We should not seek a perfect world, but rather a better world.

Picture yourself sitting in your favorite place in the world, whether it's the
balcony of your house or by the seaside, listening to the sound of the waves, it
doesn't matter. Now, think about a perfect world where diseases, disasters, and other
problems are only found in history books. It sounds amazing, doesn't it? Of course,
but why do we dream so much and fail to act to contribute to a better world? The
truth is that we don't question the struggle behind this world and what the validity of
that perfection will be. After all, problems give life meaning and drive us to seek
improvement.
This dilemma is well explored in Neal Shusterman's book 'Scythe,' which
depicts a utopian society. The people who live in it work and strive purely out of their
own will because no problems demand their effort. This is because a way to solve all
of them has been found. As a challenge in everyday life, the act of 'gleaning' is
introduced. In this way, the work makes us question the meaning of a perfect world.
Nevertheless, it is necessary to seek solutions to the problems faced by the
current world since a perfect society is unimaginable. Therefore, the consequences
of a perfect world should not be seen as an impasse in today's world, but rather as a
way to understand what a truly fulfilling world is. For the same reason, we must step
out of our comfort zone, question the reality we are living in, and seek long-term
solutions.
The world is overheating. In addition, it faces social inequalities and fights
against diseases that require immediate long-term solutions. To ensure the future of
all species, not just humans (Homo sapiens), we need to critically analyze our
present actions and their impacts, which can emerge and worsen. In this way, the
root of the problem can be identified, and from there, solutions can be devised.
Therefore, the first step to guarantee any form of life is to take care of the
environment since an escape planet does not yet exist. That's why sustainability has
been constantly discussed due to its importance in slowing down global warming.
The subject is well-known and present in all media. Multiple studies point out the
need to be mindful of excessive consumption, which is the main cause of climate
change, making the majority of the population guilty of buying unnecessary items.
The carbon footprint is one of these measures, measuring emissions of gases from
human activity, whether directly or indirectly. It shows that every product we consume
goes through a process of extraction, production, and transportation. These
processes are responsible for most of the planet's gas emissions and deforestation
of biomes, but they are essential for the sustenance of the global population, even
though they are disproportionate across continents.
An example of this can be seen in the fashion industry. Imagine you have a
closet full of shirts, and most of them you don't wear, but you love buying new ones.
Then you go out, pass by a store window full of items on sale, immediately think 'I
need it!' and buy it automatically. You feel happy and content momentarily for your
purchase, perhaps a little sad about the money spent. As soon as you get home and
toss the shirt into the closet, it becomes just another one of your unworn clothes.
Have you thought about it? Well, this is a very common reality, valid for any type of
product. But it's unlikely that at any point in this process, you think about how much
water was used for production, how long it will take for the material to degrade, and
the amount of CO2 the act released.
Caring for the environment should be the first item on the list to be resolved
because with an uninhabitable planet, resolving other issues is futile. The UN has
developed the 17 Sustainable Development Goals as targets to slow down global
warming. These objectives not only relate to the environment but also to health and
education, so other problems cannot be ignored.
Diseases are a factor that can easily compromise humanity's existence. New
variations constantly appear, or they mutate. Scientists daily study their facets,
causes, possible cures, focusing on inhibiting the disease without generating
another. They also aim to give greater importance to prevention, as the popular
saying goes, 'Prevention is better than cure.'
There are diseases that affect various systems. Many of them have an
uncertain cure and prevention methods. To have a method to completely inhibit
them, a lengthy process of tests and studies is required to ensure their eradication
without generating another as a result. Therefore, it is done cautiously and not
hastily.
However, highly contagious diseases with a lethal risk are the ones that can
most influence the extinction of humanity. This is what happened with the
coronavirus, which began in Asia but quickly spread worldwide, resulting in a
pandemic in 2020. A control measure was taken, quarantine, which proved to be the
best solution while a cure for the virus was not found. It not only changed the context
of socialization but also affected trade, education, the treatment of other diseases,
the economy, and more. The problem was of great urgency, so within a few months,
vaccines were developed. The speed at which this was done raised many concerns,
but it was still the most plausible option, as the virus was completely out of control.
Thus, after many months of battling Covid-19, it ceased to be an international public
health emergency in 2023, as declared by the WHO.
So it is possible to see that the demand for treatment can vary depending on
the number of affected people, but the cure and prevention of all diseases must be
sought.
This is where the importance of an effective educational system comes in because it
is through education that we can solve climatic and biological problems, especially
human ones. Within the educational process, there can be more discussion about
the useful quality of our planet's life and our actions. The educational system differs
in each country, but its importance is proportional.
Every human being needs treatment and a dignified life. Unfortunately, this is
not the reality of our planet. Some people go hungry and do not have housing. It is
useless to want to improve the quality of any external environment only within our
lives because this does not guarantee a quality future for anyone. Therefore, there is
a need to treat everyone with dignity and to devise ways to ensure that new
discoveries and studies are available to everyone and to look at the perspective of
improvement for the entire planet.
Social inequality is a reality of the human species, and it is up to all of us to bring
issues of dignity to everyone. Education proves to be a more effective means of
doing this. Since it is through education that we change our way of thinking, we
should be integrated from the early years through engaging and creative forms that
arouse everyone's interest.
However, it is commonly understood that quality education can only be
provided through a lot of technology. Nevertheless, the government of Sweden,
which implemented a 100% digital educational system in the 1990s, decided to
change it in 2023 and bring back textbooks, investing millions of euros. The nation
makes these changes for various reasons, including the decline in children's reading,
lower student concentration, and criticism from experts regarding screen use.
 With this, we can see the importance of implementing technologies
intelligently for human development. We must also adopt smart practices, using
them to our advantage without compromising our cognitive capacity.
In conclusion, the population should aim to take care of the planet if it is interested in
ensuring a better future. This can be done through sustainable actions, waste
reduction, and awareness of consumption. This segment of the population should
consider that the problems they face should be addressed with caution, but as swiftly
as possible. For example, in the case of diseases, investment in quality education for
the improvement of future generations should also be considered. Technology has
numerous benefits and an incredible ability to assist us in tackling problems, but it
should not limit or reduce human intelligence.
Perfection is unattainable, but efforts are crucial for improving the quality of
human life. We should primarily seek a better future world, even if it means setting
aside our whims and comforts so that we can preserve the health of our planet.
Therefore, sometimes it is better to take a step back to take two steps forward than
to remain in the same place.
 Reference List

“Pegada de Carbono: O Que é E Para Que Serve? - ECycle.” 2022.

Www.ecycle.com.br. April 5, 2022.

Shusterman, Neal. 2016. Scythe. New York: Simon & Schuster Books for
Young Readers.

‌ ‌Hawken, Paul. 1993. The Ecology of Commerce : A Declaration of

Sustainability. New York (N.Y.): Harper Business, Cop.

“Por Que a Suécia Desistiu Da Educação 100% Digital E Gastará Milhões de

Euros Para Voltar Aos Livros Impressos?” 2023. G1. August 7, 2023.