During the first Trump administration, I tried so hard to keep up with everything that now that we're in his second term, my stamina has greatly diminished to deal with all the crises. But I've been mulling two things in my head recently that feels relevant to crisis fatigue. One was a Bluesky post from Tressie McMillan Cottom where she wrote that Liz Neely shared in her newsletter,
"In 2026 I want all of the decent people to remember one thing.
You aren’t meant to be this disciplined, this self-sacrificing to survive. The environment is supposed to support good living. We can have that. You are not a failure. That is politics.
That is all."
Also been listening to a track titled "Human" on Brandi Carlile's most recent album which has these lyrics:
"Baby, you're only gonna hurt your back
Looking down like that, cut yourself a little more slack
Baby, you're gonna have a heart attack
And they won't thank you, they don't make awards for that"
Feels like this year is hard already, and it's less than a week in. It's kind of hard not to feel hopeless, but I think one of the things that is important to remember that while we must acknowledge these terrible things, it's also important to remember the things that make life worth living like being with people we love, listening to music and art, reading, whatever brings you joy, even if it's small. I've always felt like the cruelest people are just not capable of having fun. And by finding joy in small things can serve both as a kind of resistance but also a way to keep us tethered in the chaos by reminding us of the things we are fighting for. And if we get burnt out with crisis fatigue, we won't have the will or energy to fight back.
I love this response. I'm reminded of something that Douglas Rushkoff said in a talk of his that I attended: our job now is to keep a light on; to carry on the flame of kindness and compassion into whatever era comes next.
Another thing comes to mind: if one is dealing with mental health issues right now, given the state of the world, that's in a peculiar sense a good thing: the sign of a _healthy mind_! You should worry if you _aren't_ reacting negatively to all the atrocities and scandals going on!"
So the fact that I am having several crying jags a day in the past week, along with intermittent insomnia and frequent irritability does not mean I am losing my mind, but rather trying to keep it...I like that...
YES! In a very weird, disturbing, unfortunate way! I think I got this line from an Erich Fromm book years ago. It's essentially what he said about people living in capitalist societies. I remind myself of this frequently: sickness is sometimes the sign of a healthy mind -- blame the circumstances, not oneself!
Also, I'm incredibly sorry to hear that you're dealing with episodes of crying. Here's what I wrote a couple of years ago, and I still have this feeling:
"The best way I can explain how I feel is that on several occasions in my life, I’ve experienced extreme physical pain. A moderate amount of physical pain might cause me to cry, but there’s a phenomenologically strange, weird-feeling threshold that one crosses with extreme pain, beyond which one stops crying. It hurts too much to cry. That is the way I feel—psychologically—about the world in general. I’m too upset by everything to cry anymore. I’m all out of tears—I’m beyond tears. So I end up kind of floating above it all, depersonalized, looking down in constant astonishment and horror."
So, I haven't been crying recently. But only because I'm in this awful state of being constantly mortified. Again, the insult to injury: the world didn't have to be this way!! GAH! Sending you thoughts of kindness and compassion.
I can only say I’m in general agreement. I also traded depth for breadth, and see patterns well. I became collapse aware three years ago, have been studying it since, have written about it on substack, and agree we are superfucked.
And I’m giving myself a break now, because I need it and what’s the point? Any and all efforts to push in the right direction drown in the torrent of crisis, and people are choosing wilful/rational ignorance anyway.
Very sympathetic with these comments! The only thing I would add is that, in my personal view, a "sense of moral duty" should be sufficient to keep one going (though see the qualification below!). Even if one feels completely hopeless about the situation -- and I'm relatively close to that! -- this alone isn't enough to keep one from continuing to fight. I will still do whatever I can to contribute, in my own very small way, to making the world better out of a sense of duty.
That said, _taking a break_ is absolutely necessary to be an effective fighter! I'm reminded of the saying (from William James, as I recall) that there are no "moral holidays" for atheists (which is more or less what I am) -- but, on the other hand, there _have to be_ such holidays to avoid burnout.
Does that make sense? Do you disagree? Please feel free to -- I'm flailing around in the dark trying to understand the best way to proceed as much as everyone else. :-) Thanks so much for your comment.
We absolutely have not only a moral commitment, but an ethical duty, to do what we can to push in the right direction. Our first priority is just our own well-being, and life is a marathon, not a sprint. So we should take care of ourselves first, and then do what we can.
Things get philosophically tricky when one considers classic problems such as the meaning of life, as well as how to accept the unacceptable locked-in trajectory of accelerating towards collapse in a world that is arguably delusional, insane, and hellbent on continuing suicidally maladaptive strategies, with the cherry on top of being ostracised as Cassandras always are. Camus’ opinion that suicide is the only serious philosophical question is taken one level higher by collapse awareness.
I think the ultimate answer is traditional: first, accept one’s own mortality. Then, everyone’s. Then, embrace the ancient pragmatical wisdom of simply making the most of a bad situation - always the only sensible strategy. Embrace uncertainty about the future, some whimsicality and gallows humour, practice gratitude, focus on the positives at least half the time, get off the hedonistic treadmill, be kind to people and animals, and indulge in fantasies of torturing the psychologic and evil elites to death in ways so legendarily horrendous the witnessing of it imprints itself deep into the onlooker’s DNA, so that we might biologically evolve in a positive direction and avoid this shit happening again to people of the future. One can dream, right?
Very much felt every word of this. Jessica Wildfire's new project for the collapse-aware has been putting wind back in my sails of late -- sharing in case it would be helpful to you too. Solidarity 🤜🤛
Two things are coming up for me in response to this thoughtful article.
One: Thunberg didn't pivot away from climate crisis. There's a massive climate crisis in Gaza.
Two: Crisis fatigue is so much worse if you try to do this life alone. Rugged individualism is a scourge for mental health. Feeling alone is an important sign to pay attention to. Find caring community and learn both how to be supported and how to support others. It's a balm to the soul like nothing else.
Ah, yes -- I totally agree that the Gaza genocide is very much linked to climate change. I guess what I meant is that her primary focus as an activist seems to have become stopping the bloodshed in that region. I don't see her leading huge protests against climate apathy, etc. these days. But am I missing something? I mentioned this to a friend in the climate movement, and he seemed to agree that Greta has shifted her focus (again, not at all a criticism of her!) -- but he might be wrong, too!!
Totally agree about the importance of not doing it alone. Sadly, many of us are very much part of the loneliness pandemic that's spread across the Western world, thanks to capitalism and secularization (according to Fay Bound Alberti: https://www.google.fr/books/edition/A_Biography_of_Loneliness/ZmmtDwAAQBAJ?hl=en&gbpv=0). I "comfort" myself in saying: "Well, this is just the human condition in our contemporary world -- it is what it is. People are atomized, isolated, and encouraged to see others in purely transactional terms. So it goes. I hope it's somehow better for future generations!" :-/
I have often wondered if Thunberg is being strategic or if she has completely shifted focus. I can’t say for sure. But I do know that, for me, whenever I see her in Gaza movement spaces, her presence reminds me of the manufactured climate disaster in Gaza. Like I’m seeing with so many over movements, the focus on Gaza does seem to be a helpful illustration to expose and articulate many of the biggest problems around the world. All liberation movements are, ultimately, connected.
When it comes to remembering to do this in community, I think it’s our duty to remind each other constantly. There are few voices encouraging us to do things together, because of course it’s a neoliberal tactic to divide us and isolate us so that we stay small and powerless. Each time somebody pops into a conversation with a tiny nudge to remember to lean into community, the truth is that nudge could be the ONLY nudge people are hearing in a given day, week, or month. Or ever, unfortunately. Let’s all shout it from the rooftops and maybe people will hear.
Regarding depth vs breadth: I try (tried) th T-shape: dig really deep in one area to know ho it's done, how it feels, then go broad - assume that others are deep into what I only know at the surface.
I experience crisis fatigue pretty much every day. Have been for years. What keeps me going and gives me hope is showing up for my young adult kid and her friends, young people badly need elders who are willing and able to look the polycrisis in the face and not turn to sticking their heads in the sand, waxing nostalgic about how things used to be, or shrugging their shoulders and saying, “well you kids will have to figure out clean up the mess”. We olds don’t have to have all the answers, just being able to be there and listen to their concerns and offer whatever help, encouragement and support we can means a great deal to young people. I am lucky to have a couple of really great like-minded friends who are figuring out their own ways to live through these times meaningfully. It’s hard to stay in the dumps in the middle of the Rockies so I try to “get high” and head up to about 10,000ft for a hike regularly, it really helps regain perspective. The mountains 🏔️ were here before us and will be here long after we are all gone and I find that oddly comforting.
The hikes sound amazing! I am _very much_ hoping to spend at least two months in the Swiss Alps each year now that I'm in Europe -- very salubrious to walk through the pines and smell the fresh air in the shadow of snowcapped mountains. I also completely agree about being there for younger generations. That is something I take quite seriously, and I hope to be a source of strength, comfort, and perhaps even inspiration for my niece and nephew once they grow a bit older. Thanks so much for this response!
You’re so welcome! Young people need not just parents but “cool aunties and uncles” like you in their lives, and the benefits are mutual. I am constantly amazed at how my kid will have a perspective on a problem/issue that never even occurred to me and just cuts through the confusion of my ingrained mental habits. I have gotten in the habit of asking “what do you think about this?” when I have a dilemma and the discussion itself is so worthwhile and stretches my thinking into new places. It also gives young people the understanding that their perspectives and ideas are in fact valuable in a world run by adults who often brush them aside, ridicule and dismiss them (see Greta Thunberg haters). Enjoy those Alps! I’m no climber 🧗 but even an easy hike at altitude really shifts the mind into a different place. ❤️
Crisis fatigue is no joke. The best thing I’ve found to counteract it is to find the good in humanity, mostly through humor. Seeing how genuinely funny and creative humans can be is what keeps me sane in this illogical timeline. Mostly this is through reels, sketches, etc. It’s also refreshing that humor can connect people in a positive way, and this is what brings me hope.
100%, Dr. Morgan!! I've said on many occasions that comedy is, imo, the most potent antidote to the relentless awfulness of the world. :-) I genuinely think that comedians play an extremely important role in society -- keeping us sane, and safe from despair, by making light of the absurdity of it all. (Colbert has said before that -- or something like -- he sees his role as reminding his audience that they're sane.) :-0 Thanks for this comment, and hope you're doing well!
You note that: “One cannot know more than a minuscule fragment of what is known.”
True, but I wouldn’t sweat it because what is known is only a minuscule fragment of what is knowable. So we humans are actually only a teensy bit less ignorant than we were 1,000 years ago.
That paper you reference about the world being relentlessly awful (“Do We Live In Hell?”) is interesting and I’ve made a note to read it when I have more time. I’m wondering if I’ll have the same reaction as I did to chapter 4 of Ray Kurzweil’s The Singularity Is Nearer, in which he tries to do exactly the opposite and tally how great everything is. I was like, “Yeah, Ray, good point but…” the whole way through because he was really only looking at half the picture. Anyway…
I need to get back to my day job but one thing that keeps me going is my hope that Mother Nature will soon catch up with Trump and spare the world three more years of this. I mean, the dude is almost 80 and clearly in mental and physical decline…
So there’s that, and then there’s also the Serenity Prayer which reminds me to just worry about the tiny amount of the universe I have a tiny amount of control over.
Please do let me know what you think of that article -- "Do We Live in Hell?" It was written two years ago, and really needs to be updated. Hopefully I'll have time for that in the coming weeks.
Re: what is knowable, I think I agree. But "knowability" introduces a really interesting (imo, at least) point about the limits of the human mind -- about what folks like Chomsky (ugh!) call "cognitive closure." (Another philosopher, Colin McGinn, wrote a fascinating book on this -- but McGinn got #metoo-ed for bad behavior, fyi!) It could be that what is knowable to the human mind, in principle, is itself only a small fraction of the universe. Just as dogs can't comprehend concepts like "nuclear chain reaction" and "spacetime," so too might there be all sorts of phenomena in the universe that our minds can never -- ever -- comprehend. So: perhaps there is a lot more that humans have yet to discover/know; but even with a billion years of science, there may still be a great deal that we won't know about the universe, because such features of the universe are fundamentally unknowable. Does that make sense? Sorry for rambling about this -- I just find the issue you brought up extremely interesting!
All of that said, it still seems significant that what any one of us can know is a tiny fraction of what is currently known. That's because it implies that no single person could ever be competent enough to actually understand the world we've created -- and if we can't understand it, then how can we control it (i.e., competently navigate the ship of civilization)?
My apologies if I haven't articulated these points clearly enough! What do you think? What do you disagree about? :-) Thanks so much for your comment!
Thanks Emile, that cognitive closure idea is fascinating [even if the phrase did come from an unfortunate source :) ]. In my opinion, one of the moral effects of such fundamental unknowability is that it should foster a profound sense of humility in all of us. (I was in a grad school class once and someone remarked that he was an atheist, and the professor responded: "That assumes you have a tremendous amount of knowledge!") Anyway, for me, this sense of humility (stemming from our fundamental lack of knowledge) leads to hope. If we ultimately know so little then our predications about the future must be extremely speculative and, therefore, there are a vast range of possibilities before us.
This all ties back to a lot of your writing lately (i.e., the problem of how we remain hopeful in such dark times). It does seem pretty safe to say that 2026 is going to be a really bad year but, the again, none of us really knows. Or what'll comes after in 2027, etc. All I know for sure is that there is awful lot of destruction going on right now. As for what comes of it, who know? Something good could very well grow out of the rubble.
Anyway, thanks for your reply and I will definitely let you know what I think of "Do We Live In Hell". Cheers.
Alright, this is gonna be a long one so stay with me.
I think I have suffered from crisis fatigue, even if I didn't know what it was. It's like the saying, "Can this day get any worse?". After a while it gets annoying. Like a few days ago, when Trump sent (if I remember correctly) Delta Force operatives into Vennezuela to kidnapped Maduro, I saw that at 2 in the morning! I woke up, dazed and tired, and checked my phone for notifications. It was then I saw a Gmail notif from the NY-Times, so I opened it and I saw what I mentioned previously. I read it, sighed, then put my phone down and went back to bed.
I mean, it just keeps getting more annoying: I have a convict I didn't vote for as my President, who acts like a literal child on X or Truth Social or whatever, trying to turn a country (that I sometimes dislike but is still my home) into a weird Christian-Fascist nation while making us the laughingstock of the world. Said world is also going through Climate Change which is also bad, as well as many dictatorships, civil-wars, anf genocides that the average American isn't even aware about. Oh and also, I'm unfortunately aware of techno-cultists trying to take over the world while still trying to claim that their dumb-autocorrect machines are gonna turn into God or something.
And even with all that, I also have crisis fatigue in my own life: My Mother potentially losing food-stamps or healthcare, Trump potentially trying in the future to get rid of some of my college grants like he tried to do months ago, and me trying to figure out how exactly I'm going to make it in America when I graduate in 2 years. It's a lot, and sometimes it can feel too much.
So what does give me hope, you ask me Emile? I don't know. I guess I just generally like being happy. Of course I worry and I actively want change for the better, I'm not just some Ultra-Optimist. One thing that does help, and I guess gives me hope, is that I'm not alone in knowing about these things. I mean when I first started reading you I quickly became a fan because not only did I agree with many things you talked about, but because you were talking about things that I felt many didn't. Take AI for instance, I thought everyone was a total Doomer or Hypester, but then I read you and quickly found other like you. And that helped a lot,
It may not be much, but it does help knowing that there are lots of us out there who are at least aware of the problems, and we talk about them and potential solutions among other things. In a way you could say it's like a little resistance, in a world (or at least country) that feels so anti-intellectual.
Yeah that's all I got. Sorry for being so long-winded :)
Here's something I wrote above, which might also be somewhat relevant:
"I'm reminded of something that Douglas Rushkoff said in a talk of his that I attended: our job now is to keep a light on; to carry on the flame of kindness and compassion into whatever era comes next.
Another thing comes to mind: if one is dealing with mental health issues right now, given the state of the world, that's in a peculiar sense a good thing: the sign of a _healthy mind_! You should worry if you _aren't_ reacting negatively to all the atrocities and scandals going on!"
Re: your claim that you just like being happy: one of the strangest things that happened to me was becoming a rather pessimistic person over the past several years. This pessimism sharply contrasts with the fact that I am, by nature and disposition, a very cheerful person!! I'm almost always smiling, and I never pass up an opportunity to share a laugh with someone. Consistent with the post I linked to above, I am determined to continue being a cheerful person, no matter how bad things get. Indeed, the worse things get, the more important levity and cheer become! Anyways, I feel your struggle, and really appreciate you sharing these thoughts. :-)
I think the question of hope is essential. For me, it comes from reading thinkers who don’t deny suffering or rush past it, and then actually integrating what they say.
Victor Frankl reminds me that meaning isn’t erased by crisis.
"In some way, suffering ceases to be suffering at the moment it finds a meaning, such as the meaning of a sacrifice."
Carl Rogers reminds me that self-acceptance is the basis for real connection, both with others and with oneself. “When the other person is hurting, confused, troubled, anxious, alienated, terrified; or when he or she is doubtful of self-worth, uncertain as to identity, then understanding is called for. The gentle and sensitive companionship of an empathic stance… provides illumination and healing. In such situations deep understanding is, I believe, the most precious gift one can give to another.”
"Rational ignorance" definitely describes the collective response to the ongoing Covid pandemic. Some of the most intelligent people I know, people who are usually intrigued by and motivated to dig into data, will instantly become angerballs, ostriches, or children putting their hands over their ears and singing "la la la!!!" when the subject comes up. When I hit my limit of exposure to what seems like such destructive and harmful idiocy, I reread this.
During the first Trump administration, I tried so hard to keep up with everything that now that we're in his second term, my stamina has greatly diminished to deal with all the crises. But I've been mulling two things in my head recently that feels relevant to crisis fatigue. One was a Bluesky post from Tressie McMillan Cottom where she wrote that Liz Neely shared in her newsletter,
"In 2026 I want all of the decent people to remember one thing.
You aren’t meant to be this disciplined, this self-sacrificing to survive. The environment is supposed to support good living. We can have that. You are not a failure. That is politics.
That is all."
Also been listening to a track titled "Human" on Brandi Carlile's most recent album which has these lyrics:
"Baby, you're only gonna hurt your back
Looking down like that, cut yourself a little more slack
Baby, you're gonna have a heart attack
And they won't thank you, they don't make awards for that"
Feels like this year is hard already, and it's less than a week in. It's kind of hard not to feel hopeless, but I think one of the things that is important to remember that while we must acknowledge these terrible things, it's also important to remember the things that make life worth living like being with people we love, listening to music and art, reading, whatever brings you joy, even if it's small. I've always felt like the cruelest people are just not capable of having fun. And by finding joy in small things can serve both as a kind of resistance but also a way to keep us tethered in the chaos by reminding us of the things we are fighting for. And if we get burnt out with crisis fatigue, we won't have the will or energy to fight back.
Liz Neely's Newsletter: https://buttondown.com/liminalcreations/archive/year-2-week-1/
Cottom's Bluesky Post: https://bsky.app/profile/tressiemcphd.bsky.social/post/3mbfgmtxo5c2l?utm_source=liminalcreations&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=year-2-week-1
Brandi Carlile's Song "Human": https://youtu.be/pmeK6vq0A5s?si=F-p1pEoNWsMqUcyr
I love this response. I'm reminded of something that Douglas Rushkoff said in a talk of his that I attended: our job now is to keep a light on; to carry on the flame of kindness and compassion into whatever era comes next.
Another thing comes to mind: if one is dealing with mental health issues right now, given the state of the world, that's in a peculiar sense a good thing: the sign of a _healthy mind_! You should worry if you _aren't_ reacting negatively to all the atrocities and scandals going on!"
Thanks for sharing. :-)
So the fact that I am having several crying jags a day in the past week, along with intermittent insomnia and frequent irritability does not mean I am losing my mind, but rather trying to keep it...I like that...
YES! In a very weird, disturbing, unfortunate way! I think I got this line from an Erich Fromm book years ago. It's essentially what he said about people living in capitalist societies. I remind myself of this frequently: sickness is sometimes the sign of a healthy mind -- blame the circumstances, not oneself!
Also, I'm incredibly sorry to hear that you're dealing with episodes of crying. Here's what I wrote a couple of years ago, and I still have this feeling:
"The best way I can explain how I feel is that on several occasions in my life, I’ve experienced extreme physical pain. A moderate amount of physical pain might cause me to cry, but there’s a phenomenologically strange, weird-feeling threshold that one crosses with extreme pain, beyond which one stops crying. It hurts too much to cry. That is the way I feel—psychologically—about the world in general. I’m too upset by everything to cry anymore. I’m all out of tears—I’m beyond tears. So I end up kind of floating above it all, depersonalized, looking down in constant astonishment and horror."
So, I haven't been crying recently. But only because I'm in this awful state of being constantly mortified. Again, the insult to injury: the world didn't have to be this way!! GAH! Sending you thoughts of kindness and compassion.
Thank you so very much...I am so grateful to you for your writing and for your humanity...XO
Thank you so much for this...
I can only say I’m in general agreement. I also traded depth for breadth, and see patterns well. I became collapse aware three years ago, have been studying it since, have written about it on substack, and agree we are superfucked.
And I’m giving myself a break now, because I need it and what’s the point? Any and all efforts to push in the right direction drown in the torrent of crisis, and people are choosing wilful/rational ignorance anyway.
Very sympathetic with these comments! The only thing I would add is that, in my personal view, a "sense of moral duty" should be sufficient to keep one going (though see the qualification below!). Even if one feels completely hopeless about the situation -- and I'm relatively close to that! -- this alone isn't enough to keep one from continuing to fight. I will still do whatever I can to contribute, in my own very small way, to making the world better out of a sense of duty.
That said, _taking a break_ is absolutely necessary to be an effective fighter! I'm reminded of the saying (from William James, as I recall) that there are no "moral holidays" for atheists (which is more or less what I am) -- but, on the other hand, there _have to be_ such holidays to avoid burnout.
Does that make sense? Do you disagree? Please feel free to -- I'm flailing around in the dark trying to understand the best way to proceed as much as everyone else. :-) Thanks so much for your comment.
We absolutely have not only a moral commitment, but an ethical duty, to do what we can to push in the right direction. Our first priority is just our own well-being, and life is a marathon, not a sprint. So we should take care of ourselves first, and then do what we can.
Things get philosophically tricky when one considers classic problems such as the meaning of life, as well as how to accept the unacceptable locked-in trajectory of accelerating towards collapse in a world that is arguably delusional, insane, and hellbent on continuing suicidally maladaptive strategies, with the cherry on top of being ostracised as Cassandras always are. Camus’ opinion that suicide is the only serious philosophical question is taken one level higher by collapse awareness.
I think the ultimate answer is traditional: first, accept one’s own mortality. Then, everyone’s. Then, embrace the ancient pragmatical wisdom of simply making the most of a bad situation - always the only sensible strategy. Embrace uncertainty about the future, some whimsicality and gallows humour, practice gratitude, focus on the positives at least half the time, get off the hedonistic treadmill, be kind to people and animals, and indulge in fantasies of torturing the psychologic and evil elites to death in ways so legendarily horrendous the witnessing of it imprints itself deep into the onlooker’s DNA, so that we might biologically evolve in a positive direction and avoid this shit happening again to people of the future. One can dream, right?
Very much felt every word of this. Jessica Wildfire's new project for the collapse-aware has been putting wind back in my sails of late -- sharing in case it would be helpful to you too. Solidarity 🤜🤛
https://www.the-sentinel-intelligence.net/project-c/
Two things are coming up for me in response to this thoughtful article.
One: Thunberg didn't pivot away from climate crisis. There's a massive climate crisis in Gaza.
Two: Crisis fatigue is so much worse if you try to do this life alone. Rugged individualism is a scourge for mental health. Feeling alone is an important sign to pay attention to. Find caring community and learn both how to be supported and how to support others. It's a balm to the soul like nothing else.
Ah, yes -- I totally agree that the Gaza genocide is very much linked to climate change. I guess what I meant is that her primary focus as an activist seems to have become stopping the bloodshed in that region. I don't see her leading huge protests against climate apathy, etc. these days. But am I missing something? I mentioned this to a friend in the climate movement, and he seemed to agree that Greta has shifted her focus (again, not at all a criticism of her!) -- but he might be wrong, too!!
Totally agree about the importance of not doing it alone. Sadly, many of us are very much part of the loneliness pandemic that's spread across the Western world, thanks to capitalism and secularization (according to Fay Bound Alberti: https://www.google.fr/books/edition/A_Biography_of_Loneliness/ZmmtDwAAQBAJ?hl=en&gbpv=0). I "comfort" myself in saying: "Well, this is just the human condition in our contemporary world -- it is what it is. People are atomized, isolated, and encouraged to see others in purely transactional terms. So it goes. I hope it's somehow better for future generations!" :-/
I have often wondered if Thunberg is being strategic or if she has completely shifted focus. I can’t say for sure. But I do know that, for me, whenever I see her in Gaza movement spaces, her presence reminds me of the manufactured climate disaster in Gaza. Like I’m seeing with so many over movements, the focus on Gaza does seem to be a helpful illustration to expose and articulate many of the biggest problems around the world. All liberation movements are, ultimately, connected.
When it comes to remembering to do this in community, I think it’s our duty to remind each other constantly. There are few voices encouraging us to do things together, because of course it’s a neoliberal tactic to divide us and isolate us so that we stay small and powerless. Each time somebody pops into a conversation with a tiny nudge to remember to lean into community, the truth is that nudge could be the ONLY nudge people are hearing in a given day, week, or month. Or ever, unfortunately. Let’s all shout it from the rooftops and maybe people will hear.
Regarding depth vs breadth: I try (tried) th T-shape: dig really deep in one area to know ho it's done, how it feels, then go broad - assume that others are deep into what I only know at the surface.
I experience crisis fatigue pretty much every day. Have been for years. What keeps me going and gives me hope is showing up for my young adult kid and her friends, young people badly need elders who are willing and able to look the polycrisis in the face and not turn to sticking their heads in the sand, waxing nostalgic about how things used to be, or shrugging their shoulders and saying, “well you kids will have to figure out clean up the mess”. We olds don’t have to have all the answers, just being able to be there and listen to their concerns and offer whatever help, encouragement and support we can means a great deal to young people. I am lucky to have a couple of really great like-minded friends who are figuring out their own ways to live through these times meaningfully. It’s hard to stay in the dumps in the middle of the Rockies so I try to “get high” and head up to about 10,000ft for a hike regularly, it really helps regain perspective. The mountains 🏔️ were here before us and will be here long after we are all gone and I find that oddly comforting.
The hikes sound amazing! I am _very much_ hoping to spend at least two months in the Swiss Alps each year now that I'm in Europe -- very salubrious to walk through the pines and smell the fresh air in the shadow of snowcapped mountains. I also completely agree about being there for younger generations. That is something I take quite seriously, and I hope to be a source of strength, comfort, and perhaps even inspiration for my niece and nephew once they grow a bit older. Thanks so much for this response!
Dera Emile - regarding swiss alps, please contact me for a way to support you there (CHF)
You’re so welcome! Young people need not just parents but “cool aunties and uncles” like you in their lives, and the benefits are mutual. I am constantly amazed at how my kid will have a perspective on a problem/issue that never even occurred to me and just cuts through the confusion of my ingrained mental habits. I have gotten in the habit of asking “what do you think about this?” when I have a dilemma and the discussion itself is so worthwhile and stretches my thinking into new places. It also gives young people the understanding that their perspectives and ideas are in fact valuable in a world run by adults who often brush them aside, ridicule and dismiss them (see Greta Thunberg haters). Enjoy those Alps! I’m no climber 🧗 but even an easy hike at altitude really shifts the mind into a different place. ❤️
Crisis fatigue is no joke. The best thing I’ve found to counteract it is to find the good in humanity, mostly through humor. Seeing how genuinely funny and creative humans can be is what keeps me sane in this illogical timeline. Mostly this is through reels, sketches, etc. It’s also refreshing that humor can connect people in a positive way, and this is what brings me hope.
100%, Dr. Morgan!! I've said on many occasions that comedy is, imo, the most potent antidote to the relentless awfulness of the world. :-) I genuinely think that comedians play an extremely important role in society -- keeping us sane, and safe from despair, by making light of the absurdity of it all. (Colbert has said before that -- or something like -- he sees his role as reminding his audience that they're sane.) :-0 Thanks for this comment, and hope you're doing well!
You note that: “One cannot know more than a minuscule fragment of what is known.”
True, but I wouldn’t sweat it because what is known is only a minuscule fragment of what is knowable. So we humans are actually only a teensy bit less ignorant than we were 1,000 years ago.
That paper you reference about the world being relentlessly awful (“Do We Live In Hell?”) is interesting and I’ve made a note to read it when I have more time. I’m wondering if I’ll have the same reaction as I did to chapter 4 of Ray Kurzweil’s The Singularity Is Nearer, in which he tries to do exactly the opposite and tally how great everything is. I was like, “Yeah, Ray, good point but…” the whole way through because he was really only looking at half the picture. Anyway…
I need to get back to my day job but one thing that keeps me going is my hope that Mother Nature will soon catch up with Trump and spare the world three more years of this. I mean, the dude is almost 80 and clearly in mental and physical decline…
So there’s that, and then there’s also the Serenity Prayer which reminds me to just worry about the tiny amount of the universe I have a tiny amount of control over.
Please do let me know what you think of that article -- "Do We Live in Hell?" It was written two years ago, and really needs to be updated. Hopefully I'll have time for that in the coming weeks.
Re: what is knowable, I think I agree. But "knowability" introduces a really interesting (imo, at least) point about the limits of the human mind -- about what folks like Chomsky (ugh!) call "cognitive closure." (Another philosopher, Colin McGinn, wrote a fascinating book on this -- but McGinn got #metoo-ed for bad behavior, fyi!) It could be that what is knowable to the human mind, in principle, is itself only a small fraction of the universe. Just as dogs can't comprehend concepts like "nuclear chain reaction" and "spacetime," so too might there be all sorts of phenomena in the universe that our minds can never -- ever -- comprehend. So: perhaps there is a lot more that humans have yet to discover/know; but even with a billion years of science, there may still be a great deal that we won't know about the universe, because such features of the universe are fundamentally unknowable. Does that make sense? Sorry for rambling about this -- I just find the issue you brought up extremely interesting!
All of that said, it still seems significant that what any one of us can know is a tiny fraction of what is currently known. That's because it implies that no single person could ever be competent enough to actually understand the world we've created -- and if we can't understand it, then how can we control it (i.e., competently navigate the ship of civilization)?
My apologies if I haven't articulated these points clearly enough! What do you think? What do you disagree about? :-) Thanks so much for your comment!
Thanks Emile, that cognitive closure idea is fascinating [even if the phrase did come from an unfortunate source :) ]. In my opinion, one of the moral effects of such fundamental unknowability is that it should foster a profound sense of humility in all of us. (I was in a grad school class once and someone remarked that he was an atheist, and the professor responded: "That assumes you have a tremendous amount of knowledge!") Anyway, for me, this sense of humility (stemming from our fundamental lack of knowledge) leads to hope. If we ultimately know so little then our predications about the future must be extremely speculative and, therefore, there are a vast range of possibilities before us.
This all ties back to a lot of your writing lately (i.e., the problem of how we remain hopeful in such dark times). It does seem pretty safe to say that 2026 is going to be a really bad year but, the again, none of us really knows. Or what'll comes after in 2027, etc. All I know for sure is that there is awful lot of destruction going on right now. As for what comes of it, who know? Something good could very well grow out of the rubble.
Anyway, thanks for your reply and I will definitely let you know what I think of "Do We Live In Hell". Cheers.
PS. I thought this article was fine as a single piece.
Alright, this is gonna be a long one so stay with me.
I think I have suffered from crisis fatigue, even if I didn't know what it was. It's like the saying, "Can this day get any worse?". After a while it gets annoying. Like a few days ago, when Trump sent (if I remember correctly) Delta Force operatives into Vennezuela to kidnapped Maduro, I saw that at 2 in the morning! I woke up, dazed and tired, and checked my phone for notifications. It was then I saw a Gmail notif from the NY-Times, so I opened it and I saw what I mentioned previously. I read it, sighed, then put my phone down and went back to bed.
I mean, it just keeps getting more annoying: I have a convict I didn't vote for as my President, who acts like a literal child on X or Truth Social or whatever, trying to turn a country (that I sometimes dislike but is still my home) into a weird Christian-Fascist nation while making us the laughingstock of the world. Said world is also going through Climate Change which is also bad, as well as many dictatorships, civil-wars, anf genocides that the average American isn't even aware about. Oh and also, I'm unfortunately aware of techno-cultists trying to take over the world while still trying to claim that their dumb-autocorrect machines are gonna turn into God or something.
And even with all that, I also have crisis fatigue in my own life: My Mother potentially losing food-stamps or healthcare, Trump potentially trying in the future to get rid of some of my college grants like he tried to do months ago, and me trying to figure out how exactly I'm going to make it in America when I graduate in 2 years. It's a lot, and sometimes it can feel too much.
So what does give me hope, you ask me Emile? I don't know. I guess I just generally like being happy. Of course I worry and I actively want change for the better, I'm not just some Ultra-Optimist. One thing that does help, and I guess gives me hope, is that I'm not alone in knowing about these things. I mean when I first started reading you I quickly became a fan because not only did I agree with many things you talked about, but because you were talking about things that I felt many didn't. Take AI for instance, I thought everyone was a total Doomer or Hypester, but then I read you and quickly found other like you. And that helped a lot,
It may not be much, but it does help knowing that there are lots of us out there who are at least aware of the problems, and we talk about them and potential solutions among other things. In a way you could say it's like a little resistance, in a world (or at least country) that feels so anti-intellectual.
Yeah that's all I got. Sorry for being so long-winded :)
I love these comments. Have you, by chance, seen my article on living a good life in a bad world? Absolutely zero obligation to read, of course -- just thought it might potentially be useful: https://www.realtimetechpocalypse.com/p/pursuing-a-good-life-in-a-bad-world.
Here's something I wrote above, which might also be somewhat relevant:
"I'm reminded of something that Douglas Rushkoff said in a talk of his that I attended: our job now is to keep a light on; to carry on the flame of kindness and compassion into whatever era comes next.
Another thing comes to mind: if one is dealing with mental health issues right now, given the state of the world, that's in a peculiar sense a good thing: the sign of a _healthy mind_! You should worry if you _aren't_ reacting negatively to all the atrocities and scandals going on!"
Re: your claim that you just like being happy: one of the strangest things that happened to me was becoming a rather pessimistic person over the past several years. This pessimism sharply contrasts with the fact that I am, by nature and disposition, a very cheerful person!! I'm almost always smiling, and I never pass up an opportunity to share a laugh with someone. Consistent with the post I linked to above, I am determined to continue being a cheerful person, no matter how bad things get. Indeed, the worse things get, the more important levity and cheer become! Anyways, I feel your struggle, and really appreciate you sharing these thoughts. :-)
I think the question of hope is essential. For me, it comes from reading thinkers who don’t deny suffering or rush past it, and then actually integrating what they say.
Victor Frankl reminds me that meaning isn’t erased by crisis.
"In some way, suffering ceases to be suffering at the moment it finds a meaning, such as the meaning of a sacrifice."
Carl Rogers reminds me that self-acceptance is the basis for real connection, both with others and with oneself. “When the other person is hurting, confused, troubled, anxious, alienated, terrified; or when he or she is doubtful of self-worth, uncertain as to identity, then understanding is called for. The gentle and sensitive companionship of an empathic stance… provides illumination and healing. In such situations deep understanding is, I believe, the most precious gift one can give to another.”
Both remind me of what it means to be a human.
"Rational ignorance" definitely describes the collective response to the ongoing Covid pandemic. Some of the most intelligent people I know, people who are usually intrigued by and motivated to dig into data, will instantly become angerballs, ostriches, or children putting their hands over their ears and singing "la la la!!!" when the subject comes up. When I hit my limit of exposure to what seems like such destructive and harmful idiocy, I reread this.
https://www.donotpanic.news/p/staring-at-the-tsunami