Great Transition

 The theme of the July issue of Popular Science is all about building a better world. One article examines four futures – Market forces (or business as usual); Policy Reform (governments take action to meet UN climate targets); Fortress World (overwhelmed by environmental and social problems, governments become authoritarian and the rich retreat behind walls); Great Transition (Society's values change radically to prioritize environmental preservation, social equality, and cooperation). Looking at seven broad topics - land use, purchasing power, water shortage, hunger incidence, income disparity, environmental impact, and the year when oil and natural gas will run out, the article has Great transition in front in every category except purchasing power. Great Transition is obviously a reasonable description of socialism although, of course, that word never comes up. What is certain is that we will never survive with Market Forces or Fortress World. Cooperative action is necessary now but impossible with the scramble and competition for the world's resources that we have today. John Ayers.