LETTERS: There always comes a tipping point when actions and effort pile up. To stop the waters of a river swelling in a river, a release has to be made. This will prevent major flooding, crop and property destruction.
Such a buildup can happen in politics, administration, power and water supply or pollution, rubbish collection, the economy and also in pent up anxiety rage and anger. The release consists in transforming them into less harmful or useful influences or to remove them completely.
This has to be done by the very people who created them. If they are unable to do it, experts have to be brought in. The tragedy is that those who created them do not often know how to remove them.
Every aspect of human life has been pushed to the tipping point. A look around clearly shows this. We are ravaged by scandals, political adventurism, power supply, water supply disruptions, water pollution, air pollution, food supply and, more recently, the Covid-19 pandemic.
The virus has claimed so many lives and every day the figures sometimes go higher. Though there is some hope through a vaccine, some remain unconvinced, leading to anxiety, fear and anger. This can lead to new tipping points.
Yet there is something we can still do as individuals. We can give a lot of thought on what we want to do. Will our actions worsen the situation? Will they create new tipping points? Our actions need to be correct in thought, word and deed.
Actions should benefit ourselves and others. The truth of the matter is that we have lost control over our affairs. But all is not lost. Personal efforts when matched by official intervention could flatten the rise of tipping points to manageable levels.
We can plan things better. Work and leisure combined in our lives. A clean and healthy environment, free from air and water pollution. Help plants, crops and animals grow and live better.
Our environment can be made greener, open spaces and recreational parks made more accessible to the public. We need open spaces to improve our mental health. Most important of all, we can strive to become a caring and loving community.
The earth enriched gives in return plenty, there will be no shortage of food and other necessities. Our needs will be modest causing little waste and pollution. Let us work towards this. We can make it a challenge and commitment for the New Year.
M P PRABHAKAR
Kuala Lumpur
The views expressed in this article are the author's own and do not necessarily reflect those of the New Straits Times