With Christmas in full swing and the end of the year at the doorstep, it is time to reflect again on what has passed.
2019 was a year of a personal roller coaster that started at the end of 18. It challenged me on so many levels that I really cannot compare it to anything else but to a giant roller coaster. Mind you, it was scary and exhilarating at the same time and, it was stomach churning. Overall, it was a good year. But, to be honest, I don’t really want to have another one like it. Then again, I may not have a choice, so I better look at the bright side, the fun side, the one that makes you feel alive, even if it is only for a brief moment.

Unfortunately, the year marks a sinister turn for the local community as well as for the rest of the world. What scientists have been warning about for so many years, with the warning sign being well and truly present and ever more compounding, they were ignored, until now, 2019, when they hit hard and without mercy. 2019 marks the year of Australia burning as it never has before. Drought, cyclones, bushfires were always part of the harsh Australian living conditions, but nothing like the inferno of the bushfires right now. It makes 2019 an “annus horribilis”.

It also marks the year of a government that has a prime minister who thinks he is the king of the castle. Let’s give him the appropriate name, “Scott, the Moron”. And if this disgrace of a self-centred “political leader”, including his cronies, is not given the boot, the country will be in for worse. There is no excuse for his inaction on climate change, particularly as Australia is one of the major contributors to greenhouse emissions. He may be plain stupid, arrogant, ignorant, incompetent, or all of these, - one is enough to justify his removal. Winning the election on the basis of being a hard worker, a decent man with moral clout who may serve the country well and possibly become even a reasonable political leader, well, it turns out, the power entrusted to him, went right into his head and smoked everything out, what may have been, may be, a person of sound moral standing and integrity. Or maybe, he just never had any of it to begin with. We know how power corrupts people but one can never dismiss the fact that, to be corrupted, tempted to “sin”, stray from the path of truth, only happens when there is a weakness in character, the fertile ground to let it sprout and grow, even take over like a sudden burst of algae bloom. In any case, characters like these have not the quality that makes them a good choice for responsible positions in any enterprise, because they will run any business into ground due to their delusions about themselves and the work they think they ought, or are expected to do. Their views are totally skewed on to themselves. Due to their self-centredness they have no grasp of actual reality, in fact, they don’t care about it, because they are so self-absorbed. It is their only reality to which they cling to, actually, have to cling to. However, they also grave to be validated by others, wife, church, political party, anything really. But mind you, they smell power, they want power, the problem is, their flawed character cannot handle it. On a private level one may feel sorry for such a person, but as a public figure, sympathy is lost on them. They need to be kept away from power for the sake of the public and, for their own sake too.   
2019 marks itself also as the point of no return. Unless dramatic change takes place, the whole planet with the life as we know it, is on the brink of disaster. But, let’s face it, we actually are already beyond it. Even if the change would be as radical as it has to be, we are already only saving what is the most essential. Lots is already gone and more is disappearing as we speak.

After all, we are talking greenhouse emissions, industrial lobbies, agricultural industry that has been over-fertilizing, over-poisoning, over-exploiting everything that actually is essential for life, and we are talking about our own inability to let go of all the things we have become dependent on and believe, we cannot do without. If anyone denies the sins that have been committed for decades, he cannot ever have understood what ecological systems are. Or he simply does not want to know. And there are the ones who find pleasure in destruction because they cannot find the happiness they seek, despite dancing around the golden idol that promises but never delivers it. The story of Dr. Faustus, who sells his soul to the devil, is in fact more relevant today than ever, because now we are not only talking about single people’s bad choices, we are talking about mass destruction and the fate of a planet which has supported life in abundance in the most wonderful and, astonishing way. But we, the human species, are ruining it singlehandedly in no time at all. Hey Dr. Faustus, how is it now, since you are in hell?

Microcosms - macrocosms, they cannot be separated. All systems are interlinked and life can only exist in a state called homeostasis, when these systems are held within a certain range of balance, which is actually quite tolerant to fluctuations, but cannot sustain life, when one arm of the scale is overburdened. Nature has always been able to even out the loads, just like our own body puts up with stress, but both will give in after too much abuse. It may happen suddenly or slowly, but inevitably it will happen, if the stressor is not removed.

What Australian’s local community is experiencing at present is sadly the consequence of ruthless exploitation of the local resources, apart from the effects it also has globally. It is mindboggling that algae bloom in waterways and the fish dying, starved of oxygen, is blamed on the weather with, of course, far too high temperatures, due to climate change, but the fact, that the streams have been polluted with runoffs from agriculture, fertilizers and pesticides combined, is glossed over as if that had no impact on water quality, be it rivers, lakes or the sea. Nor is the change of water-flow taken into account, with dams for irrigation purposes and less flow due to drought, all of these impacting on so many levels, compounding over the years in a high yield oriented agricultural industry to the point of earth exhaustion. Quantity of production was and is the goal, not the quality of the produce. The fruit, the vegetables, anything that is produced in such environments, forced to grow fast, suffers from loss of flavour, texture and nutritional value. And it comes at the cost of so many things, not even accounted for, like the loss of homes and nutrition for other creatures, including ourselves. But the consequences of water pollution does not end here; the natural process of recycling the waste obviously benefits the algae, while suffocating the rest. One has to remember that algae have to die and must be recycled too, another biomass that is in the end contributing to an overload of waste, which even a most tolerant of planet can no longer handle, far exceeding the range it is accustomed or able to. The agricultural industry is as good contributing to the greenhouse effect as the coal, oil and gas industry, though not in such obvious ways, despite their methane emissions are nothing to laugh about. Worth the while, another interesting point should be made here, namely the point that cattle is blamed for releasing too much methane into the atmosphere! Well yes, they do produce methane, but the fuel industry and in fact, all animals of this world, including humans, thanks to our metabolism, produce and release methane into the atmosphere. It certainly outweighs the cows’ methane contribution any time, would you not think so? Another joke is to blame the smoker for getting lung cancer because of his bad habit, but wondering about why the non-smoker gets it as well. Nobody seems to blame the gas emissions of industry and our beloved cars, which cause lung cancer in all, smoker and non-smoker alike. So no surprise here and no surprise about the bigots either, who hone in on the weak links in the chain, but do not stand up against the giants of air polluters. Just to make sure, dear reader, the points made above are not meant to propagate cattle farming, nor encourage people to smoke, far from it, but it is irritating to see emphasis put on the fly as the villain while the elephant is left in the shop smashing it.

Of course, 2019 stands out as the culmination of all these factors and for all to see how it devours us. It is the bill presented to us, having filled our bellis and stuffed our minds, with endless desire for more. Even the most arrogant and ignorant and antisocial character admits that something is happening, but they still want to distract from the reality, discussing endlessly what that something might be, minimising it, of course and, never accepting any responsibility. These people have certainly personal issues, unresolved and denied as good. Their denial is pathological, neurotic or just plain strategic, as the guilty do in court, pleading not guilty in the pursuit to get away with their crimes. But what is with the rest of us? Unable to act? To weak a voice?

The bushfires have been burning since September, some have become mega fires, burning uncontrolled and may burn out by themselves or when it rains, which however may not be as soon as hoped for, again due to climate change, delaying the wet season. It is hard to comprehend what it means to fauna and flora and of course the cost to humans in the areas immediately affected. But the bush will recover quickly, some say. That is how Australia has coped with bushfires throughout history. True, it still needs rain but and, not all will recover as quickly as necessary before the next bushfire season is due. Besides, we have not even got to the end of this one. And, to rebuild businesses with an uncertain future ahead, many struggling already under the long drought, one can only wonder, who is willing to do rebuild? The aftermath will have a long arm effect for all Australians. So it is for the world’s population. Well yes, there are too many people but to regulate growth does not mean killing them off is the way to do that. However, to be truly fair to Mother Nature, the planet is better off without a species that has become a pest.

Anyway, as it is, the consequences of climate change are indeed a global  problem, because Earth is still the only place for us humans to live and the way we are going, there will be little left to live on. Space our only hope of saving the human kind from its ultimate extinction? What a joke! It makes good material for science fiction, but has no realistic chance. How many of you dear reader know what space conditions mean for our bodies? Ah, technology will keep us safe? Sure, it is just a matter of time setting it all up, isn’t it? Well, but time is not on our side, sorry!

The reader may now object. If it is not space, surely, humans are adaptable, intelligent, surely they will survive anything as long as they have limbs to crawl and brains to think? They will always find something to eat. Sure, and maybe they do! But who will make it and will it be a life worth living? Life for any who manage to survive will certainly be very different. However! Not all is gloom and doom. It may even be a more desirable life after all, with a world population reduced to manageable numbers where co-operation and peace is finally possible, because it is the only means to stay alive. Yes, a future is possible, if…..   

Instead of speculating on an uncertainties, let us rather do what is necessary to have a future at all. Unfortunately the current Australian prime minister and politicians across the country have no idea what they should and must do. Scott, the Moron, probably needs another holiday to think about, having only had a few days recently which he could not delay. After all, he is just a dad, “who does not hold a hose to extinguish fires” (quote). He is primarily a family man who kept his promise to his kids to have a holiday with them, because that is what good dads do. Besides, everyone is entitled to have a break, isn’t it? And what a good holiday it was, luxury for free, how could one ever say no to that! Question: What is with the firefighters who do hold the hose and who indeed would need a break? They are not even getting any money for their work, being volunteers!

Never mind, ‘Scott, the Moron’ is back home now, returning one day earlier from his holiday in Hawaii, probably on advice of his spin doctors, because there was obvious disgruntlement over his absence as the prime minister, while a big chunk of the country was going up in flames. Never mind! Here he is, refreshed now, Hawaii being a far better place to get some fresh air, not like home, where too much smoke is polluting it. And would you believe, he felt validated by the fact that the public became ‘anxious’ over his absence, obviously needing him to help them cope! Is this guy for real or indeed so plain that he does not get it? Anger, mate, was the emotion your “folk” felt. ANGER! But you deserve to get down in history as the prime minister who had no clue what leadership really means.

2019 unfortunately also shows how democracy has lost its meaning and that it is in the process of being replaced by autocratic rule. One can only hope that the public will wake up and exercise its power as they are the foundation of a democratic state. But, nothing will be easy to correct and the costs will be immense.

Last but not least, Sozieterna had to take a good look too what their future actions should be to contribute to life and survival on this planet. The conclusion was that our foundations are solid and our constitution is timeless. We are and always will be custodians of life in whatever form it comes. Each of us has and always will work as individuals and as a community whichever way we can, to give life the best chance to prosper in a meaningful way and to the benefit of all.
Council was right with the hesitation regarding this website that puts Sozieterna into the public eye. But they were not right with the reasons brought forward against. Not to worry! It just shows of how inseparable conclusions are from the base they arise from. Council has no longer an issue they are concerned with as there has been no negative impact that would be a concern. Whatever it does, is better than doing nothing to be of service to our nation and of service to others and all that is. Council acknowledges that the public is far too occupied with other things anyway, good or bad, trivial or not. People have no time, no patience, and no interest in pondering about a website like Sozieterna. Life happens in the fast lane, even reading has become something to consume and fast reading is a means to do so. Thought is goal directed rather than allowed to roam. The public arena is full of entertainment appealing to the senses and overloading the brains on purpose, to mould and fill them, as it suits the manipulating forces in the background. These are highly intelligent beings. They have no love for anything and no respect for life but they yield the power behind the scene and make the puppets dance. These manipulators are not concerned with Sozieterna, being such a minority. Because they have the masses in their hands, soft as wax and outweighing all.

However, council knows that every drop counts to make an ocean and undercurrents can wash out any rock. Time is of no relevance in the big scheme of life. It is only significant for the individual life and Sozieterna emphasizes on using it wisely.

Therefore, our website will go on to do what it did all this years, be a meeting site for Sozieternas and a place for hungry brains that like food for thoughts. As for me the editor, I hope 2020 will be in my favour, letting me concentrate on a journey rather than roller coaster rides.