Rebuilding the society will take a major shift in thinking, in attitudes and in ones outlook. The ability to converse, debate, to consider and implement the beneficial ideas will be difficult for many people where the only public forum they participated in is watching a controversy-avoiding TV debate in the occasional contested political race.
It would be doubly difficult for those who reverently watch shows like Fox News and the corporate media. These viewers can only know, thought Jonathan, divisiveness toward opposing views and assume this is appropriate. The lack of journalistic integrity was staggering.
The viewers only receive biased information from TV personalities who radiate an importance greater than the issues or the political aspirants they discuss.
The bias is often based on a rightwing and anti-humanistic ideology or corporate propaganda using pettiness and superficiality for reportage and media created crises. The lack of real debate was not lost on Jonathan and he wondered how many will actually be able to deal appropriately with others in developing strategies to survive.
The medium of TV is passivity. The viewing audiences are passive through inertia and habit. Perceptiveness of language and reading between the lines is a faculty generally ignored if at all developed. The TV audience is spoon fed shallow determinations from small-minded neo-cons or those beholding to the corporations who fund them. They spew cliché riddled statements in the knowledge no consequences will befall them. These so-called pundits expectorate their prejudices as profound wisdom.
Jonathan was well aware of this. He himself rarely watched the national news on television. He’d tell people the really important things are talked about and discussed in interactions with others while the local news at least had a sense of their constituency. He pondered different aspects facing the community when there will be no TV distilled news. He considered where the problems of communication might lie. He wondered why his culture, perhaps all cultures, did not deem wisdom as something important and something to seek.
Not in all his schooling did any discussion of wisdom occur. Not even in his philosophy class did topic of wisdom rear its head. He had always wondered why. In ancient societies the elders were held in esteem because they had wisdom and not because they hadn’t yet died. You do not respect someone because they are old but because they have gained insight and perhaps wisdom in their long life.
The young of any generation certainly could care less if someone managed to live a long, healthy and happy live. Not, at least, until it appeared they might not be one of the fortunates.
Those in ancient societies did respect wisdom. In ancient societies the elders had had time to reflect on experiences they and others underwent and acquire insight into life which led to broader understanding. Advice from a person with broad understanding of life will in most cases be genuine, practical and applicable.
The ancient elders had learned from their elders and had listened to the debates and discussions. At some point they were able to expound on the mysteries of life for the benefit of those younger or not yet wise.
In today’s society the older folks seemingly have no wisdom. For you cannot gain wisdom without seeking it. Without reflecting on and considering life. Without discussing and debating wisdom could not be gained.
Yes, in our society we gain knowledge and knowledge is power. Yet knowledge doesn’t necessarily lead to wisdom. Especially in our society. Knowledge in the modern age is used for jobs and careers. To gain a greater earning power. Money is sought and prized not wisdom.
A mechanic is trained not educated. A doctor of medicine is trained, albeit highly, but this is not real education. Ultimately it is nothing more than training.
Jonathan also wondered how the younger generation was going to fare in the new world. Will they be supportive or obstructionist or fade into the shadows? The school system philosophy, ‘No Child Left Behind,’ allowed charter schools to eliminate subjects that smacked of liberal arts. No classes in critical thinking and what was a real horror to him no civics classes. This was an anathema in any democracy.
How is it, the first people to create a notable democracy after more than two thousand years refuse to teach their youth anything about the American democratic experiment? What positive role in the coming struggle to recreate the civilization can be expected from those who were ensconced in this educational system?
Jonathan considered how difficult it was for one family to agree and work together. Here on the plane there were many families and many single people of all ages. There were Canadians, Australians, Chinese from Hong Kong and Singapore. There was even several Japanese nationals though the predominant crowd was Americans. But even this was no completely homogenous group.
Many hailed from California both the southern LA area and the northern Bay Area. But also Americans from Colorado, Arizona and Nevada. He wondered how much or perhaps how little in common most of the people on the flight had with each other.
This will be a challenge. A big challenge.
At least the sense of individuality is still strong in the states. That may be the saving grace. Yet, this started him thinking on the paradox of individualism versus conformity.
However, he blocked this. It would make him dizzy if he had to contemplate it further. Better to prepare for Vancouver Island. Philosophizing may be all well and good but the first priority is survival.
CHAPTER SIX
Jonathan was sitting up in the cockpit. The captain, co-pilot and perhaps the navigator felt a sense of normalcy with him near. He was after all the ‘expert’ in global catastrophes.
Or it could be since Dr. Prezlee had a strong understanding of the recent events and its probable aftermath he was calm and relaxed and the crew needed to be around a person who seemed to be at ease.
“Well Jonathan,” said Captain Schollander. “There’s Vancouver Island.”
It was hard to know the exact time but they figured they had three hours left of daylight. Since the island was only three hundred miles long it was felt they could find a spot in accordance with their needs in the time they had.
It had been discussed the first area to be considered for landing would be in the northern part of Vancouver Island. Somewhere in the neighborhood east of Port Hardy. Terry McNeill knew the area in an oft handed way from wondering about a little port there with his name on it. He assured them the area would meet their needs in every respect.
They had gone out to the ocean on their flight north but not too far from the coasts of Oregon and Washington. A straighter line would therefore mean a shorter flight time while proximity to land may be important if they encountered the swarm.
Jonathan could see Mt. Rainier in the distance or what he thought must be Mt. Rainer. The plume of ashes obscured the full visage of the volcano. Fortunately, the prevailing winds were blowing the ashes eastward.
Terry pointed, “I think that must’ve been Victoria.”
They all looked and though they could see it must have been a large sprawling city there were no signs it had once been home to a world class metropolis. It just didn’t exist anymore as a city.
Captain Schollander flew the plane on the western edge of Vancouver Island and on the intercom told the passengers he’ll drop down to five thousand feet. Whatever hamlets or towns occupied this side of the island they occupied the area no longer. Everything was washed inland. As he approached the northern end he swung around to follow the island on its eastern shore.
He went lower still to get a view of Port Hardy and the area just northwest of it. They could see open areas for possible landing sites. Yet, on closer observation they realized they would have to stay away from areas that once sported the great trees of Canada; the big pines and the Douglas firs. In the once wooded valleys or slopes few trees were left standing.
As they flew over Port Hardy they could not see anything still standing but it hadn’t been pushed into the sound. Evidently the tsunami didn’t reach the area and only the massive earthquakes or the crustal shift caused
the destruction.
They traveled inland from Port McNeill over Quatsino Sound. Nothing was there anymore. The tsunami had pushed everything out of its way and left a swath of sand and debris. It was possible that the northern area was now an island unto itself. The captain turned and headed back to Port Hardy.
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“Well Jonathan,” said the captain. “There’s a large wide area. Looks as if it could be flat and just to the east is a ridge you were talking about.”
Jonathan nodded. It was probably as good a place as any and less than twenty miles from Port Hardy. But he still had concerns over food.
“Can we check out the area just north of Port Hardy? We’ll need to be near water so we can get a supply of fish.”
Captain Schollander nodded. There seemed to be at least one hour of daylight left.
They flew lower over the area of Port Hardy and they did indeed see a valley north of the town and it appeared to be devoid of fallen trees. It was underneath a small rounded mount in a low range of hills.
Captain Schollander flew over the valley as low as safety permitted and the quick discussion in the cockpit was unanimous. They would try for the valley.
As they flew low towards the water they could see survivors in Port Hardy. As is the custom the world over the people waved. Terry thought he saw as many as a hundred.
“To all passengers and crew. Though your seat belts should be fastened I’m advising you to tighten them as tight as comfort will allow. We are going to land in the valley we have gone over and though it appears flat enough for our purposes it will still be bumpy at the very least. Flight attendants stow everything in the overhead compartments. Nothing below the seats. Absolutely nothing. Nothing should be in your hands or on your laps. This is a safety issue and I will not land the plane until Stacy, the head flight attendant, gives me the all clear.”
He paused for a few moments then added, “if you’re of a religious mind than I would appreciate your prayers.”
They passed over the valley again and the captain had a very good idea of how he wanted to land his 300,000 ton bird. Once he received the all clear from Stacy he angled the plane for the altitude and direction he needed to put her down.
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“That wasn’t so bad was it?”
McNeill the navigator was beaming as was Bob the co-pilot. Captain Schollander took a minute with an audible sigh. “That was great flying Tony.” Bob slapped the captain on the shoulder then lightly pummeled his biceps.
The joy was contagious and even Jonathan smiled. Terry shook his hand, “we’re here in one piece.” They all sat and enjoyed not being in the air and the silence from the droning of plane’s huge engines.
Stacy came back and reported no one was injured in the landing. Captain Schollander ran his fingers through his hair and scratched his scalp. “I guess we’ll have to organize the deplaning as well as sleeping arrangements.”
“Might be nice to make contact with those people in Port Hardy,” said Jonathan. “Though it’s rather doubtful it will be tonight. We’ll need to set up safe quarters along the ridge.”
“Mate, you’re bringing me down,” said Terry. However he still sported a very large smile so Jonathan knew he wasn’t too serious.
As they readied the chutes Jonathan advised caution for the first few to use them. “The powder on the chute will make the first couple fly down.” Therefore, he was picked lead the way.
Tossing his pack first he sat down then gently pushed off. And went hurtling down. Looking down from a standing position to the ground twenty feet below seemed like a long way. Until he sped down the chute. It was over quickly and fiercely. He had longer rides on his surf board at ‘Pops’ or ‘Queen’s’ in Waikiki.
Next came Hawk then the large Hawaiian man named Keoni. They were there to assist the passengers as they came down. Jonathan was grateful none of the women were obviously pregnant. He didn’t want to think about what a mess that could’ve been. However, it was no picnic to help the overweight passengers and many of the Americans and Australians were unfortunately in this category. Not for long was all he could think as he broke a sweat in assisting them.
As sleeping arrangements were discussed many on the plane decided it would be a more comfortable to remain to sleep there.
“That’s not a good idea Captain Schollander. We don’t know when or where the meteor swarm will return.”
However, many of those who wanted to remain in the plane were vigorous and insistent they had a right to stay. They had paid their fare and they were not at the destination of said fare. Captain Schollander was tired from flying and especially from the anxiety over the fate of the plane and the fate of mankind. Plus, those insisting on this were American and he was an Australian. He just hadn’t the heart to argue at this point.
And the weather was against him. It was quite warm but not hot. A mild breeze stirred and the humidity wasn’t too high. The valley, where the wheels hadn’t gouged out the grass, was green and pleasant. Looked like a beautiful, peaceful park. Trees were still standing along the ridge and sides of the valley. No ashes or cinders fell. But the bugs were out in force.
It promoted the illusion they had been transported to another world. A world of serenity. It made one think there hadn’t been or at least there was danger no longer. Yet, that thought in itself was dangerous and Jonathan tried arguing but received heated words, shouts and even some swearing for his troubles.
He too was tired and just wanted a bite to eat and a long nap.
Keoni patted Jonathan in the shoulder, “no worries bruddah. Myself and my family will go wit’ you. We t’ink brah, this the work of one pissed off Pele an’ we know you understand. We’ll listen and do what you do.” Keoni smiled and his wife and two small children joined the big man.
Hawk and his young wife came over to where Jonathan and Keoni and his family were. Also Bill Lorazini strolled over.
“Doesn’t seem like a worst case scenario her,” said Lorazini as he looked around the valley. But he was smiling. Then he got serious. “Jonathan you promised to tell us all about the worst case scenario. Is this a good time?”
“No,” Jonathan shook his head. “We need food for our dinner and some blankets and cushions and a safe spot…just in case.”
“Then before sleep I’ll talk about what I know of these catastrophes and what I think it means. That okay with you all?” They all agreed and went to where supper was being prepared.
CHAPTER SEVEN
Jonathan had been looking for a comfortable and safe place to spend the night. As he walked around the slope facing the airbus he noticed a rock outcropping that had punched its way to the surface. It lay at a slight angle and therefore was perfect for his place of slumber and that of those who had attached themselves to him. He put his pack down to claim the area and returned and had supper.
The meal though better than the average plane food was still airplane fare and left most of the passengers hungry. However, he and his group had several packets of nuts and the like and sat under the outcrop and munched. They had had to sweep the area of twigs but it appeared they would have a fairly flat area to slumber upon.
“So, Jonathan. What can you tell us about this, ahm, global cataclysm?” asked Lorazini.
“Well, I can only make a comparison…”
“Yes, Jonathan we understand you’re a scientist and loathe to commit yourself but if you could spare us the rigmarole and get to what we need to know…”
“Ah. Okay. Our earth has undergone many global catastrophes. In fact, it’s probable that we owe our very existence to such cataclysms. We wouldn’t have an atmosphere for example without some sort of envelop to be a shield from solar radiation. Plants cannot grow without a shield, an atmosphere. You cannot get an atmosphere without plants. So the development of a shield probably came about from an external cause. Actually, that has always been a problem in science, at least those who are gradualists. For gradualism in trying to explain much of what we
see and the phenomena around us is like forcing a square peg in a round hole.”
“And this has what to do with our present situation? Jonathan don’t digress. Give us something to get a handle on?” Lorazini was being kind of a pain in the ass to the erstwhile professor. Yet, Jonathan was beginning to see this wasn’t a classroom. This wasn’t an academic question. This was about nuts and bolts. About surviving.
Jonathan mentally hit his forehead. He had been wondering about how others would adjust and he realized he hadn’t yet made the transition.
A bit of a conundrum here.
For anyone who has studied a subject in depth there are complexities which must be acknowledged from which to build on. However, Jonathan also understood the need of the mystery writer and the others to have concrete knowledge so they would be able to have a ‘handle’ on it. A ‘handle’ would help in feeling less anxious and maybe give them a chance to make good decisions. The ‘handle’ may not be complete but it would act as an anchor.
“Hmm. Okay, I think I see. I have talked about the pole shift. Correct?”
“Yeah, brah but you go over it again, eh?”
“This is jus…well, it appears to me and confirmed by the navigator that the rotation and the axis of the earth has undergone a major change. Another words, our earth does not have the same inclination to the sun. This means several things. If the change is toward zero, we were at twenty-three degrees, than our summers will be longer and the winters milder.”
“Is dat why it’s so warm heah?”
“No. It’s my guess that the heat we’re feeling is really radiating, coming, from beneath us. It’s called a thermal gradient. This heat was generated by the crustal movement, a shift, or by the change in the inclination so the change in the poles.”
“So it will be heah for a while den?”
“Yes. I wish I could’ve said it so succinctly.”
“I wish you could have also.”
“Don’t be a smart ass Bill.”
“Sorry.”
“Well. When the poles shifted, from whichever action, this heat gradient will alter all weather patterns. The shift will trigger tectonic movement, earthquakes and volcanic activity. But the most devastating of all is the tsunamis. Anyone or anything exposed to these huge waves will be obliterated. The power of these tsunamis is immense.”