Plonk

Holed up in a Dreamliner for 11 hours I was pondering whether we humans stand even a tiny chance of not screwing up the conditions that make our existence on this planet vaguely viable.

The argument against is that, despite our ability to socially coalesce to tackle large issues, that we also spend an awful of lot of time tightening thousands of tiny little bolts that hardly matter, whilst happily ignoring the fact that we forgot to put the head gasket in.

An example; San Francisco. Where I am right now.

On the walk to my hotel I observed a book exchange box on the side of the street. Take one book and leave another, all based on some do-gooder honesty scheme. And it works for some reason.

But just next to it, a pedestrian area, where the tourists at Fisherman’s Wharf eat, which has clearly never, ever been cleaned. 

And behind the assortment of street furniture, your usual collection of homeless folk.
They see no reason to steal the free books. Unless there is a book cop that I didn’t see.

And then someone steals my rental bicycle. A piece of crap that you couldn’t give away. Clearly a kleptomaniac without a profit motive.

Circularity was simultaneously broken and illogically complete.

The worst part was me wandering around looking for the thing. One starts doubting one’s sanity. Or sobriety. 

Four blocks later, yep, some dickhead has gone to the effort of cracking the D lock.

Back to the book exchange. The concerned bushwalking sandal-wearing white  middle class progenitors are putting their efforts into matters that don’t.

I’d call that charitable bypassing. And that is being charitable.

Just another of those pointless bolts being tightened.

And then, just when I needed it most, a marketing person hand me a free mango ice block.

It won’t save the planet but I’d call it evens.

QED.