Do we need more colorful communications?

Do you remember the colors and levels of terrorism threat alerts? Should we have something comparable for COVID-19 threats? Something like RED for a place where none of the staff or patrons wear masks or maintain social distances (tRUMP rally?) to GREEN where everyone is sensitive to protecting themselves and others? As I recall, the terrorism alerts didn't work very well and became a bit of a joke because: what were we to do differently when a threat level went up or down? With COVID-19, I'd be inclined to stay away from anyplace that wasn't flying a GREEN flag. And, I think there  should be criminal liability for flying false colors.

The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change [IPCC] should probably have and use something akin to the Doom's Day Clock for Climate Breakdown alone. Combining nuclear war and climate change creates what I consider to be unacceptable amounts and types of masking. Are each of the dangers at the same distance from midnight, or is the 100 seconds alert an average? Plus, I rather strenuously disagree with the statement on the Atomic Scientists web site that claims "The international security situation is dire, not just because these threats exist, but because world leaders have allowed the international political infrastructure for managing them to erode."

Not all world leaders have contributed equally to the erosion. At least nominally, the United States damn fool voters allowed a grossly untrained and incompetent fraud to be selected POTUS, so, collectively, we're among the most dire threats to creating Doomsday. That doesn't make me feel all warm and fuzzy inside. What about you?

I'm off on a kick about words mean something. Politicians and scientists (and journalists) have been, in my opinion, lazy, vague, and ambiguous to the  point of becoming meaningless. Before one can be expected to "walk the talk," one must be able to "talk the talk." Even the March Hare knows that:

“Then you should say what you mean," the March Hare went on.

"I do," Alice hastily replied; "at least--at least I mean what I say--that's the same thing, you know."

"Not the same thing a bit!" said the Hatter. "You might just as well say that "I see what I eat" is the same thing as "I eat what I see"!”

― Lewis Carroll 

Climate Change utterly fails to convey the risk humans and their built environment face as the consequences of a broken or disrupted climate. The namby-pamby "guidance" on how to stay safe and help keep others safe during a time of pandemic is just asking for trouble. There ore too many people with an over-developed sense of entitlement to do whatever we can't keep them from doing. Isn't it then time for us to actually push back with more than words and a few tsk, tsks?

There's one writer these days who, I think, does much better than average at presenting challenging, potentially discomforting, information in a way that feels acceptable and makes sense. She also presents not only the challenges and problems we face, but also viable ways to respond to them. Check out some (or all) of Margaret J. Wheatley's books and other products. There's a number of examples available on her web site.

Truth Serum

By Naomi Shihab Nye

We made it from the ground-up corn in the old back pasture.

Pinched a scent of night jasmine billowing off the fence,   

popped it right in.

That frog song wanting nothing but echo?   

We used that.

Stirred it widely. Noticed the clouds while stirring.

Called upon our ancient great aunts and their long slow eyes   

of summer. Dropped in their names.   

Added a mint leaf now and then   

to hearten the broth. Added a note of cheer and worry.   

Orange butterfly between the claps of thunder?   

Perfect. And once we had it,

had smelled and tasted the fragrant syrup,   

placing the pan on a back burner for keeping,   

the sorrow lifted in small ways.

We boiled down the lies in another pan till they disappeared.

We washed that pan.

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