Curated Quote #22
“If we don’t change direction soon, we’ll end up where we’re going”
-Irwin Corey (American Stand-up Comic 1914-2017)
More the quote than the person this week, though you will laugh…..out loud.
This quote speaks to our species' trajectory relative to the climate crisis. The other day the UN stated that humanity does not have much longer to make necessary significant changes to avoid “thin ice”. We are on a road if not to absolute extinction, then to full-out civilization collapse.
The UN says soon. Millions of people have been saying soon, and for decades. I co-wrote a book that had as a primary theme the need to reduce fossil fuel use by 70% by 2030 from 2019 levels to avoid end-of-civilization collapse by 2100.
Extinction? 73-97% of all species perished in the first five extinction events. Our species is solely triggering a sixth extinction event right now. I am optimistic that humans will be part of the 3-27% species that survive. So while there are more than 150 species going extinct every day, I am not of the school that we may become extinct in the next two hundred years.
Civilization collapse by 2100 is certain “if we don’t change direction soon”
The fork-in-the-road metaphor works here. The road we are on leads to the collapse of civilization, so we urgently need to now detour over to the road that can take us to a different place. A future place that is the destination of our choosing. Our created Good Future. I support the Good Future Project as a different destination than the one we are now hurtling towards.
Irwin Corey was described by Lenny Bruce as being “one of the most brilliant comedians of all time”
Corey often showed up as the World’s Foremost Authority, though he usually had no idea what he was saying. He was Jewish, a far-left liberal, and was one of the many entertainers “blacklisted” during the 1950s anti-communism fever bubble. He was an active “lefty” all his life. His fan base was fervent. In addition to Lenny Bruce, Ayn Rand, Robert Heinlein, Steve Allen, and Kenneth Tynan all were fans.
When typing his dates at the top, I was totally impressed that he lived to the age of 102
Here is Irwin Corey.
Hollywood Reporter obituary
Professor Irwin Corey on Mike Douglas
Irwin Corey on David Letterman 1983
On the Smothers Brothers TV Show
Irwin Corey Turns 100