What is going on in the world today? One has to ask this question especially when we have all heard of the recent natural calamities which seem to be increasing with each passing day. We have also all heard about all the technologies developed for different reasons but how do these technologies affect mankind? Many theories have been formulated to explain the mysteries surrounding mankind and its future however all points still remain unproven in many aspects. This is probably one of the biggest conundrums in the field of science today.
If you had to place a finger on what is happening to mankind today, you would probably be unable to point any finger or pinpoint the exact cause of this phenomenon. Is humankind in danger of being Extinct as some believe, or maybe it is a gradual process of evolution, changing the characteristics of man as he interacts with his environment? Well, some scientists claim that the speed of evolution is too fast to be noticed by human intelligence and that indeed the human race is in danger of being Extinct. The current theory suggests that mankind’s close genetic relative, the Chimpanzee, is the reason why the human race exists today. What better time to grapple with these dangerous tendencies and their destructive effects on humankind and nature?
With all this in mind, we cannot deny the fact that the current arguments raging in the media about the reduction of the number of women in the workforce is having a devastating effect on the morale of a large percentage of the female population. Is humankind doomed to be Extinct? The possibility of such a scenario is highly unlikely given the immense number of technological advances made in the past few decades and the vast amount of effort put in to finding alternative energy sources. Moreover, with the right education and information available, any individual can easily learn how to protect himself and his loved ones from harm and that too within a very short span of time. In other words, humankind is not at risk of being Extinct and there is no immediate threat to the existence of the human race. On the contrary, we can see a positive future for the humankind and the earth as a whole as we work towards achieving gender equality in all aspects of life.
However, the reduction in the percentage of women in the workforce has resulted in some disturbing changes in the way men and women interact with one another. This has led to some negative implications in the way human beings used to interact, even before the coming of the women in the workforce. For example, it was not long ago that a woman could take on the role of the breadwinner in the family. Women were considered to be the natural protectors of the family, the provider of the children, and the keeper of homes and properties. Now, with the number of women in the workforce, the roles of men are reducing and that too with alarming speed.
Furthermore, the erosion of the gender balance in the workforce also poses a threat to the future sustainability of the human economy. Since the ratio of men to women has been declining steadily over the years, the only way out that has thus far remained open is through international trade. But the introduction of a gender-neutral language, namely ‘Herman’, has threatened to throw this lifeline into the wind. In such a situation, what was earlier considered to be a safe move, the adoption of gender-neutral language, might seem to be the last alternative left, a move that may lead to the complete destruction of the human economy.
So is the introduction of a new universal language a sensible solution? It is hard to say. If we look back at history, language was an important factor that helped people communicate across geographical boundaries. It was not long ago that the local dialect of a country could be understood across the world with relative ease. With the advent of machines, communication has become a very expensive proposition and a universal standard language seems to be unlikely to make things easier for humanity.