Oh wow! Oh wow!

The world’s population has reached 7 billion and will grow to 8 billion in another dozen years! Oh, wow!
by Charlie Leck

SEVEN (7) BILLION
The world’s population is growing at a dramatic rate; yet, the birth rate is declining. What?

It’s true. The population of the planet increased to over 7 billion this year. This is twice what our population was in 1960. What?

It’s true. The population of the world is growing very rapidly and yet the birth rate is not. The answer is that there are more and more people living beyond the age of 65 and this is evidence of a huge increase in longevity of life. Right now there are 2 or 3 people age 65 or older for every 10 people under 65. By 2050 the ratio could be 7 people over 65 for every 10 below 65.

The U.N. says the world’s population will reach 8 billion in 2025 and 10 billion by 2083.

Oh, my! What can we do?

“OH, WOW! OH, WOW! OH WOW!”
Steve Jobs’ sister says that these were the last words Apple’s founder and creative genius uttered.

Oh, my! What do you suppose that means?

Jobs was indeed a Zen in his spiritual life. It’s my understanding that the new, authorized biography of him deals quite a bit with Jobs’ spiritual life and Jobs certainly admitted to the influence of Zen Buddhism on his thinking. I’m anxious to read Walter Isaccson’s book. (I have a couple of other books I’m committed to before I order his. It only seems right, however, that I read it on my iPad.)

Did Zen thinking influence Jobs’ work at Apple? Jobs dropped out of college in the 70s. Quite immediately he took a trip to India, seeking enlightenment. He told folks that he came home a Buddhist. Oh, wow!

Focus!
Focus is one of the Buddhist commandments (or principles). Simplicity is another!

I’m typing out this blog on my iPad2. What a remarkable device! It has such a simple, straight-forward design.

Early this morning, my wife was cussing at her computer! “Why don’t we have an Apple?” She shrieked the question at me as if having an Apple would solve the problems she has with getting an email addressed typed correctly into her current PC.

I’m going to get her an Apple desktop computer for Christmas. Let’s hope she doesn’t read this particular blog. She’s normally too busy for reading blogs. If they were in audio and she could put them on her Apple iPod it would be different. After Christmas I’ll introduce her to the Apple Store and the Genius Bar. The stores are so completely simple in architecture and design – sleek and modern and comfortable. When I walk into an Apple Store I feel grand and, as I look around, everything seems done just right.

“I’m about fifty-fifty on the afterlife,” Jobs told his biographer.

I wonder what the world will look like when my grandchildren reach college age. If some kind of consciousness survives after our deaths we could have a peek. The world’s population could be double what it was when I was in college. What a lot of people to feed and make comfortable. Will some kind of sensible religious enlightenment spread across the world by then? Will wealth be distributed better and more fairly?

We need people like Steve Jobs – calm, simple, generous and focused – to give thought to shaping the world’s future.

Here’s an LA Times review of the Steve Jobs biography by Walter Isaacson!
(written by Richard Rayner)

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