World Without US

Sages meditated for Ages; the wise-men wrote millions of pages; kings and statesmen gave brilliant speeches—about joy and happiness, that has eluded the mankind in the known history. What a profound mystery! The pages of human history, daubed in bloodshed, very recently that of World War I & II and Nanking (China) ask the crying question. How to make this Planet Earth, heaven-like? The answer is simple and direct. Eyes full of understanding, the heart full of love and the life that refuses conflicts—enough. These alone are enough. Well, if peace is not possible for humanity, what is the alternative? Alan Weisman seems to have the answer.

His poser is, what will happen, if human beings are bundled out from Earth, lock, stock and barrel? He is trying to find the answer with methodical investigations. He has provided certain very interesting observations and he describes the eventualities that are likely to happen in this human-race-less planet when the census figures related to human population is a big zero Well, the torch has been passed on to non- human beings. Now it depends what they will do, with what we have left, and from where we have left. Rest would be a novel history (But who will report it and who will record it?)Rest would be Planet Earth’s destiny. Such species , which were so far under the protective wings of the human beings, will be run over by the enemies of human beings.

One positive, unfailing development is, it is peace at last. Less noise, no pollution, no rat-race, no cut-throat competition, all the negativities which are the hallmark of human race will vanish from the face of Earth. Mother Earth will be bored, but temporarily. Weisman met and interviewed engineers, naturalists, scientists and maintenance workers, who make and unmake the developments on Earth, and collected valuable information. His research was all-embracing. He was aware of the importance of a microbe so also a giant whale, in the nature’s scheme of things. Each leaf has an assigned role.

Small and big things have a path laid down for them. His conclusions were both amazing and made an inconvenient reading for the human beings. Anyway, they have bid farewell to the Earth and hence no worry on this count.

He gives the example of Chernobyl, where scientists thought that it is all over for this part of the world, but the land freed from the greed of man, animal life has comfortably returned. The tragedy happened in 1986 and within a short period of two decades, nature has reconstituted itself, and is on the upbeat again. There is another wonder for everyone to see. In the vacant demilitarized zone between North and South Korea, the once extinct Amur leopard and goral mountain goat, have reappeared. With human beings gone, Nature will carry out many a ‘reformation’ and ‘rehabilitation’ activities and will make all out efforts to recoup its original health!

Planet Earth will look like a big wildlife sanctuary. For the really concerned human being, the book has many thoughts to ponder and questions to answer. In all probability, he will change some of his lifestyles. He will also repent how cruel he has been to the systems of nature and how resilient and benevolent is Nature. How many human follies it has condoned. In the name of industrialization and advancement of materialistic civilization, how he has been engaged in destructive projects, and continues to commit some of the greatest and unpardonable blunders like, tearing the peaks of mountains, dumping plastic waste in beautiful and blue waters of the oceans, challenging the climate with carbon emission—is this progress and welfare in the real sense? Oh, man wake up. You are cutting the branch of the tree on which you are sitting.

The book is the cautionary one that advises human beings not to draw too much upon the generosity and goodwill of Earth. If the torch of survival of humanity is to be carried further, it’s time we pause for a while and think about the future plans. It now depends what we do with what our forefathers have left and from where they have left. Any complacency is peril. Though this is an environmental book, it is a must for the politicians, sociologists and above all scientists. God forbid, atom bombs and hydrogen bombs are not necessary for the ultimate destruction of humanity. Without declaring World War III, we are already at war with ourselves. The humanity has played with many theoretical juggleries. Now it is time for concrete action.