Take a risk

Risks are measures of danger. Usually we want to avoid taking too high risks and prefer playing safe, at least if unaware of what will eventually happen. Risks have also everything to do with values. It is not a risk if one is not afraid of losing something valuable. While talking about risks I have to agree with German sociologist Ulrich Bech who said that people easily accuse those of perturbation who remind them if the existence and proximity of disturbing facts, risks or other depressing matters (that they wish not want to hear). Negativity is best to keep to ourselves because life is more about joy and catching dreams. I suffer from this disease of being a killjoy: Why do you always have to be in such a murky mood?, they ask me. And when I try to explain they ignore my views for being “just too much and just too weird”. Thinking against the masses is hardly ever easy.

It is obvious that people have both created risks and ignored them at the same time. The future has been set in jeopardy by actions made along with bad judgment of risks. Acknowledging dangers has little to do with proclaiming apocalyptic prophecies or creating unnecessary fear. It is merely a compulsion for withstanding uncertainty, choosing the right and necessary decisions and locating your future position. Risks caused are by many standards long lasting; they are not going to ease or go away anytime soon. The problem with risks is that while living too focused in the present we usually forget that we have a future to look after as well. It is in our biological character not to care about the rights or welfare of the upcoming generations because we are bound to focus on issues temporally and locally close. In a way it is hard to imagine people willingly causing trouble to ones like them. Still it is reprehensible to ignore risks that are both obvious and damaging just by saying “everything will eventually turn out for the better”. Well, it won’t.

I cannot believe that disdaining the future would be our only option when all we would have to do is just slightly evolve and develop our form of thinking. It might take time but there is no other way out really.  At the moment we are not ready to face greater suffering so that we could enjoy or benefit from actions seen dislikable later. This is because we never think further ahead of our own nose or noses of our descendants. The distant future feels less realistic than the near future. We have even a specific risk evaluation in which risks near to us get more attention than those further away. While our orientation is kept tightly within close range it is impossible to focus on questions concerning generations to come. That is why we also make haste and poor decisions which cannot last while meant only to solve problems on temporary basis. In economics it is fairly common to leave the real problem be and patch up the wound. As critical economist Henry Hazlitt says, economy is too often seen only means to provide momentary interest. We should make economics that stand the test of time and create lasting good for many instead of a few. Of course we are glad if things turn out for the better, but it is an operation worth nothing if problems are not solved for the benefit of those coming after us. For example if we only take actions which ease the pain but won’t heal the whole disease, the disease will eventually kill the patient.       

People have strong faith on science. “Problems will be handled over time” is the common belief. This strong optimism may sometimes blind us and make us disregard our problems that would need our urgent attention. In the past it was easy to predict risks and learn how to comprehend changing conditions in our lives. Risks were obvious and controllable. Last 100 years has introduced us a technological boost never experienced before. It has produced innovations and scientific breakthroughs and enabled rapid cultural development in a global scale. Now days we are no longer flexible or fast enough to react to risks - and they have grown beyond our reach. Living safe usually means taking insurances and making preparations for the worse. The biggest risks in our lives are not things like an engine bust up, a washing machine gone broken or even a death of an close friend. We have risks that concern the whole existence of human kind – and these risks should be in the center of our personal and global agenda and intention.

We need people who really care about the future of this planet and its inhabitants. The welfare of others does not necessarily mean that we need to give up on our own well-being. It means that we have to try to live like there would be life after we have departed. This also calls for a strong political will. But before that it calls a reevaluation of our risks.   

Faith - No more

Last week I decided that the time was right for me to depart from the Lutheran church. The decision had come to me already many years ago but it took this long to be permanently executed. In this text I will tell you the reasons behind this relieving personal decision.

I consider myself to be an open-minded and considering person. It has rarely been difficult for me to accept the coexistence of religions, and I have encouraged people to get to know those with different religious backgrounds. Don’t take me wrong, I still believe that we should be tolerant to each other and try to live together harmoniously and peacefully. And I continue believing that religions are not all bad. 

The first and foremost reason behind my departure was the lack of faith, which should be obvious to those who know me even little. Faith is something I value as an interpersonal and a private, self-realizing meditative quality. God might or might not exist – and that´s about all there is to say actually. I believe that people are entitled to religious freedom while having also an obligation not to demand religious autocracy; in other words all religious beliefs should be coequal. Well, as we all well know, this is not the case in today’s world.

Religions are now and in the past used as excuses to justify inhumane actions of violence, repression and tyranny. No religion is free from such a sick behavior which has caused millions of people to lose their lives in the course of human history. The Christians have forced people to wipe out their previous worldviews and replace them with truths taken from the Bible. For example in times of Columbus the Indian babies were killed after they had been baptized; this way they could enjoy the eternal life in heaven. In medieval Europe witches and heretics were hunt down by the holy inquisition, and ALWAYS the evidence against them was fabricated out of thin air. This meant that every living person was in danger to be named an opponent of God, and therefore be tested in order to find out whether this claim was to be true or not. Usually tests were successful and victims were found guilty – or dead.  

Islam is no better, actually it can even be worse – depends on how deep into details we go. Things that we hear Muslims do to others and to themselves go many times beyond our comprehension and imagination. Or can you really claim to be understanding if some fanatic Muslims let young girls die in a burning house because they deserved to die due to broken ancient dress code. It does not matter how seriously people take themselves as Muslims if they continue to believe that everything there is in Quran must have come from Allah. Islam has to undergo a radical inner regeneration like all religions must. Otherwise these religions will eventually vanish trying to attain global dominion. We all have to accept that religions enable all forms of extremist activity. This fear has to be taken seriously by everyone, not just those who fear for their artificial American lifestyles. Religions breed negative side effects. Even those religions with millions of supporters cannot be covered with shields of inviolability. They need to be open for a serious debate.

The second reason to my getaway is actually reason - or the lack of it. It is funny how people section their lives into categories which are diversely managed. People trust in science and reason when they see fit, and use judgment selectively. If I would say that Jesus prepared my breakfast for today, I would be evaluated as a crazy person. Why? Due to lack of evidence. I would have to show some kind of proof to prove my point right. The same goes with claims that I make of reality. I cannot say that there is a rabbit hole in my garden leading to some magical world if it doesn’t exist. We cannot operate on false beliefs or otherwise all claims would be beyond critical evaluation. If I would state that the world is flat, nobody would believe me, but if the statement should point out that the world has been created by God, no matter what shape or size it is, I would gather more than enough supporters to make it official. When people enter the sacred area of religion they forget their reason and leave it hanging till time comes to use it once again.   

Many elements (not all) in religions and especially texts considered holy are nothing but myths. And while there are those who consider these myths to be even partially true, we as a one and only humankind will face never ending problems. Myths have proved out to be irrational, disgusting and most importantly dangerous. Sometimes it feels like some people have gotten stuck in ancient history. I always say to my students how we need to understand people in their historical context. The Presocratic-philosophers for example had no knowledge of the world whatsoever, scientifically speaking. All they had was their reason and empirical affirmation of that time. Keeping this mind we are able to understand why these intellects thought that the world could be formed from substances like water or numbers. They had no evidence to believe otherwise!  

I believe that Jesus lived and was a historical person with flesh and blood. I also believe that he gave an example of how we should treat each other as human beings; love and be loved. All extra added to this image of mine needs greater justifications which would have to resemble facts more than wishes. That’s why I cannot say that Jesus was more than a Jewish chap looking for a way to give people hope in times of despair. We need more people like Jesus to show compassion and empathy, but death is something we need to accept as a natural part of life. Death is evident and concerns us all, we and all our loved-ones have to die eventually. But that is the end of my journey – and yours. Between birth and death we all should treat others with respect and friendliness. If religions cannot adapt to this requirement, in my opinion they should be discarded as useless.     

    

As long there are myths with non-existing divine origin and religious followers who refuse to use their reason and deny the utility of scientific method, wars and disharmony will remain a present state. Religions concealing false truths also obstruct us from building ethics that could have a real fundamental bearing for the future.       

Nipa