A Hole in the Sky
December 10th, 2005
Another day had dawned. Winter had arrived in most parts of the northern hemisphere. The tilt of the earth and its relentless motion around the sun had brought about another seasonal change in the terrestrial order of things. The back page of the Hindu carried a disturbing news item - a massive hole in the ozone layer over the Antarctica, the largest ever measured in recent times! More ultra-violet (UV) radiation is hitting the earth's surface now than ever before. This invisible part of the light's spectrum can cause skin cancer. In the adjacent column of the newsprint, there is boundless excitement about a popular beauty contest and speculations about who is going to be the next Miss Universe. After reading the two juxtaposed news items, one is left wondering why if beauty is skin deep, has nature created this horror called skin cancer? Does nature have something against human beauty queens? Why do humans struggle to maintain their good looks? To attract a potential mate perhaps? But these are questions for another wintry day. Coming back to the hole in the ozone layer, which not too long ago was a ozone whole, one can't help but sympathise with the innocent inhabitants of Antarctica. What have they done to deserve this? The case is closed, the culprit responsible for this undesirable change in the far reaches of the earth's atmosphere is an irresponsible terrestrial creature called man, the sole creator of destructive machines on this planet. The old cooler in the kitchen for some years now, has been sending a frisson up the earth scientist's spine, for all the wrong reasons.Here is an example of how an intense desire for profit-making in business can blind us to the consequences of our own entrepeneurial adventures. Humans generally don't think about consequences. How else do you explain the presence of chloroflourocarbon compounds in mass produced refrigerators that have found a home in every single man-made dwelling in our so-called developed world? These compounds disintegrate in the atmosphere when exposed to the sun's radiation, releasing chlorine atoms that then proceed to breakdown the ozone molecules present in the air. The ozone layer absorbs the UV radiation which is harmful to life on our planet. It is mother earth's protective blanket for its children - children who dont seem to care much for their mother. And they dont seem to care much for their brethren either. Down under, the Australians are beating up the Arabs. Is too much UV getting into their heads? Could it be that unknown to science, UV causes another kind of 'cancer' that grows deep beneath the skin, in the minds of men leading to mindless violence? The ozone hole problem is only a symptom of a far deeper problem having its roots in the very psyche of man. The question of anger and violence has never been addressed outside the realm of thought. We seek solutions through psychiatry, political compromises, UN resolutions etc but all that is in vain! So we have to ask ourselves this question, are we interested in peace on earth? Not just for humans -that would be too limited, but for the entire planet with its extraordinary spread of flora & fauna. Have you seen a blade of grass that grows through a crack in the concrete? Given your full attention to it? Or the dead leaf that is blown around in the wind? Vulnerability has no bounds. We create walls of concrete for our own security because we have not understood what it means to be vulnerable, like that blade of grass that cares not if there is a tomorrow. Therein lies the tragedy of man.
Another day had dawned. Winter had arrived in most parts of the northern hemisphere. The tilt of the earth and its relentless motion around the sun had brought about another seasonal change in the terrestrial order of things. The back page of the Hindu carried a disturbing news item - a massive hole in the ozone layer over the Antarctica, the largest ever measured in recent times! More ultra-violet (UV) radiation is hitting the earth's surface now than ever before. This invisible part of the light's spectrum can cause skin cancer. In the adjacent column of the newsprint, there is boundless excitement about a popular beauty contest and speculations about who is going to be the next Miss Universe. After reading the two juxtaposed news items, one is left wondering why if beauty is skin deep, has nature created this horror called skin cancer? Does nature have something against human beauty queens? Why do humans struggle to maintain their good looks? To attract a potential mate perhaps? But these are questions for another wintry day. Coming back to the hole in the ozone layer, which not too long ago was a ozone whole, one can't help but sympathise with the innocent inhabitants of Antarctica. What have they done to deserve this? The case is closed, the culprit responsible for this undesirable change in the far reaches of the earth's atmosphere is an irresponsible terrestrial creature called man, the sole creator of destructive machines on this planet. The old cooler in the kitchen for some years now, has been sending a frisson up the earth scientist's spine, for all the wrong reasons.Here is an example of how an intense desire for profit-making in business can blind us to the consequences of our own entrepeneurial adventures. Humans generally don't think about consequences. How else do you explain the presence of chloroflourocarbon compounds in mass produced refrigerators that have found a home in every single man-made dwelling in our so-called developed world? These compounds disintegrate in the atmosphere when exposed to the sun's radiation, releasing chlorine atoms that then proceed to breakdown the ozone molecules present in the air. The ozone layer absorbs the UV radiation which is harmful to life on our planet. It is mother earth's protective blanket for its children - children who dont seem to care much for their mother. And they dont seem to care much for their brethren either. Down under, the Australians are beating up the Arabs. Is too much UV getting into their heads? Could it be that unknown to science, UV causes another kind of 'cancer' that grows deep beneath the skin, in the minds of men leading to mindless violence? The ozone hole problem is only a symptom of a far deeper problem having its roots in the very psyche of man. The question of anger and violence has never been addressed outside the realm of thought. We seek solutions through psychiatry, political compromises, UN resolutions etc but all that is in vain! So we have to ask ourselves this question, are we interested in peace on earth? Not just for humans -that would be too limited, but for the entire planet with its extraordinary spread of flora & fauna. Have you seen a blade of grass that grows through a crack in the concrete? Given your full attention to it? Or the dead leaf that is blown around in the wind? Vulnerability has no bounds. We create walls of concrete for our own security because we have not understood what it means to be vulnerable, like that blade of grass that cares not if there is a tomorrow. Therein lies the tragedy of man.
posted by SRK | 5:31 AM
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