A single tree does not make a forest

Our civilization is on a crossroad, nothing new there. Our values, even those which are foundations of our positive moral and ethical behavior, are being tested like never before.

In most of the world there are delayed milestones in lives of people. The socioeconomic circumstances are prolonging big decisions. One of them is starting a family. Most couples would like to live on their own when they want to start a family. Purchasing housing or renting one requires stable incomes, so most future parents decide to be accomplished professionals before doing that. Hence, most couples are deciding to start a family in their late 30’s or throughout their 40’s. This rather late creation of family, compared to the previous generations, is one of the reasons why couples have less children. 71% of world’s population lives in regions with fertility rates below 2.1 children per woman, which is below the replacement level.

The global average in total fertility rate is roughly 2.2 children per woman, barely above replacement level. What’s concerning is that there are serious regional disparities. The main drive in increase of population is focused in just two regions, 85% of all babies born in 2026 will come into the world in Asia (49%) and Africa (36%), mostly in underdeveloped countries. Europe, North America and Oceania will account together for only 8% of global births. Heavily industrialized and densely populated regions have some of the lowest native birth rates in the world.

The degradation of the living environment, tougher socioeconomic conditions, higher use of pesticides in food production, increase infertility in men and women alike. In up to 30% of cases, medical evaluation doesn’t reveal a definite medical cause, referred to as unexplained infertility.

The world demographics by age groups is heavily concentrated in the working age group, 65% of people account in the 15 – 64 years. Children and youth makes up for 24,5%, and the Elderly are 10,5%. The global median age is 31.1 years, which means that half of world population is under this age. These statistics echo a positive global population landscape. However, in some regions, such as Europe and East Asia the demographics are alarming, since the elderly population outnumbers the youth. These societies are aging and with it comes a heavier toll on the medical system, social services and brings pension funds into serious trouble, since the number of active working personnel per pensioner is getting lower year on year. In these countries, medical, social and pension systems need to undertake serious reforms and transformations to adapt to the new reality.

These generational changes in demographics influence socioeconomic circumstances in societies, starting from the family, which is a core part of society. Harder economic factors starting from COVID and further amplified by the Cost of living crises, mean that many parents need to work multiple jobs to cover end-to-end decent living conditions for their families. This influences the functioning and the cohesion of the family itself.

The educational system is watering down, widespread digitalization caused an opposite effect in education. There’s a serious drop in basic abilities: reading, writing, spelling, simple math calculations. Additional tutoring is expensive and can be afforded by higher earning classes. Parenting, education and safe upbringing of children has become ever so harder.

The family as the harbor of core values in a society is slowly failing. It’s importance in the society is getting marginalized. This influences not just the demographics of societies, but also their functioning as a whole. All analyses point that if the world population starts to drop, it won’t end at a certain point, it’ll continue to drop further. This will impact the entire humanity and threaten our existence.

Angels and Demons

Our entire contemporary civilized legacy is incepted an eon ago. Our upward condition of sophistication and chivalry is woven from our goodness, nobility and grace.

And yet in the depths of us something else dwells, an eerie premonition lurking upon the surface, patiently awaiting its chance to seize the totality of the being. It sleeps there in that inner darkness, a primal abyss locked up in our past so far in the human soul it almost borders with eternity in mists of oblivion. In its devilish dreams this condemned creature yearns for savagery, despair, bleeding and raw flesh. In the nature of this wretched being lay all wisdoms of inconsistency, corruption, destruction and illusion. This personal demon of ours is awaiting restless in anticipation to be unleashed from his exile into freedom of fury, free from the cage of that iconic depth where he had been so cunningly deceived by choice, sneaking as cast out and lay hidden in secrecy. It’s so easy to be indulged by this primal calling, it’s so tempting to surrender into the anarchy and disorder of our savage impulses. We don’t need any external stimulus to turn to our ferocious nature, it’s there, part of our genetic code.

In this global plutocratic rule, democracy is being stepped on so forward and insolent, violent clashes are elevated into revolutions, wars and genocide, just for the thrill of destruction. Indeed, our demons are out loud roaming free. We live in times when opposite extremes of our true nature are imposing their rule by force.

I’ve ruled to love, so I’ve decided never to kill my own demon. It’s not my intention to use it, for it serves as a reminder. I’ve put it to dreamless sleep, locked down in its uneasy existence, in a condition to be tortured only by the anger of his solitary presence. These labyrinths of that ancient prison are build from mathematics and alchemy, there’s no way out.

It’ll never wake up again and see the dawn of the surface, ever...

Art, celebration of life

Art is the highest form of expression. In its forms it reflects the sentient nature of humanity, our ability to dive deep within and present marvels. Art extends beyond imagination and creativity, bordering with magic. Its origins are deep within our spirit, a secret cove where our soul creates feelings, the center of all centers; from there it grows on the outside at the edges of the brain where reason is born.

Art is on the inside, art is on the outside.

It can’t be explained with spoken words, nor it can be deciphered through thoughts, art can be found only in between, in an esoteric plane of existence. Through it, we celebrate life.

It is a universal language of understanding, intertwining all cultures, a bond across religions, it defines nationality by promoting values which strive toward higher grounds by erasing borders. Art makes us dependent only on nature and each other. In its essence it’s a tool which defines the rate of our evolutionary unfolding. It’s a consequence of our psychological, sociological, biological and metaphysical growth.

Through variety of life nature has proven to be gifted with artistic qualifications. It’s and attribute which interprets its nobility and grace, hence, nature is the supreme artisan.

Art is a measure of our humanity.