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Comment by jbu | Hacker News Reader

I've stopped at Activism. I accept that it's already happening, but how bad it gets is entirely up to us.

I don't get the <throws hands in the air>It's just a done deal, back to netflix</> attitude, and prefer the 'Hey, our generation(s) have a task, let's get it done' one.

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It is on purpose. The "we are fucked, nothing to be done" narrative is another weapon in the propaganda arsenal for fossil fuel producers. And it works on a lot of people.

Climate change is continuous. 1.6 degrees is worse than 1.5. 2.2 degrees is worse than 2.1. Every ton of CO2 reduced improves the situation. This is true regardless of the harm already caused.

With loose reference to your handle: "it can't happen here"

Short of running for office, I just don’t really feel that my actions can affect anything. I will choose green options when available, I pay for an energy supplier that claims to be 100% renewable powered, I don’t have a car, I haven’t flown in years, I eat mostly vegetarian, but at the end of the day all this really does is slightly assuage my guilty conscience.

I’m not convinced activism is much more effective - everyone hates extinction rebellion every time they block a highway and politicians get points for saying they’ll stop it happening again. It really feels like the only real way a single person can make a difference is by running for office, and I would be a terrible politician.

It sounds like you are doing a lot in your personal life. Well done!

Don't be so quick to disempower yourself. Everyone has something they can do (you're already doing a lot). Even just talking about it is extremely important (https://www.ted.com/talks/katharine_hayhoe_the_most_importan...)

FWIW there was a good comment piece in nature recently about activism. Summary thread: https://twitter.com/ThierryAaron/status/1564276454904430596 . There was another study - can't find it now :( that showed that actions from Insulate Britain (blocking roads) were effective.

If you don't believe in protest, keep in mind that it isn't the only form of activism which is possible. You might look around your local community and ask, "if the worst comes to pass, what will we need to survive?" Can you help tend a community garden so that there's local food production if food becomes scarce? Can you learn about your local environment and ways you might find water if there are shortages? Can you learn to maintain the machinery necessary to sustain human life?

No individual makes any real difference. But collectively we all do. I've learned over the last many years that few people get convinced or motivated by preaching, but living the life shows it can be done and leads by example.

Please keep on keeping on, we can't let up.

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