This series is interesting, but it's also surprisingly been kind of depressing. It's a fundamentally pessimistic take on human nature that hits too close to home. In context of the challenge we face with global warming, it's not encouraging.
This series is just an endless sequence of humanity thinking it's got it all figured out, only to discover (painfully) that it's completely misjudged the situation, and then narrowly escapes absolute extinction through sheer blind luck.
I'm reading these books and seeing exactly the same kind of attitude present in current moment. It's the same attitude I see around EVs and renewable energy. If only we just switch to all EVs powered by solar power, then everything will be fine. The solution is obvious. Just do this thing and the problem is solved.
As I read this series, all I can think about is that same idea that we're massively underestimating the scale and nature of the challenge.
I worry that by the time we figure out (painfully) that our "solutions" are not enough — not only not enough, but so pathetically insufficient that we would have been better off doing nothing — it'll be too late to do anything but stare into the abyss and weep.
I fear that we think we'll be fine because we've mastered checkers, while nature is busy playing a dozen games of chess simultaneously — not only out of our depth, but entirely the wrong strategy and goals.
We think we understand what will happen with global warming, but that doesn't mean we do, and it doesn't mean we're adequately prepared. The planet will kill us if we're wrong. ALL of us.
@malcircuit I have what may be an odd, overly-personal question: do you fear things out of your control?
Corri and I were talking about fear a few days back and realized we experience it differently.
For me, if something is out of my control, all sense of fear or dread kindof evaporates. Fear, for me, only seems to apply to situations where I can affect the outcome. It's a call to act, but if I can't, then why fear?
I guess the problem is the pernicious idea of "things will only go downhill from here"
It's hard not to imagine a future that becomes increasingly unpleasant, unpredictable, and dangerous. I see a future full of hardship, turmoil, and tragedy, and it kills my spirit.
But I guess that's all the more reason to savor the joys and pleasures of the present. To live in this moment as fully as I can.
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