I would like to address the doomers.

Just stop. All you are accomplished is dissuading people from trying. Even if we fail, some of us would rather go out feeling good about ourselves knowing that we actually tried. If we succeed, I want to be on the right side of history. If you want to drive a canyonero through a drive through to buy a double cheeseburger on your way to the airport to fly somewhere for a shopping trip: please keep it to yourself.

  • There is still hope
  • Most people want action. I can cite more than one source.
  • Things are starting to turn around. Not as fast as we need to, but we are seeing change
  • Some of us are parents and have a reason to fight with all we have
  • If things get bad, our kids will actually want to have a relationship with us if we cared enough to try
  • Many things that help are economically better on the micro and macro scales

Doomers are the fossil fuel industry’s best friend-- even more than the deniers are. If enough people succumb to it, they don’t even have to pay lip service to the problem. Doomerism means you can continue to pollute and not even try.

  • @[email protected]
    3•1 year ago

    Here here. I’m not a doomer and frankly can’t stand that mindset. As far as we’re concerned there will always be people on this planet and we should do whatever we can to give them an existence that allows for more than just survival. I have some hot takes on doomers:

    1. Being a doomer is a very privileged position to have. A doomer appears to absolve themself of having a stake in the future, and therefore they don’t really need to take action. If they did, their actions would only serve to discomfort them today and wouldn’t have an impact on those living in the future, so why should they bother? They usually hide this position behind “I’m just being realistic” or “I’m just working with the data I have.” Frankly they’re the worst, as they’ll argue with people to justify their shitty attitude and pull people down in the process.

    2. being a doomer is some sort of type-A or perfectionist personality issue. Since the future won’t be perfect, they can’t participate in mitigation since things won’t turn out “perfect”.

    3. being a doomer is related to an anxiety problem. When I’m anxious about something, I can’t see past the theoretical event I’m anxious about. Therefore I can’t think about possible outcomes or solutions and can only fixate on the terrible event.

    4. They’re just young and haven’t seriously invested in the future yet. However they don’t see why they should when there’s a bunch of doomers saying the end is certain.

    5. They’re old and regret the life they lived and choices they’ve made, thus they take comfort in the idea that there won’t be a worthwhile future. Therefore their regretful decisions were in fact the best decisions they could have made. Imagine how comforting a future societal collapse would be to a boomer who regrets not having a family. They’d probably be relieved.

    Again, these are hot takes from some person on the internet. However if one hits a nerve you may want to exercise some introspection and maybe try helping out instead of discouraging people from trying.

    • @neanderthalOP
      0•1 year ago

      I agree 100 percent.

      Again, these are hot takes from some person on the internet.

      1. Being a doomer is a very privileged position to have. A doomer appears to absolve themself of having a stake in the future, and therefore they don’t really need to take action. If they did, their actions would only serve to discomfort them today and wouldn’t have an impact on those living in the future, so why should they bother?

      Posting on social media has consequences. It does influence people. Case in point, the George Floyd death and aftermath. Another case: COVID misinformation getting people killed.

      The last thing we need is people spreading permission to give up and do nothing (not even vote) or take the misanthropic route and try to make it as bad as possible.