Do You Know The Price of Our Development?

Development and greediness of humanity have telling effects on the present and future generations. Encroachment on the forests and agricultural lands for putting up high-rise concrete jungles, commercialization and politicization of the resources, selfishness replacing the morality, etc., are the common causes for the ecological imbalance and climatic changes. Population growth and the craze for making of fast bucks aggravate this situation. Communalism and fanaticism gain prominence over conscience and rectitude. The effects of man's progress so far on the three spheres of the Earth are narrated here below.

Ocean: Population of marine organisms and animals is reported to have dipped by 50% in the last four decades, thanks to the overfishing and the global warming. Many coral reefs and underwater plant species have become history. They remain as exhibits in the museums and serve as specimens of laboratories. Dumping the spent fuels from nuclear facilities, the wastes from the human habitations, and the oil spills from the marine vessels have aggravated the situation of dwindling marine biodiversity.

Land: The impact of the ever-increasing population is badly felt in many ways. The endless demand for housing stocks and structures like roads, bridges, and towers has made the humans to encroach the forests and marshlands that were once the home of a variety of flora and fauna. The excessive suction of ground water led to the seepage of seawater rendering the inland water unfit for cultivation and drinking. An Intensive farming with the chemicals and machines for quicker and bumper harvests has spoilt the nature and fertility of the soil, and it affected the human health through the poisonous elements ingested from the food. The techniques of tissue culture, cloning, stem-cell and gene splicing aim at bypassing Nature. The effluents discharged from the tanneries, and the dye manufacturing factories pollute the surface and ground water sources. 

Scientists reported that burning all fossil fuels (coal, oil and natural gas) would raise the sea level by 200 feet as the entire ice of Antartica would melt due to the rise in temperature and submerge the lands in the coastal areas. Half of such melting could occur in a millennium. The Mahseer, a gigantic golden and game fish for anglers across, is fast disappearing due to the global warming, and rampant mining. The Sparrow earlier sighted in the neighborhood has become a rarity after the microwave towers sprang up for cellular networks. The vast and open grounds that were once the playgrounds gave way to the shopping mall and residential complex. The kids of the next generation end up playing games in their houses on electronic gadgets such as PlayStation and mobiles. 

Air: Ultraviolet radiation harms life on Earth when the ozone layer in the atmosphere gets depleted by the gases emerging from the electrical and electronic devices, and heavy industries. Poisonous gas leaks from chemical industries and the radiation and pollution from atomic power plants killed millions of people and incapacitated many others including the foetuses. Atomic bombs and chemical weapons used during the wars devastated many nations.

So, Development comes at the cost of the lives of the present and future generations. Sustainable growth is ideal for organic life. Anything that violates Nature does not last long.

A Second Childhood for Humans

Are you feeling strange to hear this? Everyone knows that any individual starts the life journey as a child upon birth. The time span between the birth and adolescence stages is termed as ' Childhood.'  This period is spread over 18 years after which the adulthood commences. A person in the childhood is commonly called as a Minor and thereafter said to become a Major. A child goes through the phases of loneliness, innocence, stubbornness, fearlessness, and impartiality.

When a person reaches the senility, the behavior changes drastically. The actions and conduct of the aged people resemble that of a child. The old age, in fact, represents the second childhood of human life. With wisdom and experience gained over the early years, the attitude and aptitude of older people should have matured. But, Why then they put up a childlike demeanor? That might be due to the feeling of insecurity arising from the loneliness, inability to carry on the activities like before, depending on others, etc. 

Significant things that show the similarities between the aged citizens and the kids are given here to understand the above phenomenon. 

1. Absence of teeth in the first and last stages of human life.

2. Difficulty in walking and movement without any prop or support.

3. Creating distraction wantonly to attract others' attention

4. Pretension of illness to make others care for them

5. Wishing to eat, drink or do anything that is not suitable for that age.

6. Display of silent anger and keeping mum when things go against their liking, and 

7. Remain in solitude and  avoid any food to express dissatisfaction.

All this show glaring similarities in the behavior that is normally seen in the childhood of any human. Adamant attitude, seeking attention, possessiveness, special care against disease and weakness, and the due respect for age, hate for loneliness, fear of death, etc., are some of the qualities exhibited by the senior citizens.

There is a marked difference between the actions of a child and a senior person. The behavior of the majority children is natural, unbiased, and innocent. However, the conduct of the seniors group is borne out of the selfishness and insecurity. One thing is clear. As a person grows older, the physical capacity weakens and the mental faculties slow down. So, the twilight year of a person's life cycle is the vulnerable period warranting support and care from the other members of the family and the society as well.