Who are we?

Who are we?

Philosophically, this is a very deep question and you will need to reflect on all your past actions in order to define who you are today. And that is a very truthful and time-taking activity that many of us will be lazy to do.

So, let me spoon-feed the answer to you. The broader answer would be that we are social animals, the most supreme species to exist on this earth, innovators, scientists, lawyers and many more. But I thoroughly disagree with this thought.

Who are we to distinguish between what is important and what is not? Who are we to call ourselves superior? Responsible for so much destruction on the global scale, do we even own the liberty to judge ourselves as superior?

When we take into consideration ourselves as an individual and what we have done to either fund or contribute to ocean and global warming, on pondering about that for a while, one will come to the conclusion that every one of the 7.8 billion people on this planet is responsible, in whatever way.

We’ve continuously crossed the threshold between what is acceptable and what is not. Needless to say, we have not acted even the tiniest bit ‘human’ and compassion and empathy are two words that don’t seem to exist in our vocabulary when it comes to protecting the ocean.

To all those who call yourselves superior than others, think back to the time you were at a beach and littered, or bought expensive leather or animal skin clothes and used cars to cover short distances. Think back to how you have contributed in even the smallest way to climate change.

Starting from the governments and legislatures, who fail to make strict laws to combat this disaster, influenced by various lobbyists over the country, to the news media who frighten the public with various stories or sometime fail to report stories regarding climate change, to the fossil fuel industries who keep depleting the level of these inexhaustible natural resources without any limit to those consumers who actively fund these industries and factories, each and every person on this planet is to blame for this issue.

The human race as a whole will cease to exist if we continue to stay on this horrendous path. People will die horrific deaths and in a few years’ time, if we don’t bring about any changes, not the ocean, but the entire human race will be destroyed.

We need to act fast. We need to think innovatively and creatively and work towards getting more practical solutions as opposed to solutions being theory based. We need to be able to influence the youth of the world and collaborate with different people, different countries and different continents to tackle this global issue. On a whole, we need to adapt to different situations and be prepared for the worst. Only then, can we even begin to combat the adverse effect of climate change.

To work as one efficient whole, we need to be open to ideas and suggestions and be able to think critically and analyze decisions. And only if we are capable and competent of doing all this, will be able to conquer the dire consequences.

And as rightly said by oceanographer Jacques Cousteau, “Water and air, the two most essential fluids on which all life depends, have become global trash cans.” As a society and on behalf of the whole world, I, hereby take a stand to do my part and protect the oceans. I hope you all do too. Because, the world where the ocean is a dustbin, is certainly not a world that I would enjoy living in.