It's the through lines, Joyce. I've written about this often. Our monkey brains want the short term--the banana, now. The long game thinking takes more time, energy, and brain cells. Still, the price is higher for missing the through lines. We invent the auto and hooray.... that begins to address the problem of tons of horse manure in the streets and more disease in populated centers than rural. But did we see the through line of petroleum needs, highway needs, and everything connected to the auto industry? Not to mention traffic fatalities, global warming, and extinction of many species in nature? The mass deportation issue is easier to see a through line because history lessons already tell us what happens when you round up millions and blame them for all of your problems to justify some kind of out of sight and out of mind solution. Not even 100 years gone since the evidence of what happened the last time this happened, starting in 1933.
There are so many, but that one is my favorite. And then there are the possums that they introduced in New Zealand to establish the fur trade. To control the burgeoning population, they introduced the stoat, a predator to eat the possum, but the predators discovered that flightless birds were easier prey, which rendered several species extinct, and puts the kiwi at risk.
My details may be slightly off, but it’s another classic case.
In his book, “In a Sunburnt Country,” Bill Bryson tells the story of a farmer who imported 13 rabbits to Australia in the early days of the continent’s settlement. He wanted something to hunt. Apparently he was a bad shot because the rabbits multiplied like, well, rabbits. And then proceeded to eat all of the grass and greenery which caused the layer of topsoil to blow into the ocean. Creating the rather arid topography now typical of Australia. Unintended consequences, indeed.
I just found this site because of a like on a comment I made on a different site. This appears to be an unintended consequence with a happy ending.
Happy to be introduced to you, Joyce Wycott.
Thanks for saying "hi", Jim ... Substack is a great place to happen onto kindred spirits. Great to connect.
It's the through lines, Joyce. I've written about this often. Our monkey brains want the short term--the banana, now. The long game thinking takes more time, energy, and brain cells. Still, the price is higher for missing the through lines. We invent the auto and hooray.... that begins to address the problem of tons of horse manure in the streets and more disease in populated centers than rural. But did we see the through line of petroleum needs, highway needs, and everything connected to the auto industry? Not to mention traffic fatalities, global warming, and extinction of many species in nature? The mass deportation issue is easier to see a through line because history lessons already tell us what happens when you round up millions and blame them for all of your problems to justify some kind of out of sight and out of mind solution. Not even 100 years gone since the evidence of what happened the last time this happened, starting in 1933.
There are so many, but that one is my favorite. And then there are the possums that they introduced in New Zealand to establish the fur trade. To control the burgeoning population, they introduced the stoat, a predator to eat the possum, but the predators discovered that flightless birds were easier prey, which rendered several species extinct, and puts the kiwi at risk.
My details may be slightly off, but it’s another classic case.
In his book, “In a Sunburnt Country,” Bill Bryson tells the story of a farmer who imported 13 rabbits to Australia in the early days of the continent’s settlement. He wanted something to hunt. Apparently he was a bad shot because the rabbits multiplied like, well, rabbits. And then proceeded to eat all of the grass and greenery which caused the layer of topsoil to blow into the ocean. Creating the rather arid topography now typical of Australia. Unintended consequences, indeed.
Hola, Jonathan .. so happy to see you here and have another unintended consequences story.
Great examples of unintended consequences. And there will be many in the months and years ahead.
way too many.