I have been writing quite a bit lately about our irrational behavior in the face of the many problems we need to solve in the world. The last irrational behavior, on 5 February, referred to the Hi -Tech weapons we continue to develop that are more dangerous than the conflicts they could possibly resolve. Why do we stock-pile these at vast investment of money and resources?Here is Irrational Behaviour Number 5:
"The problems we face call for the commitment and participation of every able-bodied human being, but we put millions put of work to save the cost of labour."
Nearly 10% of the USA labor force are currently unemployed at a huge social cost. In the UK it's not much better at nearly 8% What alarms me even more is that the number of 15- to 24-year-olds classed as Neet (not in education, employment or training)in the UK is around the one million mark, and one of the worst levels amongst the G7 countries.
What a dreadful waste of resource, and no wonder there are so many youngsters involved in crime, both petty and serious, yobbish behaviour, etc.
As Stephanie Sorrell explains in her latest book Nature as Mirror, we all need aspiration. We all need visions and goals, to aspire to the highest we can reach. Our unlived life has a powerful hold on us and feeling unfulfilled can have devastating effects on mental health. This all links neatly with another Irrational behaviour:
"The problems we face call for long-term solutions, but our criterion of success is the bottom line in annual or semi-annual corporate profit-and-loss statements."
We have let money rule our hearts as well as our heads.
In the early 1900s, the American capitalist of that time, Benjamin Ferdinand, wrote: "Remember that time is money.He that can earn ten shillings a day by his labour, and goes abroad, or sits idle, one half of that day, though he spends but sixpence during his diversion or idleness, ought not to reckon that the only expense; he has really spent, or rather thrown away, five shillings besides."
So we "cannot afford" to employ our youngsters, to give them fulfilling and worthwhile jobs, give them some self esteem and a promising future?
(all these Irrational Behaviors are being taken from the essay by Ervin Laszlo on “The World’s Health Problem: an Integral Diagnosis” in A New Renaissance – Transforming Science, Spirit and Society. I keep referring back to this book as it is such an important initiative from the Scientific and Medical Network. I have posted a review for this book on Amazon).
A New Renaissance: Transforming Science, Spirit and Society
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