Around 2010, my son asked me for suggestions of world heroes to nominate for a prestigious school contest. I had just read the obituary of a remarkably heroic man whose name I’d never heard before. His name was Norman Borlaug, and I was sure I was giving my son a brilliant, “out of the box” suggestion. But, to my son’s dismay, it turned out that the judges in the contest had never heard of Norman Borlaug either and the nomination was summarily dismissed.
Thanks for this David. Borlaug is new to me also. The news today about wheat shortages in the Arab world because of the war in Ukraine made this piece current for me.
Michael Lewis (Money Ball author) along with Jeff Bezos and others started an "Academy Awards" for American government employees called the Sammies. People like Borlaugh who are experts in very specific fields but are almost completely unknown are nominated and celebrated. For instance, there was a guy who worked for three decades on pinpointing how objects floated in the oceans and seas. His work/formulas are now used to find and save overboard sailors. America leads the way in EXPERTS, GENIUS, CREATIVITY, INNOVATION. What I call "sweat miracles." I agree with you that somehow we will find a way to spare the planet from drowning, suffocating, or imploding.
With regard to climate change, it’s tough to remain optimistic when all one hears or reads seems to indicate we have just about passed the point of no return. Individually, we can (and should) do our part, but we sure need some big thinkers like Borlaug. And wouldn't it be great if the media promoted and celebrated them?
I think of it as a risk because it is so difficult to project effects of warming.
The uncertainty of long range forecasts on an incredibly complex system with adaptations along the way. But I remain optimistic, because because usually what gets you is something unanticipated and climate change is anything but that.
Good piece. The moral of the story as I see it here is that we should solve our problems through freedom, and innovation. Not draconian laws that do more harm than good and use the green movement as cover to usher in agendas like the WEF’s Great Reset (see Sri Lanka and Netherlands right now(most of Sri Lanka’s debt is held by Blackrock who is using the corporate green agenda in a form of tyranny, starving the people if they refuse to follow it. But you know it is for “the environment” so it has to be good, right?).
To sum up my feelings about your piece, a quote:
“You never change things by fighting the existing reality. To change something, build a new model that makes the existing model obsolete.” – Buckminster Fuller
The most important thing all humans can work on is fixing the corruption in the systems that govern us.
I hope your optimism proves to be prescient. That would bode well for the world our children have inherited. Interesting to learn about Borlaug!
Thanks Janet. I hope so too. I bet Borlaug's name recognition is pretty low.
Thanks for this David. Borlaug is new to me also. The news today about wheat shortages in the Arab world because of the war in Ukraine made this piece current for me.
Michael Lewis (Money Ball author) along with Jeff Bezos and others started an "Academy Awards" for American government employees called the Sammies. People like Borlaugh who are experts in very specific fields but are almost completely unknown are nominated and celebrated. For instance, there was a guy who worked for three decades on pinpointing how objects floated in the oceans and seas. His work/formulas are now used to find and save overboard sailors. America leads the way in EXPERTS, GENIUS, CREATIVITY, INNOVATION. What I call "sweat miracles." I agree with you that somehow we will find a way to spare the planet from drowning, suffocating, or imploding.
it's good to know about the Sammies. Great idea.
With regard to climate change, it’s tough to remain optimistic when all one hears or reads seems to indicate we have just about passed the point of no return. Individually, we can (and should) do our part, but we sure need some big thinkers like Borlaug. And wouldn't it be great if the media promoted and celebrated them?
Here's an example of something I read today that is promising.
https://www.theatlantic.com/science/archive/2022/04/big-tech-investment-carbon-removal/629545/
Climate change as it stands is not an existential risk...
Warming above ~4C (minimum) is where it gets existential and we're on track to come way below that.
I think of it as a risk because it is so difficult to project effects of warming.
The uncertainty of long range forecasts on an incredibly complex system with adaptations along the way. But I remain optimistic, because because usually what gets you is something unanticipated and climate change is anything but that.
Yes this is a great point. Darn complex systems...
You're certainly living up to the title of your blog!
Good piece. The moral of the story as I see it here is that we should solve our problems through freedom, and innovation. Not draconian laws that do more harm than good and use the green movement as cover to usher in agendas like the WEF’s Great Reset (see Sri Lanka and Netherlands right now(most of Sri Lanka’s debt is held by Blackrock who is using the corporate green agenda in a form of tyranny, starving the people if they refuse to follow it. But you know it is for “the environment” so it has to be good, right?).
To sum up my feelings about your piece, a quote:
“You never change things by fighting the existing reality. To change something, build a new model that makes the existing model obsolete.” – Buckminster Fuller
The most important thing all humans can work on is fixing the corruption in the systems that govern us.
We need human ingenuity to kick in. Like this:
https://joshketry.substack.com/p/what-we-need-is-a-transparency-movement