So, that's the question. Especially in regards to climate change, the economy, war, & inequality. Are we Doomed?
Yes.
I'm the Absurd Word Nerd, and until next time, take it easy out there sinners.
What? That's not a joke, that's the real answer. Yep, we're doomed.
...You want me to explain why? Okay, fine...
I'm an optimist, at least I like to think I am, and I'm always skeptical - especially when people want me to be scared: e.g.
I'm an optimist, at least I like to think I am, and I'm always skeptical - especially when people want me to be scared: e.g.
"Could something you take for granted be killing you? Find out at eleven."
"Are you poor, weak or dumb because you don't use our product? Well, call 1-800-BUY-SHIT in the next 20 minutes, and get twice the garbage for half the price!"
Hell, I write horror fiction, and I don't just write it because your fear fuels my ego (I mean, it does, but that's not the main reason); I do it because I want you to open your eyes to the hidden dangers in this world, to teach you something (and have some creepy fun at the same time).
But, as much as I think we are doomed, I don't want you to be scared. No, scared people do dumb, irrational things... but I am sick of people acting like we're fine. We're NOT fine! This sucks. And the first step to getting better is to recognize that it sucks.
And you might think "oh, so you think we can get better? We can fix this?"
NO. I don't think we can fix it. I think we're doomed... Look...
As I established in my first post of this Countdown, we have already failed to reduce the increasing temperatures of this planet. It's not a case of fixing the climate, it's a case of "how bad is it going to break?"
Climate Change won't get better for a very, very long time. But, we might be able to minimize the inevitable impact we're going to have, if we wake the fuck up and realize that we've gone to far (remember what I said about the Dunning-Kruger effect?)
I think when it comes to the economy, we're fucked, because the whole goddamned capitalist system is fucked - that's what my second piat was all about. It's already ravaged America, and it's doing its damage here. Sure, we can reduce that damage, but China's pseudo-communist (but practically capitalist) economy is growing, Africa is a growing market, Saudi Arabia is trying to stwp into the global economy, and they've all "followed the leader" using the example set by America and England before them, so even if here in Australia, we reduce the toxic greed and capitalist mindset that has lead us to financial crisis and depression again and again, we can't abandon this system, and there's a lot of damage that needs to be undone globally before we can avoid further downfall.
War... Ha! We're already at war. Russia is basically playing "Nazi Germany 2: Now with less money!", as they desperately fight for outdated resources, due to a disgusting sense of nationalist entitlement; so, World War 3 seems all but inevitable (I'm sure Germany is happy they're not the bad guy, this time). But remember how before the invasion of Ukraine, we were talking about the disputed South China Sea? As far as I can tell, that hasn't been resolved, its just been forgotten by the media (I might need to look that up).
As for equality? Don't even pretend we have equality... Look at China's human rights violations of the Uighur people; South Korea's continued human rights violations of, well, basically everyone they get their hands on; The Taliban's continued oppression of women, ethnic minorities, non-Muslims & LGBTQ; and hey, don't let Russia's current assault on Ukraine distract you from their assault on basic human rights, with their "gay propaganda laws".
Don't like worrying about foreign problems? Well a) that's a sign of your own nationalism and lack of equality in your own values, but 2) don't think you're off the hook. Most of my readers are American, and there are still hundreds of people being unlawfully and immorally held in detention centres in America, as well as my home country of Australia. And that's just our borders. Stand on our soil, and see how LGBTQ people are still being treated as less-than-human. Trans Rights are Human Rights, and whilst I thought equality was a part of basic human decency, people still can't get over their irrational biases - as I talked about in the second part of my Student Skeptic series. For fuck's sake, we're only now making headway on a movement to recognize the First Australians in our constitution... and it's not even government supported, this is a private endeavour. White people and colonizers been in this country for over 100 years, if this is how long equality takes, we've failed pitifully at equality.
But, as much as I think we are doomed, I don't want you to be scared. No, scared people do dumb, irrational things... but I am sick of people acting like we're fine. We're NOT fine! This sucks. And the first step to getting better is to recognize that it sucks.
And you might think "oh, so you think we can get better? We can fix this?"
NO. I don't think we can fix it. I think we're doomed... Look...
As I established in my first post of this Countdown, we have already failed to reduce the increasing temperatures of this planet. It's not a case of fixing the climate, it's a case of "how bad is it going to break?"
Climate Change won't get better for a very, very long time. But, we might be able to minimize the inevitable impact we're going to have, if we wake the fuck up and realize that we've gone to far (remember what I said about the Dunning-Kruger effect?)
I think when it comes to the economy, we're fucked, because the whole goddamned capitalist system is fucked - that's what my second piat was all about. It's already ravaged America, and it's doing its damage here. Sure, we can reduce that damage, but China's pseudo-communist (but practically capitalist) economy is growing, Africa is a growing market, Saudi Arabia is trying to stwp into the global economy, and they've all "followed the leader" using the example set by America and England before them, so even if here in Australia, we reduce the toxic greed and capitalist mindset that has lead us to financial crisis and depression again and again, we can't abandon this system, and there's a lot of damage that needs to be undone globally before we can avoid further downfall.
War... Ha! We're already at war. Russia is basically playing "Nazi Germany 2: Now with less money!", as they desperately fight for outdated resources, due to a disgusting sense of nationalist entitlement; so, World War 3 seems all but inevitable (I'm sure Germany is happy they're not the bad guy, this time). But remember how before the invasion of Ukraine, we were talking about the disputed South China Sea? As far as I can tell, that hasn't been resolved, its just been forgotten by the media (I might need to look that up).
As for equality? Don't even pretend we have equality... Look at China's human rights violations of the Uighur people; South Korea's continued human rights violations of, well, basically everyone they get their hands on; The Taliban's continued oppression of women, ethnic minorities, non-Muslims & LGBTQ; and hey, don't let Russia's current assault on Ukraine distract you from their assault on basic human rights, with their "gay propaganda laws".
Don't like worrying about foreign problems? Well a) that's a sign of your own nationalism and lack of equality in your own values, but 2) don't think you're off the hook. Most of my readers are American, and there are still hundreds of people being unlawfully and immorally held in detention centres in America, as well as my home country of Australia. And that's just our borders. Stand on our soil, and see how LGBTQ people are still being treated as less-than-human. Trans Rights are Human Rights, and whilst I thought equality was a part of basic human decency, people still can't get over their irrational biases - as I talked about in the second part of my Student Skeptic series. For fuck's sake, we're only now making headway on a movement to recognize the First Australians in our constitution... and it's not even government supported, this is a private endeavour. White people and colonizers been in this country for over 100 years, if this is how long equality takes, we've failed pitifully at equality.
So, okay, we've failed, and we're doomed to fail further...
You might think I'm about to turn around and try to lighten the mood: e.g.
"We may be doomed, but at least we have each other..."
"Sure, we've failed, but look at all the times we've succeeded!"
...but no, Fuck that. I'm not here to pat you on the arse and make you feel better. If you're old enough to understand the shit we're in, then you're old enough to deal with reality without me sugarcoating it.
So, now that I've (hopefully) established that we're doomed, what can we do now? Thankfully, I have an answer to that. See, I suffer from chronic anxiety, and one of the things I've learned is that there are two kinds of trigger for anxiety:
- There's the irrational stressor, these are unrealistic or exaggerated dangers that the anxious mind reacts to.
- Then, there's the rational stressor, a trigger that everyone finds stressful, but the anxious mind is overly sensitive to.
When dealing with a rational stressor like, y'know, impending doom... you stay calm, and focus on what you can control. We probably can't change our fate (we're doomed, after all, if we could change it, it wouldn't really be "doom" would it?), but we can spread information, do our best to improve our own situation, and support one another whenever and wherever possible. We're all a part of this world, and sure it may well be fucked, but you don't have to be one of the fuckers.
I'm the Absurd Word Nerd, and remember: Just because we're doomed doesn't mean you should sit around and mope about it. All you'll do is get in the way (and no one likes a doomer). Until next time, take it easy out there sinners; and of course, have a Happy Halloween.
