Dr. Jane Goodall, renowned British primatologist, lived among the chimpanzees and brought back knowledge about the striking similarities between our two species. Now, she’s tackling the global problem brought on by our treatment of the world in which we live: environmental destruction.
Her reasons for hope:
“That’s my greatest reason for hope: youth. Youth who understand the problems, and is empowered to take action, and to whom we listen. My second reason for hope is
the human brain. … More and more technologies are emerging, like solar, which can let us live in better harmony with nature. We in our own lives can use our brains to think about the consequences of the little choices we make each day, and make decisions that will help us to leave a lighter ecological footprint: what we buy, what we eat, what we wear, the consequences of this on the environment, on animal suffering, and on humans, like child slavery that may have made the dress you buy. … Then comes the resilience of nature. … This indomitable human spirit, my fourth reason for hope, those people who tackle seemingly impossible problems and won’t give up. … My greatest reason for hope is out here in the audience. You all come, perhaps you didn’t even know it, but I think all of you in your hearts are seeking some kind of hope.”
On matters of the heart:
“It seems there has been a disconnect between this clever brain and heart, the seat of love and compassion, and that we’re making decisions based on how it will help me now … rather than as the indigenous people did, how will this decision help my people generations ahead? And if there’s a disconnect b/w the brain and the heart, how do we join it up? I think the youth will help in that.”
Our true potential
“Once we join the head and the heart, we join hands around the world, we break down these barriers, that we move not only towards world peace and the sort of world we all want, but we move towards achieving the true potential of the human species. So, that’s the message for you. Look with your eyes, feel in your heart, jump in, and help us make this the world we all want to leave to our children.”
