Human systems are naturally inefficient. Entropy is at the core of universal processes, so it is natural that we have a destructive tendency. What is not natural is our collective acceptance of these short-sighted systems we have built. We have traveled far outside the bounds of nature’s limits, and are actively destroying the Earth and ourselves with it.
We should not fall into the trap of thinking badly about our place or our history on this planet. Certainly bad choices have been made since the dawn of humanity but, allowing ourselves to be bogged down by the past is only limiting our ability to act in the present. What is important is how we chose to address these issues.
Every moment is a choice. We may not be conscious of the full extent of our choices in a given moment, but if we stay mindful, we will grow in a direction that begets those perspectives.
Growth is key. As we continue to generate knowledge and our understanding of the universe approaches what could be called enlightened; our destructive, redundant, and chaotic tendencies will continue to wane. On an individual level, this means willingly striving to rest a better head at night than the one you woke up with.
And that’s all any of us can do. There are over seven billion of us strange ape creatures sharing this planet. Any one of us isn't going to single-handedly spearhead change, but the ripples we manifest from our actions can have far-reaching consequences. Even just smiling at someone having a bad day can lead us to a completely different future.
Be mindful of the power you have to change your immediate world. Together, we can make the future a bright one.