Shanty town

An accident by birth (born not in the USA). Then proceeded stoically to make it first in a series of self-degradation and self-victimizing: environmental pollution and problem.

Culprit? China and the US of A. The latter played the China Card. The former Russia’s five decades later.

Zhou Enlai with his “loss leader” banquet to greet Nixon. 3000-courses meal.

The US at the present regrets having offshored its critical manufacturing components to the Far East e.g. computer chips and medical device. It will take just as long to reverse course e.g. workers need to be retrained to work alongside the machine, our new blue collar co-worker.

It’s like a slow-boiled effect, like an osmosis effect (wealth creation tilted from one side of the Pacific to the other). A generation of new Chinese grew up and know not about shanty town. Only funky town.

East and West will the twain ever meet! The East brews it (anger and shame) patiently. The West, shoots first, questions later.

Both tend to care less about Earth’s health. Until today, with the signing and signaling that the US cares. About its senior’s health – depository of wisdom and experience – and environmental health.

Not too early and not too late, given recent studies showing marine heat waves on the West coast.

Greta would be pleased. Back to school. Let the adults handle it. After all we’re the culprits. Many of us were born into shanty towns to begin with. We did not cause them. Only exacerbated the problem. Sorry. For leaving a mess.

We’re the Me generation, dancing in funky town, and leaving behind shanty town.

We’re sorry for outsourcing hard labor overseas, thinking we could “export” our pollution elsewhere, only to be hit with the bills. Either pay now or later (with interests). Us or Gretas.

A few days ago, I stood in awe of an early sunrise, slowly looming. Never seen anything that beautiful. And I said to myself: gotta to love the Earth, our only home. For however long left, I vowed not to waste a moment. Of loving both funky town and shanty town, despite the circumstances of one’s birth. Make it the only accident and not a series.

We’re due for the Great Clean Up. All of us Sleepy Joe and Sloppy Joe. Don’t you love it when everyone chips in, then shares the joy of living in clean home. Even God rests on the 7th day to admire his handiwork. It’s you and me and our shanty town, It’s been worse due to slow-boiled effect. At some point, the public sphere and the private sphere merge. And our collective irresponsibility must be dealt with by one conscientious person at a time. Until the movement gets some traction. Like Greta.

Like you.