Survival: The Ultimate Mission. Robert M.D. Skaf

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СКАЧАТЬ warehouse operators like myself who in turn extended credit to small food retailers. Even when the war broke out, this arrangement remained intact and did not collapse until at least a year later. Ever since I got involved in business with my late father, who taught me the business, I remember dealing with Jewish suppliers, Muslim importers and needless to say Christians. I say that because most people who heard about Lebanon may assume that as a Christian born, I would only be dealing with suppliers of the same creed. Truth is most Christian suppliers tended to be less competent and aggressive than their Jewish and Muslim counterparts. Noticing the change in the behaviour of people that took place after the war, and witnessing first-hand the atrocious acts of violence committed by Muslims and Christians on innocent by-standards, dealt me such a devastating blow that I started to believe that humans were of a lesser species than animals. At least on the surface, this may be the case; however, things are a lot more complicated than this simple observation. From a physiological and an anatomical perspective, we are deficient when compared to other living forms, but not so when it comes to our collective thinking and creative ability. In 1976, by sheer luck, I was able to immigrate to Canada. Despite starting a business and putting in over eighty hour work week for decades, the question of our status as an intelligent species never left me. In 1993, I began writing a book on the environment which I finished in 1998. Although I had published two books in the past, it did not seem to me that any publisher would be interested in publishing this one. I must clarify that the previous books were published on my own. While seeking a publisher, I began asking myself why should anyone bother with talking about the future and what is the big deal if human kind failed to survive on this planet. From 1998 to the end of 2005, I added a new part to the original book and changed the name from the Environmental Revolution to a different one entitled Immortal Species. This came about after I reached the conclusion that nothing in this universe gets to be completely destroyed, and humans are no different. After a period of reflection and debate, I found it compelling to answer whether humanity would be able to survive beyond the destruction of this planet. Soon after starting the work on the third part, I started to notice that whatever we do in life is somewhat connected to survival - from the way we behave, to the reason we tend to explore and discover, to everything else. I cannot remember exactly when I had made the decision to change the title to SURVIVAL THE ULTIMATE MISSION. I must admit that my first intentions were restricted to examining ways and means which would help modern societies around the world free themselves from their dependency on oil and fossil fuel. Since the purpose of the essay was meant to save human kind from self-destruction, the old thoughts about our frailty as a species resurfaced. After studying the way we survive and behave compared to other living forms, my views on the human race started to take different shapes than the ones developed during the war. I am glad to say that thanks to the major events that took place in the last ten years, the most remarkable of which was the disintegration of the Soviet Union and the rise of China and India, I have come to discover a new type of species we call humanity. I have come to the conclusion that although we may not have been a superior species in the past, we are in principle at least, designed to be one. As a matter of fact, if we put our act together we may be the only immortal species on the planet, and may be in the universe. Indeed, despite a history tainted with blood, our accomplishments and the role we play in this universe are enough to justify saving us if not convince us that by virtue of the universes we create on our own, we have also become a parallel immortal universe.

      INTRODUCTION

      (The reason the title SURVIVAL THE ULTIMATE MISSION was picked is simple: everything we do or believe in is connected to survival or should be.)

      As an intelligent species, we have been able to discover a lot about the elements that surround us; as well we have been able to invent numerous tools and gadgets which help us in our struggle to survive. Furthermore, one can be safe to predict that this quest to invent, discover and explore is going to be with us for generations to come and more than likely forever. The ultimate discovery, however, lies in what we discover about ourselves as human beings. Indeed, even the greatest discoveries would mean nothing if intelligent beings did not exist to enjoy their benefits. Despite the fact that we may never find the absolute answer for the reason of our existence, it certainly helps to have an understanding - albeit a vague one - about who we are as living intelligent beings. This essay is just about that. The sad part about embarking on an endeavour as such is in the small audience who might find it appealing. Unlike scientific discoveries where most people would be in a position to immediately identify with their benefits, which in turn would allow them to have a contingent appreciation of their potential; this type of discovery takes a long time to show any benefits. It takes decades for any ideas to be recognized, decades more before they are taught in colleges and universities - let alone adopted by any leader. Unless new ideas succeed in becoming part of the academic circles, they have no chance of reaching any political leader. This is mainly due to the slow process involved in communicating any unconventional thinking to the world leaders. Modern times have made it almost impossible to access any of them. They are shielded by a small group of advisors and handlers who are more concerned about politics and elections than anything else - including the economy. Anyone in this state of mind is not going to take a risk on anything - even introducing a visionary idea.

      This essay is comprised of three major parts, the first one entitled Immortal Species deals with the mysteries and meanings of life. The opening section starts by observing how everything in the universe keeps changing, from the smallest particle to the largest galaxy, nothing stays the same forever. From there an attempt is made to establish that without renewal and rebirth there could be no existence. The following sections reflect on intelligence and awareness and how without them nothing in existence would make any sense. Subsequently, the conclusion of the first part explains why as an intelligent species we have evolved to be great creators and how by creating new universes we have secured immortality for ourselves. Interestingly, as I pondered upon our lives, I began to realize that our real strength as a species does not depend on super intelligent beings and super humans, to the contrary, our chances of being immortal rest solely on our ability to garner the resources of the entire creative race. What sets us apart from all other living forms happens to be this inherent gift which leads us to work creatively with one another toward a common goal. I suppose after reading about this concept, one may find me to be a “creativist” - for someone who believes the creative human mind is immortal. Unlike the immortal physical universe that is only capable of transformation, a process I sometimes refer to as continuous creation; we are able to create immortal thoughts, images and dreams that can be shared collectively. The reason for which we can only be immortal as a species not individuals. In fact, I state that an all-powerful super being would amount to nothing if he or she has no one to creatively interact with. No matter how powerful, intelligent or creative, one person alone cannot accomplish anything and even if he or she were to achieve something, this achievement will not amount to much unless it brought clear benefits to the entire species or the majority of the population were able to connect with it.

      Moving to the next part, the reader steps into something totally different; in exploring how humanity would be able to survive on this planet for many years to come, the essay touches on all kinds of subjects that are going to be crucial to our future survival. The first section of the second part relays to the reader what environmentalists have been saying all along about the danger facing our planet as a result of the over use of fossil fuel. The next section argues how our civilization would have no choice but to change its way of life to maintain a high standard of living - since our natural resources will soon be depleted. The following section takes the reader on a new journey where new concepts are introduced to help future generations drastically reduce their dependence on fossil fuel. Where most environment activists have been focusing on the problems, this essay makes a serious attempt to introduce practical solutions to the crisis such as eliminating the automobile by redesigning our habitat and cities in an innovative fashion where the need for local transportation would become obsolete. The latter sections of the second part of the essay ponder on the role of government during the transitional period that is going to take place after an oil shortage strikes. The final sections underline the importance of planning for the anticipated crisis by reminding the reader about the danger and risk humanity would be faced with as a result of inaction and indifference.

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