The Canary in the mine

Refugees are in the news around the world.  They are fleeing economic and political troubles in Latin America, southeast Asia, Africa and the Middle East.  Europe, China and the US as the receivers of the rush are wary at best and hostile at worst.  Boatloads of immigrants from Myanmar are being held at bay as they try to land in Singapore and Malaysia.  Africans are drowning by the thousands as they try to cross the Mediterranean and as we know, many Mexicans and Central Americans are trying to cross the increasingly fenced and fortified southern border of the US.  What all these refugees are telling us is time is running out to find solutions to some intractable economic and social problems that will overwhelm the developed world if we don't heed the warning signs.  Climate change, economic injustice, religious and racial persecution are increasing the pressure every day.   Meanwhile, overburdened governments deal with these problems on an ad hoc basis without understanding or dealing with the underlying problems.