> ... I know this sounds melodramatic, but I think we've witnessed something unprecedented in our shared culture: the wholesale abandonment of progress as a governing narrative. Where we used to tell ourselves stories about systems that could be reformed, institutions that could be redeemed, and problems that could be solved, we now traffic almost exclusively in a paradigm of decay, capture, and inevitable disappointment.
Yes, this new reality is grim; many countries (including the US) are sliding more into autocracy every day. One can look at this and say "we have lost so much". _And_ we can look at this and say "look at how much we have to do". Both points of view are valid and probably necessary, but I find the latter to be more motivational.
I strive to operate from a position of no expectations. Just reality. There is nothing we are owed. There is nothing guaranteed. We have to strive.
Our generation has a long struggle ahead. Even if you didn't live through World War II or the Cold War, your ancestors did. They found a way to survive and move ahead. So can we.
Doing the best we can in life does _not_ have to be coupled with a rosy outlook for the future. I've been in this kind of mental space for many years. It is uncomfortable at first, but there is no law of the universe that says our life has to be easy. There are no guarantees that:
1. Your economic prospects will match (much less exceed) your parents.
2. American society will go on the way we want it to.
3. If/when super intelligent AI arrives, it will not kill us all.
4. Climate change will be ok.
And so on. We can choose to go on anyway, this is a test of our character and resolve.
I'm not being melodramatic; this is a pretty dry summary of my views.
There is a silver lining; if you want a life of purpose, this is a great time to live. If you read philosophers who explore happiness, two aspects often show up: the importance of human connection and goals bigger than oneself.
I guess it’s probably clear to reasonable people but the implicit context to this whole article is “…in America.” Not that these problems don’t exist elsewhere. I definitely sense similar threats in Canada. But compared to America it’s day and night… for now.
My one hope is that by lagging behind America’s decline, maybe we’ll witness the consequences of this path and manage to turn away from it in time.
Yes, this new reality is grim; many countries (including the US) are sliding more into autocracy every day. One can look at this and say "we have lost so much". _And_ we can look at this and say "look at how much we have to do". Both points of view are valid and probably necessary, but I find the latter to be more motivational.
I strive to operate from a position of no expectations. Just reality. There is nothing we are owed. There is nothing guaranteed. We have to strive.
Our generation has a long struggle ahead. Even if you didn't live through World War II or the Cold War, your ancestors did. They found a way to survive and move ahead. So can we.
Doing the best we can in life does _not_ have to be coupled with a rosy outlook for the future. I've been in this kind of mental space for many years. It is uncomfortable at first, but there is no law of the universe that says our life has to be easy. There are no guarantees that:
1. Your economic prospects will match (much less exceed) your parents.
2. American society will go on the way we want it to.
3. If/when super intelligent AI arrives, it will not kill us all.
4. Climate change will be ok.
And so on. We can choose to go on anyway, this is a test of our character and resolve.
I'm not being melodramatic; this is a pretty dry summary of my views.
There is a silver lining; if you want a life of purpose, this is a great time to live. If you read philosophers who explore happiness, two aspects often show up: the importance of human connection and goals bigger than oneself.
My one hope is that by lagging behind America’s decline, maybe we’ll witness the consequences of this path and manage to turn away from it in time.