Turn him to any cause of policy,The Gordian Knot of it he will unloose, Familiar as his garter.
— Shakespeare, Henry V, Act 1 Scene 1. 45–47
THE survival issue of our times in not the pandemic that is currently enveloping most of the world and causing untold miseries and devastation. The real issue is what led to the rise of the pandemic in the first place.
If this phenomenon is not acknowledged, solved, or mitigated, more and more pandemics will follow and then these would be followed by even more catastrophic events whose effects would be unthinkable.
I am referring to climate change caused by global warming due mainly to human activity. Climate change is the Gordian Knot of our times.
There are several good documentaries produced by National Geographic showcasing the global warming issue. They make a strong and riveting case about climate change.
These messages are an ominous warning which cannot be taken lightly. Take your time to view and understand these documentaries.
On an everyday basis, we are seeing anecdotal evidence of climate change events right before our eyes. Hardly a day passes when we read reports of disasters, or we are ourselves caught in some incidents which were triggered by sudden weather changes.
The chain of events will not only become longer and more frequent, but the intensity of the incidents or catastrophic events will become more intense and destructive as we go forward. To make matters worse, we are not prepared to handle the consequences, let alone are prepared in advance for any eventualities.
Yet the world seems to be at a loss at what to do. Everyone is waiting for others to take the initiative and to do something. There seems to be a resignation and acceptance that the problem has got out of hand and beyond the power and ability of any single country, regional organisation, or groupings, by whatever manner and form, to handle and resolve.
A knowing bystander could lament “I told you so! But you were not even listening. You were caught up in your own game and made believe that you could keep on doing things as you have always done and that the problems would somehow not touch you.” Talk about an ostrich hiding its head in the sand. What foolishness and totally ineffective way of solving an imminent threat.
Which brings us to the title of this essay. We are in need of that world leader who will emerge to cut down and untangle the Gordian Knot of our times.
We need that Alexander the Great who saw through the crux of the problem and solved the puzzle by a wholly different and more effective way. And at every level and strata, we need that Alexander the Great — at least in terms of mindset, readiness, passion to solve problems, willingness to lead, resolute and strong will power. And above all, a heart which is in the right place.
Perhaps the time is not too far when the new leader, the much awaited one, will emerge. But before that, expect the ride to get even more uncomfortable and rougher.
The weather patterns will swing at a faster and more frequent rate and the intensity more violent and destructive. It will be a true game of survival, far more real and horrifying then the survival shows ditched to us on a regular basis on the idiot box at dinner time, when we are filling our stomachs with food, our minds are being conditioned and controlled.
Ostensibly the shows are supposed to entertain us but maybe surreptitiously they are a hidden message to warn and alert us of the impending hardship and doom. The irony of so-called entertainment.
So, what are we to do? Do we hunker down and wait, hiding our heads in the sand like the proverbial ostrich? Or do we do what we can to mitigate, prepare, educate, alert, and make the behavioural changes that have long been due?
How we answer these questions will determine how prepared or desperate we are when the time comes. Time will tell. But time waits for no man. Time is precious. Time is now.
