[mathewsanders]

I flip-flop between optimism and pessimism on this and I’m in a pessimistic cycle at the moment.

I can also imagine the machinery of capitalism maybe working (I like the idea of declaring a ‘war on emissions’ popping a war revenue act for the highest earners and creating a new industry focused on reducing emissions).

But two things are fueling my pessimism: the first is that as a culture we’ve grown so used to a lifestyle (and economy) based on unsustainable use of our resources. I just can’t see a world where we take a step back from any of the modern conveniences we’ve gotten used to hanging.

I guess related to that: The free market is the most effective model, but that comes at cost of no protections for workers and resources, and that rewards exploitation.

I used to hope that I was wrong, now I mostly just hope that the worst results don’t happen in my own lifetime.

[hotpotamus]

I'm in a similar place and have come to more or less the same conclusions regarding basically just trying to live it up while that's possible (Jim Morrison would say "I just want to get my kicks before the whole shithouse goes up in flames"). The several sigma temperature anomalies this year certainly didn't make me any more optimistic. And I get the impression that the scientists really don't have much clue about how this all ends anymore.

I used to feel jealous for children born after me because of all the things they'll get to see that I wont. These days I feel very much the opposite.

[myshpa]

> now I mostly just hope that the worst results don’t happen in my own lifetime

I don't understand this point. It seems to me that the longer we wait for a collapse to happen, the worse it will be (as fewer resources will be left for rebuilding civilization).

What's the benefit of it happening in our children's lifetimes instead of our own, except for the fact that we get to continue unsustainable consumption a bit longer, rather than trying to change things?

[hotpotamus]

Not all of us have children.

[myshpa]

We are all but stewards for those who'll come after us.

[hotpotamus]

Sooner or later there will be no one after - and it's sure looking like sooner to me. One reason of many for the no children.

[myshpa]

Good ... you're further than the others. Now stop dwelling and get working so that doesn't happen.