forms of life on earth.
Less-polluting, less resource-intensive technology is one key to a society that can stand the test of time. But good science and engineering alone will not suffice. New values could be just as crucial to our future prosperity, and perhaps to our very existence.
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