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Summary

The article advocates for maintaining a positive and proactive outlook despite the looming threats of environmental degradation and personal mortality.

Abstract

The author, known for a previous pessimistic piece on environmental issues, reaffirms the dire state of the planet, including climate change, pollution, and nuclear waste. However, they argue that these challenges make it even more crucial to approach each day with optimism, gratitude, and meaningful connections. The article suggests that while we face personal and global "End Times," our response to these inevitable hardships should be one of resilience and joy. It encourages readers to embrace the present, practice gratitude, strengthen relationships, and engage in creative and cultural activities to build a reservoir of wealth that transcends material possessions.

Opinions

The author stands by their previous assertion that humanity has missed the chance to avoid the climate crisis.
Despite the grim environmental outlook, the author insists on the importance of optimism and unity.
The article posits that personal and global catastrophes are inevitable, yet we can choose our response to them.
It emphasizes the importance of gratitude for life's simple pleasures and the ability to meet basic needs.
The author believes that true abundance lies in relationships and community, not material wealth.
The article suggests that engaging in creative acts, such as writing and storytelling, and enjoying cultural experiences can enrich one's life.
The author encourages embracing life's absurdities, like telling jokes and singing off-key, as a way to cope with adversity.
The piece reflects on the human condition, acknowledging that everyone faces loss, disease, and death, but argues that despair is not a constructive response.
It advocates for a collective approach to facing the end of life or the world, suggesting that togetherness can mitigate fear and anxiety.

The Case for Cock-eyed Optimism in a World Going to Hell

Yes, yes I am the same writer who gave the world “Not Going to Make It — And the polar bears are going to have a party”.

And I stand by what I wrote there. We’re trashing the place faster than it can recuperate.

We already know we’ve probably missed the last boat to skip the oncoming climate change crisis and, living in New York City, I marvel at the short-sightedness of the continuation of top dollar construction along a coast that’s going under.

We’ve got about ten million years’ worth of unbiodegradable plastic piling up and let’s not even talk about nuclear waste because you’ll just go home and push the refrigerator against the door. There are God knows how many still-unidentified chemicals building up in our bodies from everything from baby bottles (right?) to saran wrap. And this is just the tip of a very dirty, very old iceberg.

However, if anything, that’s even more reason to get up in the morning, plant a big old smile on your kisser and greet the day with open arms and an open heart. We’re in this together no matter what the tech gazillionaires think as the boy wonders tinker with their rockets and consciousness uploads.

If we’re going down, let’s do it with style, dignity, and tap dancing

There has never been a time in recorded human history when we weren’t preparing ourselves for the End Times. Who knows, maybe we’ll dodge this one, too, but that aside, the fact remains that we’re all facing our own personal apocalypse and no amount of conservation, recycling, or reusing is getting us off that hook.

Every one of us is in for loss, disease, disability, and finally death. There have been twelve people since the beginning of time who have lived wholly disease-free, trouble-free, carefree lives and died peacefully in their sleep surrounded by their loved ones. Chances don’t look good for you or me to join that crowd.

However, we do get to choose how we’re going to face the End

Let’s keep in mind that none of us has a clue what the future holds and, furthermore, not one of us has any idea of the courage, resilience, fortitude, and love we’re capable of until the fertilizer hits the ventilator. We tend to be good in a jam.

Here comes the Mother of All Jams and it’s time to get ready. Brush up on your gratitude remembering that gratitude is a verb. It’s an action. Do you get to sleep in your own bed every night? Isn’t that great!? When you turn on the hot or cold water in your kitchen and your bathroom, do hot or cold water just come pouring out? Wowwww! Were you able to cover this month’s rent or mortgage with enough left over to buy groceries? You are killin’ it!

Get in all the gratitude practice you can because there could be days coming when you got none of that cool stuff in your life. Wasn’t it awesome that you did have that, though?

And the real riches, the place of true abundance in any life is in the relationships. Show some appreciation. Listen. Ask for help and then accept it graciously. Buy someone flowers when they’re not expecting anything. Do the dishes even though it’s her night to do them. Read more. Walk more. Sleep in once in a while. Go to the theater or a dance performance. Read to someone or ask them to read to you. This is how to fill up your bank with wealth. You’ll need it when you can’t dress yourself anymore or if the town you live in just fell into a sinkhole. You never know.

Tell dumb jokes. Sing out loud even if you sing off-key. Especially if you sing off-key! Write. Write what you did last night. Makeup stories about what you wish you had done. Invite friends to dinner. None of this is new. You’ve heard it all many times before. Hell, you’ve said it many times before.

Remember that Allah allows our camels to be lost in the desert that we may know the joy of finding them again.

No one escapes life unscathed. Just because the world doesn’t come to an end in your lifetime doesn’t mean that your life is not going to come to an end and that end will probably suck. Miring ourselves in despair and hopelessness won’t help anyone and will just make everything worse. Of course, we have every reason to be filled with terror and anxiety.

Let’s link arms and dance down the road to ruin together.

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The Case for Cock-eyed Optimism in a World Going to Hell

Not Going to Make it

And the polar bears are going to have a party

If we’re going down, let’s do it with style, dignity, and tap dancing

However, we do get to choose how we’re going to face the End