BEHAVIOURAL CHANGE

We  need  to  undertake,  in  humbleness  and  with decisiveness,  a  resolute  personal  change  covering  a
range  of  particulars.
A  non-violent  revolution  in behaviour  born  of  a  more  profound  consciousness animated  by  respect
for  everyone  and  everything, rationally  guided  towards  continuous  perfection.
A slow but decisive revolution strictly informed by deep reflection and careful argument aimed at removing the majority  of  inequalities,  the  coarse  weight  of  the powerful.
It is to initialise recognition of the rights of every  individual  and  not  disrupt  dynamic environmental   harmony.
A  more  complete  vision  of the  concrete  physicality  of  the  planet  is  achieved  by appropriating the scientific knowledge controlled and consolidated  by  wise  researchers.
Our  present knowledge  of  the  cosmological  scene  disrupted previous beliefs and we know now that Earth is part of  a  Totality;  an  immense  universe  that  goes  far beyond the number of stars in the small firmament we consider  the  brilliant  roof  of  our  huge  world.
We’re already a few  centuries late, but we’re still in time to reconsider  the  cognition  and  behaviour  that ruled when  we  were  unaware  of  our  precise  position, elevated  by  pride  and  ignorance  to  a  role that we couldn’t  identify  with.  
A  humanity  that  considers itself  intelligent  is  forced  to  adapt  to  new  evidence liberating  itself  from mistaken  convictions.
Unfortunately  the  powerful  don’t  feel  this  obligation since  things  work  fine  for  them  as  they  are. They continue  to  disseminate  the  wrong  things,  things we’ve  been  carrying  around  for  too  long.
The aspiration  to  adapt  the  progress  of  knowledge  must take  place  slowly  and  profoundly  in  minds, and  in personal  sensitivity.
It  must  involve  the  maximum number of people possible so they, humbled, become active guides in constructive dialogues with those who wish  to  converse  and  widen  their  knowledge  and perception of reality.
Understanding  that  evil  does  not  reside  in  natural adversities which are normal signs of the physical life
of  the  planet,   at  times  disastrous.
The  kind  of  evil caused  by  man  is  a  collateral  and  perverse  effect  of freedom  (!);  only  a  human being  has  the  choice  of different options.
If the choice is for action that does not respect the needs of others and alters the necessary balance,  serious distortions  and  inhumanities  are generated;  “freely”  chosen  evil  is  rife  with monstrosities.
We  know  what  rational  behaviour  is necessary  to  avoid  perverting  the  nature  of  rational freedom.
We must reconsider and implant at a profound level the concrete, the mystical physicality of our world and
our  part  of  the  mystical  reality  of  the  universe.
A revolution that valorises the spirit, knowledge, and the spirit  of  knowledge.
We  must  review  ideas  and  past ways  of  being  when  we  had  no  notions  of  certain realities.
Until now adaptation has been insufficient or absent;  without  doubt  it  re-dimensions  the  role  that humans  have  awarded  themselves  and  this “degradation” is deeply felt by the worthy.
Even more grave is the perception of loss of power by those who are  convinced  that  it  is  necessary  to guide  their amorphous  subjects  towards  a  marvellous  winning line.
We  must  enhance  both  leaders’  and  above  all subjects’  perceptions  that  citizens,  in  complete dignity, are actors in civil society as was clearly stated in the XII° Principle of the “Charter for a non-violent world” created by Nobel Peace Prize winners on 20 th March 2009.
The principle proclaims that civil society in all its articulations, recognises as an essential fact that governments are at the SERVICE of citizens and NOT  the  other  way  round;  it  encourages  active participation by citizens  in all  levels  of political  life, calming  passions  and  specific  interests  through
pondered analysis.
It  intends  to  increase  dynamic  dialogue,  it  is  freely critical and enlivened by both pertinent questions and answers of equal worth made by attentive people who wish  to  comprehend.  Both  national  and international groups  are  animated  by  the  desire  to  make  scientific progress  their  own;  there  is  a  slow and  profound adhesion  of  personal  sensitivity  and  rationality  to guided concreteness.
The critical impact of our claims could  bring  about  more  adequate  behaviour  and improve total perception enabling us to live  our lives in a dignified manner.
In  order   to  reach  a  fuller  consciousness  of  the composite  grouping  of  knowledge  (technologyscience and history-  the humanities) it is important not to  totally  separate  the  two  areas.  A  balance  must  be
kept: one eye is focussed on one’s own field while the other  surveys  the  rest.  Try  to  fully  understand  and don’t  accept  the  easy,  convenient  solutions.
Understand that authentic values are not given without a  price,  to  become  part  of  one’s  personal  store they need  to  be  nourished,  they  require  openness  and effort;  it  is  difficult  to  conduct  one’s  daily
responsibilities  without  clouding  over  personal dignity.
Actions  that  forget  about  respect  for  our surroundings,  these  slothful  omissions  obscure  the
situation but they cannot annul human dignity; even if we are inspired by highly ideal concepts, our actions
can  degenerate  into  malevolent  deviations  and consequent  activity  will  be  mixed  with  actions  in
contradiction to initial intentions.
Beware  of  confusing  intentions  and  disruptive propositions.
Unfortunately  every  aspiration,  every ideal, even the  most insignificant, is confronted by  a counter force, all the expressions of power that are put into  operation  to  minimise  and  annul  the  “danger”.
The  main  problem  is  unresolved;  the  total  and continuous absence of balance that enrichens diversity
and  biodiversity  in  contrast  to  the  partial  vision  of those considered enlightened , who continue to negate evident  facts.  Too  many  of  those  considered  worthy have  been,  and  continue  to  be, incapable through arrogance and insensitivity of reducing the continuous disasters,  they  have  no  sense  of  their innate
unimportance.
Those who hold positions of power are personally  responsible  for  the  non  recognition  of citizens’  rights to  the  basic  necessities  of  life;  the responsibilities of the rest of us are always present but follow  behind the  responsibility  of  the  so-called authorities.
No  single  person  can  positively  change things, but a united group of evil-doers are capable of
worsening it, particularly if they can direct “well”.
Problems  that  have  been  badly  handled  and  never satisfactorily solved and numerous historical disasters
are the results of man’s absurd role and his senseless pride in having the highest intelligence and an ethical
dignity;  he  has  used  freedom,  a  characteristic  of rationality,  in  an  anomalous,  and  often  ignominious
way. These are the simple (simplistic?) causes of most........

Comunità o Unione

...Per immergerci nel quotidiano possiamo fare alcune riflessioni sulla “neonata” Unione Europea. Le idealità che avevano reso possibile questa nascita erano sorte dalle riflessioni fatte da un gruppetto di alte personalità esiliate dal fascismo. Alla fine del disastroso conflitto mondiale quelle luminose illuminanti idealità potevano vedere un inizio di realizzazione; un esempio pratico la comunità del carbone e dell’acciaio...

Mi presento!

Tengo a precisare alcuni atteggiamenti personali.

La mia attività professionale per oltre quaranta anni si è incentrata sulla radiologia diagnostica.

Ho sempre riservato accanto agli ovvi interessi medici, spazi e tempi liberamente orientati verso approfondimenti  ed allargamenti conoscitivi non collegati con l’attività professionale.

Questi interessamenti si sono espansi ulteriormente quando  raggiunto il periodo pensionistico, il libero uso del tempo a disposizione ha messo da parte la professionalità medica e i necessari aggiornamenti.

Sono inutili ulteriori precisazioni; non mi ritengo né uno scrittore, né un poeta. Gli scritti che potrebbero essere allocati in questi settori sono espressione di interessamenti conoscitivi compatibili con le ridotte umane possibilità nonché espressioni di intima emotività.

Piccolo assaggio di Giappone

Poetici esempi di composizioni Haiku

Yosa Busa

Tornando a vederli              
i fiori di ciliegio, la sera,
son divenuti frutti.

 (kite mireba yūbe no sakura mi to narinu)

Kobayashi Issa

In questo mondo
anche la vita della farfalla
è frenetica

(yo no naka ya chō no kurashi mo isogashiki)

Mizuta Masahide

Il tetto s’è bruciato –
ora
posso vedere la luna

Mario Chini

CORAGGIO
Non pianger; canta.
Se canti, ti si schiara
il cielo e il cuore.

CULTURE & KNOWLEDGE

Some thoughts on culture and knowledge.
Culture, in it's  numerous  forms,  is  the  human  activity  that impregnates  and  exalts  the  emotions provoking intense  sensations;  it  is  highly  valuable.
Music, literature, figurative art and other cultural choices are the oases where we seek refuge to ease the burden of anxieties  and  be  at  ease  with  oneself.
We  consider cultural  and  artistic  expression  as  the  search  for Beauty, one of the highest human aspirations; an ideal realised  in  the  synthesis  of  messages  that  reach  the senses, are elaborated by the brain and expressed via the  emotions.
These  are  evaluated  differently according to personal sensitivity and are reinforced by individual predisposition.
Without  these  impulses aesthetic  pleasure  and  profound  emotion  are compromised and reduced to a superficial  level.
This superficiality is distressful because it is further proof that  too  many  people  have  lost  sight  of gratifying values and fail to cultivate the spirit and its emotional charge.
We engage in activities of cultural expression most  of  the  time  each  according  to  individual inclination, however,  one  negative  aspect  that  has crept  into  cultural  values  is  the  vanity,  conceit  and venality that  surrounds  culture  itself,  where  the “cultured”  feel  superior  to  the  rest  of  us.
Their superiority is  expressed with nauseating regularity in gross economic exploitation and visions of beauty of dubious  worth.
This  view  minimises  the  luminous beauty of a free mind that is restless, alive and open, proud  to  be  poor of  certainties  but  rich  with  doubts and  questions,  a  mind  that  is  pervaded  but  never satiated  by humanity  and  is  immersed  in  the  vital preciousness of nature.
Gathering knowledge within its inherent limits, is the driving  force  behind  acquiring  the  knowable,  in  the
interests of ulterior divulgation.
It is linked to concrete scientific  facts,  to  progress,  and  fully  acknowledges its  temporary  nature.
It  has  been  an  industrious  task through the centuries.
Physics, chemistry, cosmology and the vitally important extra-human form the pillars that  bring  clarity  to the position  of  our  planet  in  the universe,  to  the  very  essence  of  the  Earth,  its constituent  elements and the  evolution  of  Humanity; our  experience becomes  entangled  in the  most  valid, less prone to diversion. The compass guiding our role on the planet is the joyous appropriation by citizens of the  universal  empyrean  within  the  Absolute  and  its omnipresent love.
If the observation of everyday facts and  ideas  does  not  conduct  us  to  a  possible  human understanding of  Everything,  we  must  conclude  that the  brief   and  precious  period  we  have  been  granted
has  not  been  used  wisely;  it  is  difficult  to  assign blame.
There  is  a  persistent  collection  of  short sightedness, selling-out and folly which is mindlessly
piled up.
We find it impossible to create a personality capable  of  sorting  through  the  useless  junk  that
weighs  us  down  and  underhandedly  undermines  us causing  us  to  lose  sight  of  precious  things  we often dare  not  even  imagine.
Filognosia,  the  link  to knowledge, is pure love of humanity, the planet-home
in a relationship between cells of energy and love.
It helps  us  to  perceive  the  universe  as  the  harmonious sum of limited parts, it tells us that humans are a part of  the  whole;  the  planet  Earth  that  generates  and nourishes  this  partiality  is,  in  its  turn,  a  part of  an immensity.
We are just small humans who are proud to know we are a part of the Immense!!!

Democrazia?

Negli anni scorsi ho conosciuto una gentile insegnante di materie letterarie, in quel tempo già in pensione. Aveva concluso gli studi liceali con il massimo dei voti. Era fermamente convinta che la democrazia era nata e sviluppata nell’Atene di Pericle, sottovalutando il grandissimo numero di persone in buona parte in stato di schiavitù, guidati, comandati da pochissimi superdotati di altissima cultura. Purtroppo  le sue convinzioni non erano minimamente cambiate; la partecipazione alle elezioni politiche odierne avrebbe, secondo il suo parere, dovuto essere riservata soltanto alle persone dotate di alto bagaglio culturale.

Riflessioni personali: chissà cosa avranno imparato da lei i suoi alunni?

Passando a riflessioni concrete, quello che mi è impossibile accettare è il suffisso CRAZIA. In una società di uomini liberi non è ammissibile che ci siano alcuni che comandino e altri che obbediscano; tutti dovremmo partecipare paritariamente ed organicamente alla gestione della cosa pubblica e conseguentemente all’uso globale e individuale delle risorse ambientali. Fatte queste considerazioni, mi sento autorizzato a suggerire la modifica del termine democrazia;  potrebbe essere più corretto usare un  termine come DEMOPOIEIA o similare, con il chiaro significato che è il popolo nella sua interezza, nella sua unitaria organicità che agisce, che coopera responsabilmente con gli eletti che si assumo l’apprezzabile compito di impegnarsi per il bene di tutti.

La democrazia enfatizzata spesso artatamente, di fatto ubiquitariamente inesistente è una ulteriore riprova che l’intelligenza umana è limitata e conseguentemente mal utilizzata. Un unico esempio: la vetusta encomiabile democrazia inglese, si perde nella inaccettabile ereditarietà della famiglia reale, per di più considerata capo della religione anglicana.  

Non ho sufficienti conoscenze delle operatività asiatiche per azzardare riflessioni critiche.

Demography

Given  the  increase  in  the  number  of  humans,  it appears that reaching a more balanced situation in the near and distant future is improbable and recognition of  existential  rights  for  all  the  components  of  the 

planet and impossibility of parity with human rights is problematic; the resources and usable territory of the 

Earth  are  limited  and  appear  to  leave  little  room  for hope.

Resources  are  not  equably  distributed  nor  are the  basic  necessities  for  a  dignified  existence 

guaranteed, those where every person’s freedom and right to life on the planet is sanctioned; freedom is not 

just formal theoretical rights, for a usable freedom to exist  certain inalienable rights must be exercised. The 

imbalance between a lot and a little and the inhuman distance between the worthy and second or third-best 

is always deplorable. It is an existence that is distant from  the  protection  of  life,  despite  its  constant 

reference to human life (man is the highest) it fails to protect  the  dignity  of  animal  and  vegetable  life. 

A contradiction  born  from  human  schizophrenia.  

The mandate  for  ethical  behaviour  collapses  in  view  of this  insensitivity,  it  debases  magnificent  love which becomes conceited and loses its distinctive character; whereas  we  should  love  and  respect  every single person  and  the  whole  of  the  planet  because  only  in this way will we have demonstrated that conceit and stupidity have been eliminated.

A few more thoughts on love are necessary, and I am aware that this may provoke strong feelings in some. 

The  proud  and  ill-prepared  human  element  puts  a limit  on  the  framework  within  which  love,  that 

animates and enlivens everything, is collocated. 

Is the love we so often hear mentioned authentic love, or is it,  sadly,  something  else?  Perhaps  it  is  better  to  say that authentic love is often contaminated and devalued of  feeling  or  interest.  Praises  have  been  sung,  and rightly  too,  regarding  maternal  love,  but  it  is  often enclosed  within  the  confines  of  property  and  rarely extended into other environments. 

It is limited to close relatives,  following  suit  just  like  everybody  else.  

Is Mother  Bear’s  love  for  her  cub  love  or  instinct? Perhaps it is instinct ennobled  by a little love? These reflections  lead  us  to  believe  that  authentic  love  is linked  to  liberty,  and  this  is  an  exclusively human 

quality.  

Uncontaminated  love  is  only  possible  where love is free, it cannot be selfishly directed or limited. 

It  is  driven  by  pure  spontaneity  and  has  no  ulterior motives.  

Does  love  suffer  from  too  much  egoism? Inhuman  signs  are  often  understated,  perhaps  we 

forget, in the name of love, that which should not be forgotten.

Our primary right-duty is to love our children, but we extend this love, or respect, to our surroundings. 

Other reflections  are  possible;  this  will  already  have  been perceived by those who are willing to understand and are  open  to  “talking  from  the  heart”.  

Every  couple feels  the  gratifying  duty  to  give  life  to  one  other couple,  so  as  not  to  deprive  others  of  a  dignified existence. Introduce into our rationale and emotions a respect for the existential rights of animals, plants, the seas,  mountains  and  a  natural  dynamic  ecological balance. 

If love is to remain  intact it must take into account and affectionately respect the terrestrial plane 

in which it operates and receives all that is necessary to live and love. 

Anthropocentrism also influences the demographic  question;  growth  linked  to  economic 

and/or commercial factors creates  more damage  than benefit  and  contributes  to  altering  the  harmonious 

evolutionary  rhythms  and  reciprocal  relationships  in human  society.  It  disrupts  nature  even  more  and 

tarnishes  the  human  figure.  

It  has  been  a  severe regression rather than an improvement; we must seek other paths to progress, real equable progress. 

Let us avoid  using  the  word  love,  which  is  often hypocritically or misleadingly used, and introduce the 

feeling of love, pure unsoiled feeling.

Those  who  consider  themselves  to  be  experts,  even though  they  know  very  little  continue  to  propagate devalued  truths,  truths  that  have  been  dismantled  by lear  evidence.  

They  stubbornly  continue   to  repeat presumed  truths  but  not  as  pompous  advertising 

slogans, they are humbly convinced of them and call into question others’ rationality and good sense.

UMILTA’ ED ORGOGLIO

Ha detto Paolo
né giudeo né greco
né schiavo né libero;
la travolgente inesorabile
alluvione dei secoli
l’umano cammino del conos
ci permettono di dire
non sono musulmano
né buddista né cristiano
neanche scintoista induista
non sono francese
né italiano né canadese
neppure cinese nigeriano
non mi diminuisco
non mi contrappongo
non mi ungo
di sciocca arroganza.
Proteso a comprendere
sollecito a riflettere
incline ad amare
umilmente orgogliosamente
ho radici estese
dall’estrema Thule
alla Terra del Fuoco
da dove sorge il sole
all’occaso
radici diffuse per assorbire
nutrimento al meditare
permettere l’ascesa
alle vette mistiche
rinsaldare l’intimità
con il sole e le altre stelle,
non mi limito
sono un essere umano
un’immensità
corporea incorporea
consapevole briciolina
d’infinito.
Vivo il mio tempo
nel tempo del terrestre universo
nel mio breve soggiorno
nei crudeli limiti
vivo le onde del mare
i canti delle tempeste delle brezze
il verde dei prati
il verso del pettirosso
porto i me tutti gli eventi
sono la preistoria
il sapiens mio padre
l’erectus suo nonno
sono il compimento
sono la storia
la transitoria fase finale
della storia umana
conscio inconsapevole
ognuno di noi lo è
ha in se migliaia di anni
di fatti più o meno importanti
provvisoriamente decisivi.
Vivo giorno dopo giorno
nei miei crudeli limiti
la rincorsa delle aurore
la cavalcata delle stagioni
il girotondo delle stelle
l’abbraccio dell’amore
l’ampliarsi della conoscenza
l’armoniosa bellezza
della madre naturale
sconsideratamente devastata
la grettezza dei poteri
la disumanità dei potenti
l’infamia dello sfruttamento
il furto dei diritti
i fermenti le aspirazioni
dilaniate dal lerciume
che ci avvolge ci macchia,
il riapparire della meraviglia
l’ostinato rifiorire
delle speranze degli ideali
il percorrere tenaci
il sentiero verso l’inevitabile
totale equilibrio
il totale fluire della vita
nel lento impassibile solenne
incedere dell’evoluzione.

( pubblicato nel 2008 in Persona persone et cetera)

ECOLOGY

Ecology  only  used  to  be  a  chapter  in  the  biology
textbook. Many   educated people in the seventies had
no idea what it was. Today everyone is talking about
it, advertising frequently exploits its use and many are
often unaware of what they are saying. Nearly all  of
them refer to superficial ecology. The whole concept
of  ecology  is  linked  to  existential  rights  and  to
equilibrium.  Connected  to  the  equilibrium  of  the
physical-biological  world  it  provides  a  counter
balance to the continuous variability of the order/axes;
the  preponderant  human  presence  not  only  alters  the
equilibrium  of  ecosystems  it  also  destroys  a  great
number  of  the  existential  rights  of  the  ecosystem
itself.  The  idea  of  ecology  held  by  the  majority  of
people sadly reflects the idea of those who promote it.
It is superficial ecology, limited to reducing pollution,
keeping the atmosphere clean, checking and reducing
waste and the elimination of other difficulties. It is at
least a step forward, although it is a long way from the
more  profound  concept  that  undoubtedly   the
majority profess but fail to wholly understand or try to
minimise.
This reference is to  profound ecology  defined by the
Norwegian,  Arne  Naess  and  others,  in  1972  which
considers  the  concept  of  progress  and  contemporary lifestyle as determined by the guidelines underpinning
industrial  societies,  and  constitute  a  series  of  highly
disputable  behaviour  patterns.  The  lords  of  progress,
of infinite growth, direct us with their own interests in
mind. Ecology is viewed almost as  absolute evil, since
it  contrasts  with  their  notions  of  growth,  which  is
exclusively economic. Profound ecology on the other
hand sustains  general and balanced progress, it  leads
to  the  balanced  rights  of  all  the  components  of  the
planet;  it  evidences  the  intrinsic  value  of  nature
beyond the geophysical condition and into mood and
state of mind. It goes beyond the insignificant analysis
of  environmental  problems,  expressing  a  diverse
vision  of  the  planet  and  necessary  harmony  for  a
correct  consideration  of  the  complexities.  The
prevalence of any one part in disproportion to the rest
only  leads  to  repercussions  for  the  whole  system.
Accepted and widespread practical behaviour patterns
must  be  criticised;  since  childhood  we  “westerners”
have been encouraged to desire objects, it has been a
race for the continuous increase in material goods. We
are convinced that competition is the impulse behind
progress  and  our  species  is  the  only  one  that  merits
ethical  consideration;  these  beliefs  generate
perplexities  and  may  lead  to  sinister  outcomes.  We
can only hope that everyone, particularly those who
change  opinion based  on self interest, will use their
intelligence more fruitfully. We must be conscious of the  continual  evolvement  of  awareness  and  evaluate
carefully  our  deductions;  if  we  consider  them
unacceptable  we  must  seek  to  modify  or  eliminate
them.  We  cannot  remain  passively  attached  to
arrogant  powers  through  laziness,  self  interest  or  for
ideological or religious motives. These archaic visions
are incompatible with the small amount of knowledge
we have managed to gain with fatigue over time.
Science, with its programmed investigation based  on
presupposed  theories  leading  to  what  are  often
confirmative results, represents the height of human
intelligence.  It  is  a  never-ending  path  where  on
reaching  one  destination,  other  paths,  often
unforeseeable, lead on. Technology is the child, often
ungifted,   of science and frequently behaves  like the
prodigal  son.  Science  develops  our  understanding  of
reality and works  towards making connections to help
us  understand  ourselves  and  our  surroundings.  The
development  of  technology  obviously  has  positive
effects but in many other ways it produces side-effects
that  are  incompatible  with  ecology  and  damaging  to
humans and planetary equilibrium. Like everything in
this world technology can be perfected. Technological
development  is  useful  when  commercial  gain  linked
to  immediate  profit  is  no  longer  passively  accepted
and  ampler  visions  are  taken  into  consideration.  So
called  progress  is  not  synonymous  with  human
advancement if it fails to regard a levelling of the life
possibilities  of  individuals  and  of  societies.  Progress
is  only  activated  in  economic  and  technological
spheres;  progress  with  useful  effects  on  living
conditions  is  rare  and  unbalanced.  In  other  words  to
achieve  “  progressive”  improvement  the  underlying
assumptions  of  the  term  progress  must  be  re
evaluated.  Real  improvement   encompasses  the
various  factors  that  influence  community  life.  It  is  a
balanced  mix  between  productive  economic  factors
with  respect  to  primary  goods   and  the  existential
rights of everything natural which behaves freely and
in  balanced  harmony.  If  only  one  part  improves
(inevitably  damaging  the  others),  it  is  better  not  to
speak of progress. It is easy to label the aforesaid as a
brand of utopia; leaving things unbalanced, as always.
It  will  be  difficult  to  improve  conditions  for  a  huge
number of people. The great minds of the world have
rarely  been  troubled  by  these  kinds  of  “useless”
questions. Besides ,widespread social improvement is
difficult  where  there  are  too  many  consumers  who
unbalance  the  environment  and  upset  ecological
dynamics.
Millions  of  human  beings-  a  mass  of  unknown
voiceless  entities  who  in  spite  of  their  personal
cognitive  experience  of  joy,  suffering,  attachments
and  tendencies  are  obliged   to  fight  for  their  basic
rights  and  demand  respect  for  personal  dignity  from
those  who  undertake  a  public  role.  It  is  extremely
important  to  be  conscious  of  one’s  irreducible
personal  dignity.  Always  conscious   that  no  leader,
however  grand, has  more dignity  than any  other and
cannot expect greater privileges or rights; no one has
greater  dignity  than  oneself!!!  Maintaining  a  critical
regard for the  voices of “authority” is vital; personal
dignity requires us not to be taken in by hypocritically
optimistic  discourse   and  to  be  wary  of  blind  trust.
More  often than not their activities are motivated by
self  interest  which  maintains  or  even  increases
disparity.  We  can  admire  and  appreciate  those  we
trust and believe to be worthy without diminishing our
personal  dignity.  In  our  minds  each  one  of  us  is  a
protagonist, equal in dignity to those who administer
the public good.
Let us reflect on those socio-environmental issues that
are often  unacceptably dealt with and fail to consider
the inevitable ecological repercussions. We shall start
with  the  numerous  arguments  regarding  climate
change  that  have  developed  since  Kyoto.  The
environmental  issues  raised  and  counter  measures
proposed  are  undoubtedly  useful,  even  if  bland  and
reductive.  In  the  long  term,  the  abnormal  human
presence  when  compared  to  land  availability  and
resources  will  cause  unmanageable  disparity  and
destroy  any  aspiration  towards  a  balanced  and
enlightened  role  for  humanity.  Nature  has  its  own
laws  of  equilibrium  that  cannot  be  challenged  to
excess.  They  have  always  existed  and   evolve  with
slow  variations;  living  beings  and  the  physical
environment  are  the  ever  present  participants.
Nations,  institutions  etc.  come  later,  they  are
subsequent  and  variable,  in  form  temporary,  each
obliged  to  a  coexistence  which  doesn’t  alter  the
previous experience of humanity.
The term  degrowth  used by Serge Latouche meaning
the  love  and  respect  of  our  planet  and  all  its
components is viewed negatively by many. They have
failed  to  grasp  that  the  idea  expresses  a  tendency
towards  an  equitable,  sustainable  and  participatory
society  where  there  is  an  open  dialogue  between
different cultures and diversity in general. Continuous
growth is impossible  on a planet with evident limits.
We  are  not  dealing  with  a  recession  but  of  a
cohabitation  based  on  quality  and  cooperation  rather
than on quantity and competition. Understanding that
humanity is a shared reality and comprehending that
we  are  only  a  part  of  the  Earth  obliges  us  to  not
disrupt the equilibrium, of the environment. The path
of degrowth is long and arduous, perhaps it is already
too late to undertake it.
The  excessive  number  of  human  beings  not  only
creates  environmental  confusion  but  it  severely
aggravates  the  ever  present  social  problem,  the
unacceptable divide between too much and too little.
Land is limited and resources insufficient to satisfy iequal  measure  the  needs  of  more  than  six  billion
inhabitants.  An  equable  use  of  resources,  even  for
socio-political  motives,  has  not  occurred;  in  the
present  situation  not  even  a  better  balanced
distribution  could  satisfy  those  basic  needs  that  any
society that calls itself civil must, by definition, meet.
It is evident that not only has an equable distribution
not occurred, but it is highly unlikely to occur, if the
present growth in population numbers continues. The
human-environment  issue  is  grave  and  should  have
been dealt with before now; all the great leaders and
thinkers  in  their  wisdom,  have  evidently  had  other,
loftier,  things  to  think  about.  This  gangrenous
condition cannot be remedied in the short term. What
can be done? How can we distance ourselves from, or
avoid  such  a  disastrous  outcome?  If  the  necessary
remedies  are  sought  and  applied  immediately,
perhaps, with good management, a well balanced path
can be traced. In the present geo-political, intellectual
situation we are not permitted to  retrace and  recover
missed opportunities.
Human evolution was underway even before  erectus;
after  a  lengthy  period,  around  15-20  thousand  years
ago,  we  see  the  beginnings  of  rationality  and  an
increase  in  the  intelligence  quotient  in  human
evolution.  Nowadays  intelligence  is  more  evident,
even though the slow evolutionary process still needs
more  time  for  ulterior  improvements.  We  can  see
immediately  that  the  intelligence  of  humanity  as  a
whole is an average level with little difference in peak
values  (excluding  pathological  cases).  The
classification  of  intelligence  quotients  is  itself
problematical.  Just like hands and legs are needed for
certain activities, intelligence is simply a magnificent
and  exceptional  instrument  which  coordinates  and
supervises. As with all instruments its validity varies
according to its use. Sadly many people are unaware
that  the  instrument  in  question  must  be  used
adequately,  carefully  and  be  in  constant  training;  we
have  all  heard  statements  from  the  enlightened  that
occasionally verge on stupidity.
It  is  necessary  to  remember  that  human  qualities  are
reduced  to  insignificant  values.  The  consideration  of
oneself  as  a  great  thinker  forces  the  rest  of  us  to
reflect  that  perhaps  the  thinker  has  understood  very
little  regarding  his/her  condition  of  insignificance;
convinced that they possess great intellectual powers,
they  are  unaware  that  they  do  not  know  how  to  use
suitably  the  limited,  always  precious,  instrument  at
their  disposition.  This  contributes  to  lowering  the
intelligence  of  those  who,  naively  or  distractedly,
consider  themselves  to  be  grand  intellectuals  and
trustworthy guardians while failing to see the misuse
to  which  they  put  their  powers.  As  mentioned
previously, there is a need for training in intellectual
activity  too;  only when we have  trained  our peculiar
cerebral  functions  to  harmonise  our  various
tendencies  towards  balanced  deduction  will  we  have
developed an intelligence which is free from dubious
external  conditioning  and  more  ready  to  accept  the
importance  of  different  realities.  It  is  not  the
intellectual capacity of individuals, sufficient in itself,
that limits the ability to make well balanced choices,
rather  it  is  the  influence  of  the  environment  and  the
family.  These  factors,  together  with  the  suggestions
made  by  the  powerful  in  the  interests  of  certain
groups,  deviate  the  pursuit  of  personal  interests  and
aspirations which otherwise would be more rationally
directed towards harmonious enlargement.
We  can  however  award  ourselves  one  prize  for
efficacious  intelligence  and  it  is  mostly  due  to  those
from  Roger  Bacon   onwards,  who  adopted  the
experimental  method  using  controlled  experience  to
develop  acceptable  conclusions.  The  good  use  of
experience means that sufficient force can be applied
to  reconsider  that  which  has  always  been  said  and
done in the same way.
The experimental method allowed us to examine and
know  realities  which  were  previously  impossible  to
study  (lack  of  suitable  instrumentation  also
contributed)  making  it  difficult  to  reflect  upon  the
interconnectedness  of  different  areas  of  knowledge.
For  this  reason  it  became  polluted  and  riddled  with
errors. We have to admit today that the old ideas were
badly  applied.  We  now  know  that  our  world  is  only
one  of  the  numerous  bodies  that  form  the  known
universe and the Earth (for many degraded) occupies
a place  of little  relevance  in the  galaxy  of which we
are part. We must be aware of how modest the Earth
is; we are not the centre of the universe and man is not
the king of “creation”(?). Human intelligence is at an
excellent  phase  in  evolution,  it  has  begun  to
comprehend  the  enormous  importance  of  the
environmental  situation  and  above  all,  it  is  giving
more  attention  to  the  equilibrium  of
interconnectedness;   time  is  needed  to  be  able  to
perceive  clear  improvements.  To  complete  our
knowledge  of  ourselves,  we  should  accept  the
likelihood  that  numerous  planets  are  inhabited  by
other  living  beings  in  various  stages  of  evolution.
Contact,  however,  is  improbable  given  the  vast
distances that separate us.

PRIMARY GOODS – EXISTENTIAL RIGHTS

A  few  premises  (personal  reflections)  are  essential
for a better understanding of the planetary problems.
We shall begin with  primary goods, those  things  that
are necessary to satisfy the everyday physical needs of
the  individual;  the  essential  goods  that  civil
governments  must  provide  in  equal  quantity  to  their
citizens to enable them to conduct their lives and live
freely.  The  kind  of  society  where  notions  of  good
government  have  reached  a  degree  of  civilisation
which approaches those ideals of equality necessary
for a community to be considered civil.
We shall continue with Existential Rights;  those rights
of intrinsic dignity, inherent in terrestrial  existence, in
physicality and biological life. In the specific case of
humanity,  a  human  being,  regardless  of  birthplace,
ethnic  background,  social  position  and  all  other
characterising  factors  is  a  Person  who  lives  life  in
correlation with others, who represents a singleness in
agreement with all the components of the planet. The
Universal  Declaration  of  Human  Rights  and  the
fundamental  principles  of  the  various  national
constitutions  are  the  indispensable  bases  for  the
dignity  of  the  planetary  complex,  for  the  correct
existence  of  the  whole  planet.  The  Declaration,
understandably, is limited to human society and does
not  cover  the  rights  of  all  planetary  life.  However  it
does  imply  that  dignity  is  not  an  exclusively  human
prerogative,  since  humanity  exists  in  an  equilibrium
that guarantees life and legitimate rights for the whole
of  existence.  Without  this  indispensable  equilibrium
any  proclaimed  ideals  are  hypocritical  and  human
existence is troubled and increasingly debased.
This observation should mark  a precise turning point
in  prevailing   mentality  and  behaviour.  Many
“experts”  struggle  to  convince  us  that  these  notions
are utopian; they are unaware that unrealizable utopias
are  those  which  proclaim  with  inspiring  words
magnificent  visions  of  justice,  freedom  and  other
ideals  while  continuing  to  understate  the  many
disasters  and   shameful  horrors.  Their  words  are
meaningless.
Human beings are exploited, stripped of every ounce
of wealth, to be directed towards others who get rich
at their expense and are oblivious to the damage they
wreak  on  local  economies,  the  dignity  of  fellow
humans and on the environment. The only actions to
be carried out in the interests of the common good are
those  that  recognise  the  existential  rights  of  all  the
components of the earth, without exception; it would
benefit  everyone,  even those who firmly believe  that
the world will always be divided but united in evil.