Noises in the walls again this afternoon. We suspect mice or worse. I emptied a trap with a little grey body in it a couple of days ago, but if I keep score, the mice are winning. I rebait empty traps more often than I remove dead mice. I have a theory. If you catch the stupid mice and the smart ones take the cheese and go free to make babies, eventually the mice will be smarter than you. Seriously. The last time I baited a trap, it triggered four times before I had it on the floor with all my fingers out of the way. Either the mice are getting smarter or I am getting dumber or both.
People, smart? I don't know. The latest warning from the IPCC, Code Red for Humanity, can be summarized as "we've taken the bait and the trap is closing." The bait is energy in the form of fossil fuels, irresistible for the comfort and wealth they supply in the short term. The trap is closing so slowly we don't notice or don't care. There is time, we imagine, to take the bait and get away free...until there isn't time and there is no safe place to go.
Evolution made a mistake that is about to be corrected with or without our willing participation. Brains don't work well when obsessed with appetite, fear and hubris. This defect will be fixed. Consider the humble bacterium. Bacteria have no delusions about being clever, but they get the cheese without triggering the trap and improve the cheese in the process. We should be so smart. Failing that, evolution will begin again with bacteria.
****************************
Photo credit © Can Stock Photo / NomadSoul1
No comments:
Post a Comment