b'and the U.N. calls the 50 million tons of electronic devices discarded annually around the world a tsunami of e-waste. Plastic pollution has increased tenfold since 1980, and microparticles are found in high-mountain snowmelt, fish, salt and vegetables. Between 1930 and 2000, annual global production of man-made chemicals increased from 1 million tons to 400 million tons; 2,000 new chemicals are released each year, and most are never tested for human toxicity. The rate of species extinction has increased some thousandfold over the rate of the preceding millions of years, representing what the National Academy of Sciences calls biological annihilation. Wealth inequality is at its highest levels since the Great Depression. Refugee crises are at historic levels, with nearly 80 million people displaced around the world last year. Global supply chains are suddenly seen to be vulnerable to disrup-tion, as are democratic institutions. And more fake news than ever is about to come our way on wings of 5G. Yet, something else is afoot. . . Someone has caught the eye of thenot-as-great-as-he-thinks-he-is demigodGreat Acceleration.As surely as haste ever made waste, as surely as inhalation precedes exhalation and the need for face masks shall pass, as surely as the truth will out and beauty will in, Great Acceleration is smitten. He cant get her out of his mind. Its only a question of time. One of these dayssometime between now and April 22, 2030, we can only hopehes going to tie the knot with Great Deceleration, and she will quickly become known as his better half.7'