Last Drop of Water is a Tear: On the Topic of Water, Forests, and Humans

Author: Gudao
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2005-10-01
Features: Every resource has sovereignty or property rights. A reasonable explanation of the self-logic of sovereignty and property rights requires boundaries. Unclear boundaries make responsibilities ambiguous and perspectives muddled. Einstein once explained to his son why he discovered the theory of relativity. He gave the example of a beetle crawling on a basketball—it sees the world as flat, so it thinks it is conquering the world. But a bee can see the basketball is round at a glance because it flies high and has a three-dimensional view. He used this three-dimensional vision to discover the theory of relativity. Adopting a three-dimensional perspective to examine the essence of life and explore one's responsibilities is the foundation for growth, success, and achievement, and it is key to possessing the qualities of fulfilling duties to society and the future. History exists quietly and silently, silently stating the intergenerational inheritance of boundaries. How should we use "three-dimensional vision" to make effective discoveries and respect them as responsibly as possible? If humanity's "tears" really only have one left, it can only prove humanity's shame and guilt. The vast and abundant resources of the Earth are enough to nurture and sustain human civilizations across generations. The measured use and management of these resources reflect the modern values of human civilization. Using national borders as sovereignty boundaries is a political principle and cultural belief passed down by our ancestors. No matter how great your wealth or power, boundaries protect the unshakable pride of national sovereignty from a perspective of responsibility and morality, while also limiting the blind abuse of power and the plunder of wealth. This allows human society to progress positively within a framework of coexistence and order. Naturally, our ancestors could not clearly define property rights for the resources they left behind. Throughout the process of human reproduction, regardless of how much change occurs, it is actually a transformation of material resources. In other words, according to the law of "conservation of mass," any foundation or condition we rely on, cherish, and enjoy today comes at the cost of consuming certain resources. Many of the resources consumed, such as coal and oil, are non-renewable. Even for those resources that can be processed or, such as water and trees, restoring their original state requires sufficient time and technological costs. Clearly, if the "boundary principle" is used to divide the "sovereignty of resources" that each generation should enjoy, wealth growth would be more restrained, the use of power would be more reasonable, and the values of civilization would be passed down progressively, making history more orderly. Unfortunately, the lack of "resource sovereignty" and the ambiguity of the "boundary principle" have transformed our proud social prosperity and economic growth, from the perspective of excessive exploitation of resources, into a brutal infringement on the sovereignty of future generations and irresponsible plunder, completely contradicting the existing moral principles. A society that does not develop or develops slowly has far fewer problems. The greater the intensity of phased reforms and development, the more problems arise—this seems to be an unavoidable "multiple effect." From a developmental perspective, the emergence of problems does not necessarily cause alarm. However, when the ability and means to solve problems cannot keep pace with the speed of reform and development, society will fall into a dilemma of being stuck between progress and retreat. Any artificially created difficulties can be mitigated or overcome through human and institutional constraints. Today, as our society continues to thrive in development and brings us ever-changing life experiences, Gudao stands above the sovereignty of future generations, like the bee that flies away from the basketball, using a perspective that transcends the local to issue a warning and call to modern people to respect the boundaries of resource sovereignty. This is a topic that is both heavy and moving. If we hope to avoid shame, if we hope never to reach the last drop of tears, if we hope to be called responsible by future generations, I believe that each of us can respond in different ways starting now.