Response to Lessons From Lost Worlds, Essay Example

Jared Diamond, in his article, Lessons from Lost Worlds discusses the four major lessons that people living in this century should learn from those who lived in the previous centuries. He has recognized that the world is facing numerous threats likely to cause problems to human beings eventually. For example, he identifies that human beings face threat from terrorists, who are likely to strike anywhere and kill people. However, Jared discovered that terrorism can only kill a small portion of the population and there is less that can be done about it. In effect to this, he mentions the more serious threat from environment degradation; which has the ability to wipe out the human race. Indeed, Jared is right in his findings and this paper aims at amplifying the lessons that human beings should learn from the past centuries in regard to effects of environmental degradation to the human race.

Firstly, environmental degradation can result to collapsing of the societies. As a matter of fact, the environment is the worst enemy that can turn against human beings leading to a complete wipe out. Human beings rely on the environment for every aspect of their lives including food and shelter. However, human beings have been instrumental in destroying the very source of their lives through release of harmful products to the atmosphere, land and water. Eventually, these products accumulate to the extent that the environment cannot manage to sustain production of vital things that support human life. For example, accumulation of chemicals in the soil reduces the fertility of the soil; hence reducing food production. Additionally, release of chemicals to the atmosphere results to formation of acid rain that kills plants and causes diseases to human beings. Eventually, these problems will accumulate leading to death of human beings in the whole society.

Additionally, it is evident that environments have different abilities to withstand degradation. As a result, some societies are more likely to succumb to environmental degradation than others are and this problem is amplified by the fact that not many people consider this factor when they are setting up industries and using potentially harmful products. As a result, some societies will suffer from bigger problems than the others. For example, usage of lead-based fuels in Africa has brought health-related issues compared to the similar problems experienced in Europe.

Furthermore, countries in the world are now dependent on each other and as such, collapsing of one society will influence the other societies negatively. Globalization is the main factor that has brought this dependency. For example, decrease in the agricultural produce from the agricultural countries due to changes in the climatic system translates to collapsing of the producers and the importers of the produce. Arguably, all societies in the world are affected by same problems.

Finally, modern world societies should recognize that the environmental problems facing the world today can be solved; only when the leaders forfeit selfishness and devise methods of solving the problem. Most of the people in power today disregard the necessity of preserving the environment and involve themselves in self-enrichment activities. Notably, they may enrich themselves in the process but eventually, they will collapse together with the rest of society members. Therefore, they should avoid pocketing funds aimed at improving the environment and channel them to their desired purposes for the well-being of the whole society.

In conclusion, it is evident that Jared made important discoveries about the danger that human beings face from environmental degradation. It is clear that environmental degradation can lead to extinction a society, as well as drag other societies into extinction. Additionally, societies live in environments that have varying abilities to withstand environmental degradation. He states that he is optimistic about the future; only if the leaders embark on environment preserving activities that will help reverse the effects that are being experienced today.