We like hearing about other humans!
And that's exactly what the media gives us
SOS #189 -- J. Morris Hicks -- (12-20-22)
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This past Sunday, we saw AVATAR: The Way of Water, the second edition of James Cameron's 2009 blockbuster movie, and it inspired this SOS Memo.
As for the global news media mentioned in the title of this SOS, it always gives us what we want because that's what sells newspapers, magazines and their advertisers' products. But sometime soon, a few courageous journalists out there must also start giving us what we NEED -- in order to survive much longer as a species.
Tragically, the global news media does not currently inform us regarding what steps we must take to maximize our chances for longterm survival. That's because no journalists have done enough independent research to fully understand what we must do.
As of late 2022, they continue to give us what we want to know about, talk about and hear about. Specifically, we want to read and hear about...
What all humans are doing right now; particularly those humans living in our own little corner of the world.
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Case in point, the latest New York Times column by Gail Collins and Bret Stephens posted yesterday -- was entitled:
Guess what? In the entire piece, there was not a single word about runaway climate change and the Earth's rapidly declining ability to keep us alive. Not a single word!
As alluded to in the title, humans are mostly interested in what other humans at their same socio-economic level are doing right now?
Sadly, they have no interest in hearing about the enormous tragedy that all species, including humans, will suffer if we don't quickly stop trashing the natural world that gives us life.
In Cameron's movie, the selfish Earthlings are recklessly trying to destroy Pandora -- just as they had tried to do in the first Avatar movie 13 years ago. The film clearly illustrates how we humans simply DON'T GET IT when it comes to the necessity that we learn to live in harmony with the natural world.
(Click image for 2-minute trailer of this great film)
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Specifically, this new film inspired me to again acknowledge that we Earthlings may have already passed the tipping point regarding the ability of our biosphere to continue providing a livable habitat for Homo sapiens on Planet Earth.
Some scientists believe that we have already passed the point of no return, but I choose to believe that we still have a chance.
But since there is no existing escape planet like Pandora in our future, it means that we're on our own -- and that we very likely could be facing the extinction of our species well before the end of this century.
In the first Avatar movie, humans arrived on Pandora in search of natural resources they had totally depleted on Earth. They recklessly ripped apart Pandora's natural environment in search of crucial minerals they needed for their own, grossly unsustainable way of life on Earth.
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Thirteen years later, the humans from Earth in the new movie all appeared to have learned absolutely nothing about the importance of nature when it comes to their own survival. It begs the question:
Why aren't there billions of people around the globe talking about the rapidly increasing possibility of our own extinction?
Because that's not what we do. After researching and writing about this topic for two decades, I have always clung to the hope and possibility of a human civilization that can live in complete harmony with nature. And I search everyday for some glimmer of hope in the news.
To facilitate that daily search, I am a digital subscriber to the New York Times and The New Yorker Magazine -- and, via various apps, I peruse many other news stories daily from The Guardian, Washington Post, USA Today, People Magazine and many others.
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As a full-time writer, I also subscribe to many environmentally-informed scientists and writers who post regular videos on YouTube. You might say that I spend 75% of my workday reading and researching and 25% organizing all of that input into my weekly SOS Memos that I strive to keep to about a ten-minute read.
Why am I doing this? Because, in over 95% of the cases, I find that the environmental scientists of the world simply report a combination of how bad things are now -- along with how bad things are likely to get over the next few decades. They rarely if ever describe what actions we must take in order to return to living in harmony with nature -- something that Mother Nature requires of all species.
The only solution that any of the so-called experts of the world mention -- is what the media tells them every single day. They ONLY talk about reducing CO2 emissions.
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We are like "one-trick" ponies!
capable of juggling only one ball at a time
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Here's our major problem. The human mind is only capable of dealing with a handful of topics at any given moment -- and during the era of smartphones, blockbuster movies, online commercials and a plethora of breaking news stories 24 hours a day -- how can anyone possibly manage to focus on what's truly important?
As for our capability to deal with multiple issues at the same time, I recently came across these two articles from 2008 and 2018. It turns out we're wired to handle just three or four issues at a time:
From the opening paragraph in the first article in 2008:
- I forget how I wanted to begin this story. That's probably because my mind, just like everyone else's, can only remember a few things at a time.
- Researchers have often debated the maximum amount of items we can store in our conscious mind, in what's called our working memory, and a new study puts the limit at three or four.
There's a ton of research about this topic, but it all seems to be pretty much in sync with the above paragraph. We humans are just not wired to think about more than three or four topics at a time. Eventually, we will likely need to embrace the power of artificial intelligence (AI) to deal with the many complexities that we will never be able to comprehend.
We primarily focus our attention on a host of activities related to work, entertainment, religion or family issues. Rarely does any concern about the future of humanity make its way into those three or four topics in the "here and now" portion of the human brain.
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For example, what percent of the world's six billion adult humans are thinking about the ever-increasing likelihood of human extinction before the end of this century?
And what percent of them have given much realistic thought to what can be done about that conundrum? My informed guess would be far less than 1/1,000th of one percent.
Most humans are busy with their own lives and simply don't have the necessary band-width available to ponder the kinds of topics that relate to humanity coming to grips with this ultimate question:
What actions must we take to maximize the chances for long, meaningful and enjoyable lives for the billions of innocent children in the world?
Sadly, that is a topic that very few of us are ready to discuss.
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The Bottom Line
After authoring three books and posting thousands of articles on this topic -- I know of less than forty people in the world who are talking & behaving like they fully understand the dilemma that I describe.
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Are you among that rare group of humans who are taking all of the above seriously? If so, I would love to collaborate with you. Please contact me at jmorrishicks@me.com.
For the most part, the vast majority of humans, even if they "get it" regarding our dilemma -- prefer not to think much about it -- or more importantly -- prefer not to talk it about it with others. It's just too damn uncomfortable.
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That said, I have concluded that the world desperately needs a handful of courageous journalists who are capable of helping millions of citizens grasp the significance of the situation we are in -- along with the actions that we must take to maximize our longterm chances of survival.
All of the prominent journalists of today are failing us. When it comes to climate change, they're all talking non-stop about tailpipes and smokestacks -- which is why the majority of humans are unaware that deforestation (driven by animal agriculture) is, by far, the #1 driver of climate change -- larger than all other drivers combined.
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A long overdue plan of action. A handful of confident & brave
journalists seeking the truth on the above topic should make this the ONLY topic they cover for the rest of their careers.
They should begin by carefully studying the three most important papers regarding the leading drivers of climate change. Once they have done their homework, they will discover that the first report, produced in partnership with the meat, dairy and egg industries below -- is woefully misleading.
After they have done their homework, those courageous journalists should collaborate in an effort to explain our climate change dilemma in an unbiased, non-political, straightforward manner that can be understood by anyone over 18 years old.
Even Dilbert knows you've got to keep it simple.
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Those open-minded journalists will soon discover that the first of the three papers listed above were not prepared with open minds on the topic.
It was prepared by puppets of the animal agriculture industry -- which would suffer mightily if the world understood the total, ugly truth about our global love affair with eating animal-based foods.
For now, it remains a popular source of calories, protein and fat that nature never intended for humans to eat.
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Big Ag has led the world to believe that animal agriculture is far less important to climate change than CO2 emissions from tailpipes and smokestacks.
We simply need a handful of courageous journalists with integrity -- to pull back the curtain on the truth regarding the most powerful driver of climate change -- the only one that is possible to completely eliminate in less than ten years.
It won't be easy at first. But history, and the children who follow us, will be kind to those brave journalists who will ultimately tell this powerful story. The sooner the better!
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Ending today on a good note! |
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This past weekend, I shared a 100% plant-based lunch at a Thai restaurant in New London, CT, with a couple who are a refreshing example of the rare group of people who do "get it" and are comfortable in talking about this most important of all topics.
I wrote about them in my SOS Memo last week. Here are four of my recent SOS Memos (in chronological order) on this same theme: |
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“We have created a Star Wars civilization, with Stone Age emotions,” he says. “We thrash about” and are “a danger to ourselves and the rest of life.” Our conquest of earth has happened so quickly that the rest of the biosphere has not had time to adjust and our heedless destruction of species shows scant signs of abating."
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Happy Holidays!!
As always, at the end of these SOS Memos, we provide tons of FREE data & "big picture" reference materials, beginning with free access to our two latest books. After the books below, scroll on down to the:
"Big Picture" Data and Video Section
In closing, do you want to do your part to help people get healthy...while slowing, stopping or even reversing climate change at the same time? Then, share this SOS Memo and the free books below with everyone you know.
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FREE: Two "Big Picture" Books
Our health, our planet and climate change
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To our knowledge, OUTCRY is the only book ever published that features a summary of "outcries" from the natural world, along with consensus conclusions of nine big picture scientists regarding our dilemma — AND an envisioned sustainable civilization of the future, using today’s technology.
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In mid 2022, we began giving this book away free of charge.
"the most important info in all of humanity is going undiscussed."
We're talking about the crucial information regarding how we can possibly slow or stop climate change within a few years.
Want to help relieve the desperate situation in which we find ourselves, read OUTCRY as soon as you can and send it to everyone you know. Just click on the book cover above.
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Here is the 2nd book we are now offering FREE to the world public: a quick and easy read that I wrote with Dr. Kerry Graff in 2015.
Using the Power of Food
to Heal Ourselves and Our Planet
This compact book is still highly relevant, focusing on helping people take charge of their health and reverse chronic disease by urgently shifting to a whole-food, plant-based way of eating.
A fringe benefit of their efforts is the steady downsizing of the leading driver of climate change: animal agriculture. Merely suggesting that the masses cut back on their meat, dairy, egg and fish consumption will accomplish very little.
We want everyone to completely eliminate all animal-based foods from their diet. Yes, that includes cheese, eggs and all forms of seafood.
For your children and grandchildren, just do it!
Please share today's timely SOS with everyone.
Click the image below to hear my recent (May 2022)
45-minute talk regarding much of what has been covered in my recent SOS Memos.
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Finally, please contact me about arranging a FREE "live" Zoom talk for your group. They will get a lot more out of my talk if they have read our two FREE books in advance of my talk.
Sincerely, J. Morris (Jim) Hicks
PS: Scroll on down for more "big picture" information that is mainly in the form of powerful videos, most of which are free.
For a concise summary of "big picture" information about our situation, take a look at the landing page of my primary website that I recently updated. Just click hpjmh.com
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What about the "preservation" of civilization? |
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To clarify, we're not trying to preserve civilization as we know it. Because what we have now is extremely wasteful, harmful and grossly unsustainable. It's an incredibly reckless way of living that is now threatening our very existence as a species.
We're talking about replacing it with an entirely new, ultra-green civilization of the future -- and we do our best to paint a picture of that envisioned way of sustainable living in OUTCRY. For what one Ohio State professor emeritus of history had to say about that book on Amazon, click here.
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As for making our stand on the only planet in the universe capable of keeping us alive, this "Big Picture" section below will provide you with handy reference materials on this most crucial of all topics. |
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"Big Picture" Data and Video Section
Beginning with the timeline of research
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Five World-Changing Films
That People Everywhere Must See
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Film #1 in 2014
In 2014, Kip Andersen and Keegan Kuhn produced their first documentary film Cowspiracy. Executive producer is Leonardo DiCaprio, it runs 90 minutes and has been on Netflix since 2015. In 2020, I met Kip and Keegan in Sedona where I was honored to be able to speak at the same conference with them and other great leaders in this movement like Dr. Sailesh Rao and Dr. Michael Greger.
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Film #3 in 2021
In 2021, Kip Anderson teamed up with British filmmaker Ali Tabrizi, to produce Seaspiracy, an 89-minute film that vividly and alarmingly reveals what is at stake when it comes to the crucial importance of our oceans to our future as a species. Most people have no idea regarding the environmental horrors of commercial fishing -- a disgusting industry that kills dolphins by the thousands and tosses them back into the ocean. It runs 90 minutes on Netflix. Click here to view the trailer.
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Film #4 in 2021
As our situation becomes more desperate, the documentary films become more terrifying. As alluded to earlier, we are literally Eating Our Way to Extinction, a process that is vividly covered in this 2021 film (81 minutes). Narrated and produced by Kate Winslet, you can watch this great film on Amazon Prime or on YouTube for $3.99. The great ocean scientist and former head of NOAA, Dr. Sylvia Earle lends powerful credibility to such a crucial topic.
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Film #5 in 2022
This new film (89 minutes) features a young activist who travels around his country, New Zealand in an effort to find out the truth about the horrors of the dairy industry in his native land.
The film uncovers alarming information about the environmental and health impacts of the industry -- leading up to the discovery that we are on the edge of the biggest global disruption of food and agriculture in history. This new film is now available for $2.99 on Vimeo.
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Grasping the "Big Picture"
These 2 films will help in understanding
our unprecedented dilemma.
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This 83-minute documentary is all about the findings that were documented in Dr. Stephen Emmott's 2013 book. TEN BILLION.
He brilliantly describes the grossly unsustainable way of living that has brought us to the emergency situation in which we find ourselves. Since I met him in London in 2013, he has become much more serious about the need to abolish the practice of eating meat, dairy, eggs and/or fish at almost every meal.
Just click on the hourglass image. Dr. Emmott delivers a very compelling message from the stage of a theater in London. This 2013 film is still relevant and will certainly help more people grasp that all-important "big picture."
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Finally, this half-hour video was published in November of 2021. It was produced by Michael Dowd, a non-scientific researcher like me who does a very fine job of explaining the many facets of the obstacles standing between us and our survival as a species.
As do practically all researchers, Dowd focuses entirely on the problem; not the solution. I prefer to focus on both.
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What else can you do?
Probably a lot more than you think
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Start with the new documentary (Film #4) mentioned earlier -- Eating our way to Extinction for $6 on Netflix. Watch it often with your friends and family.
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Share this SOS Memo widely: Certainties, Uncertainties & Priorities by J. Morris Hicks.
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Get an e-copy of OUTCRY. Visit Outcry page on Amazon and get a much bigger understanding of the situation in which all humans find ourselves.
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Inform all the young people in your world that you are deadly serious about this topic. Urge them to read these SOS Memos and our latest book, OUTCRY.
- Completely stop eating meat, dairy, eggs and fish today and tell everyone why you are taking such a "radical" step. You're doing it for the innocent children of the world.
- As noted above, do yourself a favor and make sure that your plant-based meals of the future consist of whole plants -- the kinds of foods that prevent or reverse most chronic diseases AND enable your body to effortlessly seek its optimal weight.
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I am confident that if a few million people carefully read and digested this book that there would be a more robust conversation around the world regarding our grossly unsustainable way of living in the developed world.
To my knowledge, OUTCRY remains the only book ever published that features an envisioned, totally-green, ultra-sustainable, super-desirable, future way of living for humans -- along with ideas for how we might get there as quickly as possible.
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The links below to earlier SOS Memos will help you understand how these ideas unfolded since 2018. |
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Promoting health, hope and harmony on planet Earth |
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