We Should Have a Unique Opportunity to Address 2 Major Dangers to Humanity

Vlad/AdobeStock

PSYCHIATRIC VIEWS ON THE DAILY NEWS

Sometime, this war on Ukraine will end, hopefully sooner rather than later and in favor of Ukraine. Once it does end, we may well have an opportunity to innovate and improve the world, as was tried after World War I and II.

Our opportunity may include the twin towers of risk to humanity and all living things: nuclear war and climate instability. Of course, they overlap and influence one another. Both problems seem driven by a quest for power and money.

Just recently, the latest Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) report, over 3500 pages, presents an escalating toll of our climate, but just a small and decreasing window for a less catastrophic path.

At the same time, Russia conveys the threat of nuclear war.

The outcome of peace talks after World War I turned out not to be very beneficial. The punishment of Germany ultimately led to financial disaster and the revenge of the Nazis. The peace terms after World War II turned out much better. Germany and Japan were given more recovery support after their change of leadership, and they have played important roles over the 75 years of peace and some prosperity.

All of this will require transformational leadership, as portrayed for example by President Lincoln, which goes beyond immediate self-interest to identify the broader changes needed in a social system—that being in this case, the Western world. Who might that be? Zelensky?

Dr Moffic is an award-winning psychiatrist who has specialized in the cultural and ethical aspects of psychiatry. A prolific writer and speaker, he received the one-time designation of Hero of Public Psychiatry from the Assembly of the American Psychiatric Association in 2002. He is an advocate for mental health issues relate to climate instability, burnout, Islamophobia, and anti-Semitism for a better world. He serves on the Editorial Board of Psychiatric Times^TM.