Cadmus (Mar 2023)
The Health and Economic Burdens Inflicted by Human Security Destruction
Abstract
Finally, after many years of resistance, the majority accepts the scientific evidence that we live in what Paul Crutzen, Fellow of the World Academy of Art and Science, defined as the Anthropocene Era, because humanity has left a major impact on not just the planet but all life forms. (Crutzen and Stoermer, 2000). Nowadays, with the rising frequency and magnitude of negative impacts that we bring upon ourselves by the way we act, the general public is becoming more and more aware of the rising threats we create for ourselves and the whole planet (UNESCO, 2021). Like in any other form of addiction, many humans tend to defend themselves by becoming aware of their self-destructive behaviors, tricking and soothing themselves by ignoring the mounting man-made threats and engaging in cognitive dissonance to avoid anxiety-inducing awareness. The exponential growth of the human population and its consumption patterns has resulted in such dramatic and exorbitant costs to the environment. Not only have our current lifestyles negatively impacted our planet’s ecosystems, but a growing number of scientists have warned us that we are rapidly reaching a tipping point where mitigation and/or reversal of trends is no longer possible (IPCC, 2014). If we do not act promptly and effectively, we will face not just the consequences but existential threats that threaten the survival of planet Earth’s self-proclaimed intelligent species.
