We have used our talent to make a civilization out of our dependence on oil and coal, and encouraged population growth for more soldiers, more workers, and more consumers.   We seem locked in because there is no way to stop burning that coal and oil, because it is – so far –  necessary for generating electricity, running cars, fertilizing fields, moving stuff around,  in a crowded hungry world. We have become fragmented and lack leverage to change anything and choose to just hold on. We are supposed to be a democracy and a democracy responds to the needs of the people. But we have representative democracy where we get to vote, not on issues that concern us , but for candidates the system of nominations presents to us as choices. It isn’t working.   The news channels, owned almost exclusively by a few large corporations, seem to provide “news” but many themes are just left out  as editors understand what the bosses want and don’t want.  Much of it is unsaid and guessed at.  (see Michael e. Mann’s The New Climate War). The better news outlets give us facts, but not all of them.