Let’s be honest. We’re cooked. I think it’s difficult especially right now to look out at the world and how things are unfolding and be in any way optimistic. Sure great things are being done day to day, from the smallest acts of kindness to pioneering research that will create everlasting change for the good. But whether or not this is the fault of sensationalist media coverage, it seems as if the bad, is really present, and rather concerning. 

The Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists in January set the Doomsday Clock (a metaphorical representation of how close the world is to ending) at 90 seconds to midnight (the apocalypse basically), the same as last year. This is the closest humanity has ever come to a global catastrophe of our own manufacture. And they definitely have a reason for this, citing conflicts in the Middle East and Russia and the growing threat of nuclear war, lack of action in solving climate change, the dangers of Artificial Intelligence, and the lack of ethical control over biological tools such as gene editing. But things, especially according to these guys, are not looking so good.

I’ve become increasingly worried about a nuclear war recently (probably because I started watching Fallout show, really good tbh). Will it happen, most likely no, or hopefully not, as it would be a massive step over the line, and hold devastating consequences. Worryingly, I’ve noticed a lot of younger people begin to romanticize war, adoring military technologies and action, and on the other hand, the numbing of people to the news of war, since we seem to be bombarded by it. But interestingly, the way the Fallout series frames nuclear war is by criticizing an uber-capitalist society and the often removal of the moral good to return a profit and boost shareholder value. This too is worrisome, right now the crazy housing market issues, homelessness, and the devaluation of the working class citizen. 

Similarly, climate change, altering the landscape of our planet, we witness see our climates changing around us, and often comment on it through the innocuous “we got less rain this year huh” or “it’s unusually hot for July.” Will people begin to realize the damage that has been done in a timely fashion, or awareness and broader action only be spurred by catastrophe? This waiting until its too-late formula unfortunately is a too often repeated pattern of human behavior.

Things like AI which are changing the way people think of “intelligence” or the internet really changing cultural dynamics and the way people interact. This is not to say that “things were better in the good old days” but rather, we should be more aware of how societal advances can really alter the way things are, either in a good or bad way. 

Then I think about my future. Is it worth it to have a family, career, kids, etc… to be happy, successful, and excited in my own life if it all falls away in a snap? How can I see the point or value in going about my life, or running the rat race like everyone else if it’s so fragile? A rather naive viewpoint looking back. I was holding a conversation such as this with a friend when he highlighted to me that devastation is a part of life. Things change, shift, live, die, and I can’t craft a perfect environment, or set conditions for my happiness, because then, everything becomes pointless. It does sadden me though to think about the fragility of everything good. Maybe I’m just a depressed Debbie-downer but sometimes I hate looking at people smiling in photos, or cute animals because I end up thinking about tragedy and pain that can be levied upon them. 

Is it a little difficult then to be excited for the future, kinda, but really no. Realistically

we’ll be fine. Is the future scary? Definitely, but honestly, I should stop screaming and enjoy the ride. And maybe get that whole thing about feeling sad about happy things checked out.