Or: Life in a Post-Hope World.

Recently, I've been watching quite a few videos by this guy named Doobie (his birth name is, seemingly, Jonathan... How Doobie arises from Jonathan, I don't know) and, to put it bluntly, it's depressing. However, it's depressing in a hopeful sort of way, you know? It's hard to put this feeling into words.

His general take is that it is impossible to stop the inevitable -- and, by his estimate, imminent -- demise of our current way of life (meaning the way of life of abundance and convenience that is assured in the industrialised global North). I, for one, agree. I don't think the collapse of civilisation that he seems to think is fast approaching will ever come to pass, but I do think that a lot of what he's saying has some truth to it. Moreover, and perhaps most importantly, I agree with him that a lot of what we do, nowadays -- this environment of overabundance, exploitation and overextraction of natural resources, excess convenience -- is harmful to us all, as a species, as communities of individuals, and as individuals.

I think, though, that this sort of mentality is actually quite productive. One might think that thinking that there is nothing that can be done to avoid catastrophe would be paralysing, but actually it fills me with a weird sort of energy; I feel like I should aim to do the things I want to do.

If doom is guaranteed, then the path of bliss seems all the more appealing. I guess.

Regardless, it makes me want to write.

I wore my jeans again today.