On being young, in a dying world.

A few days ago, I asked Ainan to consider his place in the world, a few decades hence.

He gazed headlong within, at that unborn future.

He pursed his lips a little.

"A few decades from now, there will be no more humans left," he opined unmournfully. There was in him an acceptance of the inevitable.

He looked up at me, as if knowing I would need an explanation.

"Because they are depleting the world's resources."

So bleak was the future he had painted, in so few words, that I felt I had to argue against him.

"Ainan, it won't happen so soon...", I began, but then petered out as I noted his expression.

He looked completely unmoved, not because he didn't want to be moved, but because of his certainty about the futureless future. He had judged the stupidity of Mankind and found it vast. He also knew, in that helpless way of children everywhere, that there was nothing in his range of influence, that he, personally, could do, at this time, to forestall that future, to make it into a better one. He could only stand by and watch, whilst the "adults" destroyed the world in which he lived.

The thing is, of course, he is right. Unless Mankind does change its ways, Ainan's apocalyptic future, will be the only one Mankind will know. The remarkable thing about Man, is that although individually, people can be very bright, collectively, nothing is more stupid than Mankind. The reason for this is clear. Most of us pursue immediate gain, in our daily actions, and never consider the long-term consequences of what we do. We only consider what we can get NOW. Very few of us consider what that means for tomorrow's world. So, collectively, we all act to destroy that tomorrow for a better today.

One day, too, too, late to do anything about it, Mankind will awaken from this self-deluding delirium and see that the consequences of its actions, are irreversible. Sadly, however, a hung man, cannot be unhung - and Man is busily hanging himself and his world with him.

I hope that wise boys, like Ainan, might grow to be wise men, who influence the mass actions of others, so that Mankind might change its collective ways, before our world is at an end. Otherwise, what is the point of bringing children into the world, who will have no adult world to live in? Do we really want to build an abyss for them to fall into?

So, do what you can, each and every day, to ensure that Ainan's dark future, never sees the light.

(If you would like to learn more of Ainan Celeste Cawley, 10, or his gifted brothers, Fintan, 6 and Tiarnan, 4, this month, please go to: http://scientific-child-prodigy.blogspot.com/2006/10/scientific-child-prodigy-guide.htmlI also write of gifted education, child prodigy, child genius, adult genius, savant, megasavant, HELP University College, the Irish, the Malays, Singapore, Malaysia, IQ, intelligence and creativity.

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