We need to think bigger than ourselves. We need to look beyond our own welfare and see how we fit into the very complex systems of this planet. Many people rail against government and put their faith in entrepreneurs. But understanding and knowledge often comes at great cost and takes decades of development which no industry would invest in. Two examples why we need to change how we think about profits and knowledge. Eastern Equine Encephalitis is a horrid virus that kills almost every human who contracts the disease. If you survive it is usually with a good deal of central nervous system damage. There is a vaccine for horses that works quite well. But there is no vaccine for humans. Why? Because horses can cost a couple of million dollars and so there is a market for research. The number of people who catch the disease is so small that drug companies deem research into a human vaccine as unprofitable. We can develop 12 kinds of boner pills but a fatal disease....nah. The vaccine for Ebola falls into the same realm of thinking. Although deadly and the outbreaks terrifying so far the numbers have been far too low for drug companies to spend money on research. A cure is not profitable. JFK once said we choose to go to the moon not because it is easy but because it is hard. Human progress as a species demands we push our knowledge to the limit so we can understand our world and adapt to an ever changing planet. At its core this is the role of civilizations, of societies, of governments. We the people form a government for the protection and advancement of our ideals and our very fragile selves. Profit driven innovation usually comes way too late and at a very high cost.
Posted on: Sat, 02 Aug 2014 11:07:12 +0000
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