Another way to frame our dilemma is that there's no adults in the room. Not in any of the rooms of power anyhow. This assumes a different definition of 'adults' - which has only trivially to do with biological age.

Adults take responsibility rather than dodge it. Adults act, guide, lead, from deep cultural wisdom accumulated over many generations. Not from shallow motivations of personal gain or individual fear.

Adults used to exist, in our ancestors' indigenous and aboriginal cultures. A key function built into those cultures was making adults. That function has been destroyed along with those cultures. Adolescent males rule the world, for the last several millennia at least,. They will not allow any adults to be made.

Because there is nothing more threatening to an adolescent male than a true adult in the room.

The wisdom of children is needed, but alone is not enough. The wisdom of true adults is also needed. Unfortunately we abandoned that wisdom and its carriers long ago, and there is no quick and easy way to get it back.