Climate Despair is such a complicated issue. Because, logically? Yeah, it’s almost certainly too late for the massive changes we need to make to not reach the “point of no return.” We needed massive action in the 90s. Earlier than that, actually, but the 90s we still had the real chance to cut emissions enough without upending the entire system humans have built (read: capitalism).
But since the power structure in capitalist systems are as such that money talks and walks and strong arms everything in its way, we won’t be able to do anything to end it any time soon. In fact, it would be the last thing the last two humans are fighting over. It’s that entrenched.
On the other hand, I know how detrimental climate despair is to having even the faintest of chances to survive the post-apocalyptic future we are barreling towards. We still need that paradigm smash. Desperately. But it literally needs to happen right now. And on a massive scale. I can’t remember any identifying information to find the article again, but a while ago I read a great one. It basically laid out the psychology behind this sort of defeated non-action on the issue.
In essence, we all know how serious this problem is. But we look around and…nothing is happening. We all know industry is responsible and they’re such massive contributors that we know we need their cooperation (which…lol) in order for our lifestyle changes to have any knock-on effect toward fixing the problem. And we all know this needs to happen right now. But also that it needed to happen for generations before us. And we are the last line of defense. So the onus is on us to sacrifice nearly everything we’ve been conditioned to believe “life” as a human on this planet, in this society is supposed to offer. Basically, since everyone else fucked up that came before us, they stuck us with the responsibility to give up our one life for some not-so-certain hope of maybe future generations having something resembling our life…our life that we are supposed to sacrifice so that they might get the chance.
It’s basically a massive problem, we’re insignificant, it was shoved on our plates by every generation before us, and it would take massive sacrifice on our part for some vague notion of things maybe being okay down the line. Our personal actions are like pushing over our one domino, hoping that all the others are pushed down too. It’s such a massive gamble and could very well be entirely fruitless. But what we need are well-placed dominos, so that when one gets pushed over (read: industry), ours go down with it. But those bigger dominos are being bolted to the ground as we speak, they’re not planning on pushing them over.
This depresses me to write. But it’s what we’re all experiencing. We need massive revolution, and we need it right this instant. But that goes into the whole issue of—if it worked—a sudden power vacuum being a breeding ground for something even worse to fill the void. So it’s all quite…despairing. But giving into despair is forfeit. But not forgetting means forfeiting everything you thought your life would be…it’s a vicious circle of misery that we’re being asked to ignore. But it’s true. Because we need to ignore it for any shred of not being cooked alive. Fuck…
This dude didn’t fight for his Presidency proving that bullies run the wealth class and led us to demise. Capitalism isn’t the cause. It’s weak losers like Al Gore.
