“As nice as it may sound to live in a world without mosquitoes, it’s not as easy as eradicating species that cause us harm or even those that just annoy us. That’s because all living things play an important role in the ecosystems in which they exist, and removing one living thing from a habitat can disrupt all the other species within it.”1
I keep seeing a sponsored post on social media with the claim: “Genius College Student Builds a Device to Rid the World of Mosquitoes.” The creator was so inspired because he suffered from a rare allergic reaction to mosquito bites, called “Skeeter Syndrome.” Most are also aware of the involvement of mosquitoes in the spread of diseases, such as malaria and West Nile. So, eradicating mosquitoes sounds like a great idea, right? Of course, not. Like all living things, mosquitoes are an essential part of the ecosystem. We humans simply have to adjust. (Sickle cell trait, interestingly, is actually a natural human protection against malaria.)
We have a tendency to prioritize our own circumstances without realizing that we fit into a complex and interconnected Universe. We neglect a sense of greater Purpose. We neglect that the eradication of our problem(s) can have a profound effect on countless others.
Rather than trying to rid our lives of “mosquitoes”, perhaps we should be asking ourselves “Why?” Perhaps, we should be learning to deal with our circumstances—to grow from them—rather than run from them.
Mosquitoes suck. No doubt. I suspect that living with Skeeter Syndrome sucks, too. Certainly, we need to deal with our own pressing problems, but we have to be cautious in imposing our solutions on others. Someone or something along the food chain is benefiting from that mosquito, and that benefit, in turn, benefits others. Indeed, that “mosquito” provides a cascade of opportunity and benefit. The solution to a problem is never as simple as eliminating the problem. The solution to every problem though is growth.
Be your best today; be better tomorrow.
Carpe momento!
1https://www.reconnectwithnature.org/news-events/the-buzz/world-without-mosquitoes-not-as-easy-as-it-seems