Relaxed section for discussion and debate that doesn't fit anywhere else. Whether it's advice, how your week is going, a link that's at the back of your mind, or something like that, it can likely go here.
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We're just along for the ride. The people profiting from this have all the money and aren't going to change their mind because they think they can buy a solution for just themselves.
So, like the knowledge that we all die one day no matter what happens, it just has to be something you live with. Until you don't.
Take the bus, an electric bike, or an electric scooter. Yeah it doesn't do much in the grand scheme of things - but it does get you outside and exercising, which leads to better health - and it's also helpful to connect with your community when you're outside of a car.
Yes, people will mock me for saying this - but that's part of the problem. I lived in LA for years without a car, and it was totally workable and a fraction of the cost of having a car.
Periodic reminder that big oil funded the research paper four decades ago that outlined all this, then covered it up and staffed think tanks to delegitimize the well-founded concerns as they began to spring up. They fucking knew, and not only did nothing to fix or prevent it, but actively hampered others' effort, so they could keep selling gas. And hey, look at that, the planet's literally on fucking fire and ExxonMobil is pulling record profits.
I've been angry for years. You should be too. They killed us to line their pockets.
Someday, I'll be a little old man passing on my hardest-earned life lessons, and I'll tell people this:
Hope is not the expectation of future improvement. Hope is the defiant refusal to give up. It is the antithesis to nihilism. Fight on not because you think you'll win, but because fighting is the right thing to do. Many wars have been won through this kind of perserverence.
There are bad times ahead, but ignore the gloom and focus on yourself. Spit in the face of insurmountable odds and live your life as if it makes a difference. Someday, you may find -- quite by accident -- that it does.
I'm glad I don't have any children. I can just imagine the guilt I'd feel if I did…
I wouldn’t call myself terrified, but I’m pessimistic. I’ve had this attitude for years, so the fear has faded into a constant, dull, background gloom.
It would take major, expensive, immediate action to combat climate change in a meaningful way, and I don’t think my government (US) has the willingness to do it. It’s too corrupt, and there are too many climate deniers in positions of power.
Now multiply that problem a few dozen times. Imagine how difficult it would be to get countries that hate each other to work together. Even if we narrow it down to the top polluters, it’s not gonna happen.
Next, consider individuals. A lot of people are greedy, selfish, and think climate change is a hoax. Plus, people are wired for denial. That’s not a condemnation of any group. It’s just a psychological fact.
Lastly, think about the nature of the problem itself. To avoid the worst of the consequences, we need to act before undeniable proof exists. Too many people don’t trust science, and will refuse to act until their personal standards for proof are met. Unfortunately, by the time there’s “sufficient” proof, it will be too late. Even if we could flip a switch and stop burning all fossil fuels immediately, it would take years for the environment to recover.
Of course, I could be wrong. I’m not one of those depressing clods who uses pessimism as an excuse to do nothing. I still try to do things that don’t harm the environment, even though I think it’s useless and trivial. I live as though my actions could matter. We’ll see… sooner rather than later, I think.
i don't know if this will help, but technology is advancing at a faster rate every single day. perhaps a potential solution will appear out of these advancements