Why are we here?
George Macpherson addresses a fundamental question
Why are we here? Is it to make America or Britain great again? To stay as one of the world’s leading arms exporters under American leadership? Is that why? Philosophers write reams about why we live, but surely we are here for one purpose: to conserve our genes and pass them on so humanity can survive and thrive: why else?
‘Well ... to make a profit.’
But it’s simple, isn’t it? Speaking biologically, we must protect everyone else’s genes too, or perish. We need other humans for our survival: as our cousins the orangutans need each other and ants need other ants. We need each other for genetic diversity, reproduction, food, health, education, protection and rescue, justice and leadership: worldwide. We need all other species too: for food, warmth, medication, traction, transport, clothing, sport and companionship. And every living creature needs the right weather, energy, air, water and soil.
‘I can see that, but we in the West have overdone it. We’ve exported our jobs; imposed stupid laws while other countries feed on us.’
Do they? Or did we move our factories to Bangladesh, China, Indonesia and Vietnam because labour was cheap and less demanding?
‘Yes, but that’s all right – we make more profit and our consumers can buy cheaper goods.’
Well yes, but those cheap goods make our own workforce, machines and skills redundant. Rust moves in, and poverty. With no money, people can’t live.
‘They can borrow! Credit cards, mortgages…’
They can, but in pursuing ‘growth’ we create imaginary money to lend to people who can’t afford to pay it back. Lenders lose nerve and want the non-existent equity back so we repossess houses, send in debt collectors, cut public spending, reduce staff – you name it…
‘But we’ve got to protect our investments, our standards. People ought to find new jobs.’
But you say foreigners have taken all the jobs. They need them so they can eat, pay for medical insurance, support their aged and disabled. If you want jobs here you will have to pay more because stuff made at home costs more because of the ‘stupid regulations’ like health and safety, and human rights.
‘So where is all the money: where’s it all gone?’
Perhaps you and I have it? We hear that twenty per cent of us own eighty per cent of everything.
‘But we’ve earned it! Thank goodness at least some of us did. We should say “pull up the ladder” now. Let “the poor” sort themselves out. They’re not our problem.’
But that’s not right, surely – if you’re a Christian country?
‘I admit it’s not ideal and it does cause bother.’
It does indeed: the educated poor take action ‒ by revolt, migration and terrorism while the under-educated go collectively insane. Rabble-rousing politicians and crazy clerics urge them to slay, buy guns and destroy – it’s war.
‘Yes, but on the other hand that’s not bad for business. It creates jobs. We’re giving our people their jobs back.’
So, you will re-arm, spend another £150 billion on submarines, which can do nothing but kill and destroy, to defend your wealth. You will invest in more bombs and bullets, missiles and lethal drones, and then teach the poor to use them: that’s shocking!
‘But wars here and there are excellent for business, create profit – and work.’
But is that going to support the survival of human genes? I don’t think so – that’s not why we are here, is it?
‘So how are we supposed to protect each other’s genes – everything’s genes?’
By doing as we would be done by! It adds up to treating our neighbours, of all kinds, properly.
‘I’m sure I’ve read about that somewhere.’
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