David Tattershall on our planetary near-death experience

by David Tattershall, Hope Or Cope, December 12, 2015

It is impossible for those who have had a near-death-experience (NDE) to see the world through the same lens as those who have not. The reason is quite simple. A NDE rips aside the illusionary shroud of semi-immortality that humans adopt and the reality that life ends in death is suddenly front and center. During a NDE one may rapidly arrive in the netherworld, somewhere between life and death, or hover on the edge; in either event what seemed so important yesterday becomes totally irrelevant.

This is not dissimilar to attitudes towards climate change. The illusionary shroud, of semi-immortality, is maintained because after all death for most is somewhere in the distant future at an unknown time and as a result of unknown circumstances; there are immediate issues and associated pressures that must be dealt with tomorrow. Meanwhile life marches on towards its inevitable conclusion.

Following my most recent NDE, I could not help but reflect on the parallel of my heart condition to that of the problem of climate change. If my heart represented the Arctic, and my body civilization, there were two distinct options. With no immediate action to overcome the problem with my heart I would most certainly have died on Tuesday, December 8, 2015, or shortly thereafter. This is precisely what is happening to our world as the Arctic deteriorates, with the inevitable consequence that civilization will implode, and our species may well be one element of a mass extinction event unless fairly drastic, soon to be near draconian, action is taken. In other words it is time to intervene or else!

On the other hand, due entirely to a spectacular combination of medical, engineering, and computer science, my life was once again extended by implanting a pacemaker. I might also add that a well-oiled machine (the staff of my hospital), from top to bottom, systematically brought me back from the edge and restored my health.

Perhaps those who stood on stage in that famous 2012 Republican primary debate and raised their hands to signify that they did not believe in science, whilst grinning like oversized Cheshire cats, should walk-the-walk; after all they did talk-the-talk. Their supporters believe their personal word is their bond, that honesty and integrity are fundamental to their lives, and the politicians they support reflect those values. In that case each of those who raised their hands should pledge to only consult with a witch doctor, or similar practitioner, should they develop any serious medical condition.

If not, then why would these people wish to prevent essential and immediate action being taken before the Arctic is gasping for breath on a gurney, a planetary NDE takes hold, and civilization starts to hang by a thread?

At the very best, attitudes reflect that a parallel to not smoking, regular exercise, a balanced diet, limited alcohol intake, and limiting stress will deliver optimum conditions, i.e., gradual emissions reductions. Meanwhile the reality is that the beating heart that controls many elements of the climate that are essential for our species has been diagnosed as hurtling towards a very critical condition.

Standing in the way of essential and immediate treatment are the lunatics running the asylum. They ignore facts and expound that we cannot afford the treatment which is based on a dubious diagnosis. The odds of surviving a NDE are not that good, the deeper the experience the more rapidly the odds decline. And yet with the alarm bells ringing and a thorough diagnosis by the very best science has to offer we are being forced deeper and deeper into a planetary NDE with an inevitable conclusion. The reality is that we either change the lifestyle of our civilization or death is unquestionably just over the horizon.

We do have wonderful people who are capable of the required actions to reverse what is currently inevitable. Admittedly they have yet to be organized into a well-oiled machine, but that is one of our species finest characteristics, i.e., to bond together and overcome seemingly impossible odds.

We’re better than this but we need to get a grip. The idea that ignorant self-centered imbeciles will eliminate the future for children should be so deeply offensive as to cause mass outrage; it hasn’t, something is very wrong!

Enough already, it’s time to get the patient into the hospital for treatment whatever, whatever, it takes.