A recent Yahoo article I read seemed to invoke a real sense of foreboding doom. The article described a new "doomsday vault" that would contain all of the necessary agricultural seeds to allow mankind to replant any agricultural goods that had been destroyed in some monumental catastrophe. However, Yahoo seemed to be attempting to be placing a positive spin on the article putting it in the "green" section of Yahoo, and talking about the construction as if it was an achievement. My first thought after I read this article was on the state of mankind. This story should be a morose comment on the state of foreign affairs in our world instead of an achievement to collect the most seeds possible. Think about this thought for a second: How messed up does our world have to be that we feel we must build a "doomsday vault" to rebuild the world's agricultural goods?

Not to mention the numerous problems with the plan. I laughed out loud at the optimistic air of the plan even though the project is being completed for pessimistic reasons. The first problem with the plan is the location of the vault. It has been built in the Arctic. Thats right. The Arctic. Just 620 miles from the North Pole. I understand that they wanted to build the vault in a isolated location, but did it really need to be in a location that desolate. I mean if Earth does come to a "doomsday" event (presumably nuclear warfare) do you really think the small percentage of people who have survived are going to be able all the way to travel to the North Pole. And do the people planning this really think anybody would have the supplies to make it to the Arctic, and be able to successfully plant the seeds. The vault is also located in an Norway where no crops can grow. So not only would a group of humans need to travel all the way to the vault with presumably low supplies, but they are also expected to travel back to find suitable terrain for crop growing. And who is to say there is arable arable land if there is a "doomsday" event like a nuclear holocaust with radiation being spread everywhere, and contaminating land? Is this really the kind of situation we want to put the last survivors of mankind in if they are meant to survive? Also only a few well-informed individuals (in other words anybody who knows of the project or of the Yahoo article) would know of the vault. And who is to say they would be able to "open" the vault, I mean is there a key or something. So many unanswered questions which only point to a failure of a project.

The final point I want to make about the "doomsday vault" is it being a huge waste of money. I think I have shown successfully the many ways that this project is a waste and a failure thus the 8,900,000 dollars that was spent to construct the vault is a waste. To me if mankind was to build such a project there should least be the same type of vault on each continent. Seriously, how can we expect anyone from Africa or even Asia being able to travel to Norway? However, I believe no such project should have ever taken place. If we ever need to use such a vault (hopefully not) it will probably be for reasons that we have caused on our own such as global warming, or a nuclear war. In my opinion (as pessimistic as this may sound) we should be punished for our actions. I mean if such a catastrophe did occur, it is the fault of mankind is it not so why not be punished for our cruel actions to this Earth? This is why instead of wasting 8.9 million dollars on a awful plan we should send it to a place where we know mankind will be helped. Instead of making a "doomsday vault" Norway and other countries should do something along the likes of donating 8.9 million dollars to the starving children in Africa. Instead of wasting money on an idealistic cause, and rather spend money on a practical and effective cause. A plan along those lines would be ten times more effective in actually protecting mankind. Open your eyes world, and for once do not think about your own safety in a situation we probably caused, but commit a simple act of selflessness and help others. Those kind of plans should be applauded not theses wastes of money on "doomsday vaults". I understand maybe I have taken this simple article a little too seriously, but I still see a simple lesson in the misguided thoughts behind this project: Open your eyes.