Do you think you will have to witness the fall of mankind? Do you think you are the ‘coming generation’ that was left to face the consequences of your ancestors?
Here I represent a theme shoot raising awareness on global catastrophe risk due to human negligence. The photograph shows a young girl holding on to a closed terrarium wrapped in band aids. The closed terrarium is a representation of life and her hope for survival. The world has come to an existential crisis as the mankind, not so kind enough, has failed to see through his actions and save his species. The girl is holding on to her dear life as if she knew her end is near. Humankind lived their relentless life conspicuously consuming everything on their way whether or not if they really needed them. Alas! The tragedy of the commons, exhaustion of natural resources, and exploitation of biodiversity hot spots, all depleted to quench their undying greed for more. She stands victim to all those who believed that climate change is a hoax, now, clings to the last ray of hope before we perish from the surface of this planet.
I was mused and at the same time terrified to an interesting thought that I came across that says, “Plants are growing us by giving us oxygen so that when we die they can feed on our carcasses. This idea is bizarre but why not, as we are aware of the fact that man is living in the realm of nature.
I believe it’s only an illusion or more like a simulation that makes us even feel powerful against nature. But when nature can no longer take the tantrums and nuisance we create, she (nature) will very well know how to eradicate us. So its high time slogans that tell us to save our planet should rather ask us to save our own asses before we’re wiped off clean. Our dependence on nature continues to grow as we move into complex systems exchanging matter, energy and information. For a long time nature wasn’t affected by his actions. She readily served men as a source of means of sustenance and a storehouse for the fruits of his actions. With no time his harsh activities proved to be a slap on the face as more and more wastes piled up on the surface creating a toxic environment to its other lives and therefore destroying the balance in nature. Man’s inaction and reluctance to believe the reality of his activity has damaged the biosphere at an alarming rate to a point where his very own existence is at stake.
“If we lose nature’s image, we lose our life.” Like a terrarium that is self-sustaining, the earth will continue to live even if it has to wipe out the nuisance of its creations that disrupts or threatens its balance. This is the time where billions are spent on space missions that are sold around the idea of planting colonies of men elsewhere because we knew that we will mess up and nature will backfire sooner or later. In the end nature knows how to self-sustain and continue brimming with life even after a catastrophe, but the mankind will cease to exist if she wants to. We are the ‘coming generation’, it is us who will face the catastrophe. What if the current pandemic is only the beginning?
