Entering a new decade

Today marks the start not only of a new year, but of a new decade.

Traditional Greek Vasilopita, a cake cut every New Year in households and businesses around Greece

The last decade has been rocky, the new starts with a lot of huge challenges.

Fires are raging in Australia as we speak, and the decade has seen a lot of climatic disasters. Many have lost their homes and even their lives.

We are in the midst of the greatest movement of populations the world has ever witnessed. Wether we like it or not, we are, and will be, for many reasons, inundated with refugees and other migrants, and we must find humane ways of dealing with this issue.

There has been great economic upheaval, a lot of countries being hit with unprecedented crises.

One of the main reasons problems remain insoluble has been a lack of effective leadership worldwide. Petty squabbles, endless scandals, vote-grabbing concerns mean that the job does not get done. Too little, too late.

The biggest effect in our everyday lives has been the rapid advance in technology, enabling us to have access to all information (overwhelmingly so sometimes), to communicate easily and cheaply, to virtually be everywhere. This has its good and bad sides, like everything else, which I shall not bore you by enumerating.

Human nature, in my humble opinion, does not change. It is capable of the best, as of the worst. Violence, greed, atrocities, financial shenanigans, injustice. On the other hand, we have witnessed fantastic new inventions and discoveries, unimaginable progress in medicine and other sciences, great works of art and amazing cases of selflessness, humanity and downright heroism.

However big the challenges facing us, we must remember humankind  has endured for a couple of hundred thousand years. It has faced up to challenges before. We must enter this new decade with optimism and a will to make changes for the better.

 

Smashing a pomegranate on your doorstep is another Greek custom that signifies good luck

Happy New Year to all!

32 thoughts on “Entering a new decade”

  1. Thanks for your positive outlook, and the pomegranate painting too, Marina.
    I am being optimistic about blogging in 2020, and looking forward to more great posts from you.
    Best wishes to you and your family, Pete.

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  11. A healthy, manageable, normal and hence happy 2020 to you . Am writing from right amongst the fire grounds of SE Australia – seemingly worse to come beginning Saturday . . . Australians are a wondrously resilient people but the losses have been too great and there is no end in sight . . . and methinks we all are tired . . . best to you for the coming year . . .

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  17. You’re right. human nature doesn’t change overall – it encompasses an enormous range of desires and behaviors. The problem is that so many evil people have so much power, and they’re tipping the balance off kilter for the rest of us. Most people want to live in safety and make sure their children have a decent future. Why can’t we do that?

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  18. Hi. To be honest, I’m not hopeful about mankind’s fate. The ever-expanding human population puts incredible demands upon water, food production, energy, etc.

    Anyway, I also want to say that I look at your essays now and then, and enjoy them. Take care.

    Neil Scheinin

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