Superbowl Sunday
I realize that this diary will post during a football extravaganza which will focus most people's attention. One group of people will be ecstatic and happy, the other group will be sad, surprised, and depressed. So I feel safe in discussing a topic I've been thinking about lately, optimism about humanity's future. The former group will be ready for anything, the latter group will be ready to acknowledge extinction or worse.
In many ways things are better for many people's standard of living than ever before in history. But the specter of climate change with dire effects on humanity is becoming more apparent all the time. There are those who are completely unaware of the information because of where they are in the world. And others are in denial.
A blog I've read for a long while is The Archdruid Report which often touches on these issues. Lately the author, the very brilliant John Michael Greer, has been suggesting that despite all the suggested approaches to moderating climate change, they won't be sufficient.
None of the things I’ve just suggested will save industrial civilization. You know that, of course, and so do I. That said, any steps in the direction of conservation, decentralization, and rehumanization that get taken will make the descent less disruptive and increase the chances that communities, localities, and whole regions may be able to escape the worst impacts of the industrial system’s unraveling. That’s worth doing.
I think many Californians are in denial about the drought; yes it's bad and we must take steps but "it'll be all right in the end". Considering that there have been 250-year droughts in recent history, maybe not so much. I'm wondering how people here in a reality-based community see the future. We've been told that approval of the XL pipeline is "game over". But the natural tendency of humanity is to disbelieve personal nonexistence and by the same token a word-wide catastrophe is unimaginable. Everyone I've talked to about this has more or less said "something will come along and we'll be fine". I can't help but subscribe to this belief as well.
It can't happen here.
Well, now that I've harshed everyone's buzz, let me know if you're optimistic or pessimistic. Or discuss the game. Or your recipe for the guacamole you are eating right now.
I promise to be less srs next Sunday.
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Kitchen Table Kibitzing is a community series for those who wish to share part of the evening around a virtual kitchen table with kossacks who are caring and supportive of one another. So bring your stories, jokes, photos, funny pics, music, and interesting videos, as well as links—including quotations—to diaries, news stories, and books that you think this community would appreciate. Readers may notice that most who post diaries and comments in this series already know one another to some degree, but newcomers should not feel excluded. We welcome guests at our kitchen table, and hope to make some new friends as well.
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