Jarkko Mänttäri's Article "The End of the World is Coming But How?" (Verkkolehti, 2011.12.28) English Translation

The End of the World Is Coming But How?



The world will end, of that there is no doubt. But how and when? There are several alternatives.

By Jarkko Mänttäri

Spending his retirement years in Hämeenkyrö (Finland), biologist Jussi Viitala (above right) does not let us off easy. In his book Älykäs Eläin (Intelligent Being) published last year, he avows that we humans are the world ecosystem’s worst violators, basically because we are five billion too many.

Viitala’s latest publication Miten maailma loppuu (How the World Will End) bypasses the speculation whether the world will end or not. In Viitala’s mind it is absolutely certain that the world’s end will come, but when and how is subject to various viewpoints. These Viitala presents in his book in a quite comprehensible manner.

The most likely threat to humanity he sees as the population explosion, since we are already entirely too many. “Now we have surpassed all limits and we see no end to population growth.” Viitala believes the problems created by population growth will get worse for decades to come.

Previously employed by the University of Jyväskylä’s Biology and Environmental Studies Department, Viitala contends that the root of that population growth lies in the behavior of people themselves. If it cannot be curbed, all efforts to prevent climate change, the exhaustion of natural resources, pollution, and the disappearance of other species to extinction, are only puttering around to ease the conscience.

There Is Still Hope

The reason for us being on such a course is no accident, according to Viitala.

“It was originally a political choice, that we went on this neo-liberal line, which is proving to be one of the earth’s greatest tragedies. . Surely, little by little, the loss of hope creeps into our minds.”

Viitala does not want his book to create a hopelessness or panic in people, but to get them to think about these matters. But with all these (potential) disasters, is there any basis to retain hope?

“As long as there is life there is hope. One possibility could be a global consumers’ movement which through boycotts could bring any multinational firm to its knees.”

Viitala does not place too much hope in politicians.

“Governments and politicians appear to be married to big capital, so there is no hope for influence through these means. Thus, it has to start on the grassroots level. But the problem with this is, is it already too late?”


(This article appeared on the Verkkolehti, the web edition of the Finnish newspaper Kansan Uutiset on Dec. 28, 2011. A longer version also appeared in Viikkolehti, the weekend print edition of Kansan Uutiset. The English language translation of the above article is by Harry Siitonen, Berkeley, CA).