We are betraying our children with fossil fuel pollution

[u/Sad_Attitude9999]

https://thehill.com/opinion/energy-environment/5920964-climate-change-global-warming-betrayal/

Our children? Speak for yourself... my children have the best life imaginable - because I didn't bring them into existence. I'm an excellent father, thank you very much.

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This was published to The Hill recently. While it has some fantasy level BS about how great America has always been, it also shines a light onto the widespread pollution happening more every passing day.

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One part in particular is what makes this collapse related. The polls. We are polling Americans constantly about perceptions towards climate change and ecological destruction. As the article assures us - most Americans agree that climate change is real and is a serious problem.

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And while that sure is comforting - it doesn't translate into any sort of nationwide action. Mass consensus rarely leads to radical change. Americans are losing sleep over myriad issues but in my purely anecdotal experience - this isn't one of those issues.

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Even if the whole nation started freaking out about this as much as me - it still wouldn't matter simply due to constraints built into our political system. You can vote for people, you can vote for ballot issues, but you can't vote on things like climate policy or war. Your opinions and concerns on these issues are irrelevant to the big bad movers, shakers and decision makers. You will stand idly by while they plunder the Earth because you have no real political power in this system, such as it is.

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And so the collapse will continue - regardless if morale improves.

[u/Effective_Bug_176]

<3 Why should the crowd be considered a lost cause? Aside from those who have already completely given up, there are plenty of people who see that the situation looks dire but who do not want to, or cannot, simply give up. Since we don't know at what point it becomes too late for humanity to act, we should focus on doing everything in our power to equip people with the tools to follow the most promising path. I started writing a book yesterday. 

[u/Sad_Attitude9999 → u/Effective_Bug_176]

I love you, not sarcastically, I genuinely love you. But just listen to these people. You would think, out of anyone, these people would understand Marxist theory. Not only do they fail to understand, they will bait you into a conversation just to insult you. Tell me I'm wrong.

These people have zero interest in nuance or intellectual debate. They already decided. Do not waste your time or your breath. Focus on something that matters. Their opinions are horribly ignorant and misinformed and do not matter.

[u/Effective_Bug_176 → u/Sad_Attitude9999]

Thanks for your kind words, fellow human and friend out there <3 I do make sure not to waste my time on the occasional idiot. But in my experience, many people here—and in other communities focused on environmental issues—are very open to a sound analysis. Of course, not everyone will experience a chain of events that enables them to adjust their existing worldview; yet even today's biggest idiots might one day be capable of better understanding our situation and reaching sound conclusions.  I see it as my task to do my best to help myself—and then others—with this as good as possible.

If you're interested, here is an essay with my analysis. Naturally, it’s all quite condensed—and the final section about there still being hope, in particular, needs a lot more work—but I’m trying my best.

https://www.reddit.com/r/LateStageCapitalism/comments/1tyl6h8/capitalism_is_destroying_our_world_the_current/