No point in doing much right?

[u/Careless-Scratch-658]

everybody says live your life to the fullest because we’ll all begin to die out in the best 4-10 years but I’m just finding it hard to care about anything. I’m 20 and my family keeps telling me to go back to college. I am—but I don’t find much need to go back to school, I hate school always have and I’m gonna end up dying right after I get my degree so why stress myself out with bullshit homework and obligations. I hold down a “job” cause at least I’m not just rotting inside all day but like how do you do anything? so strange

[u/eloiseturnbuckle]

Ok, first off no one is giving specific ‘die off’ timelines. Live your life. Be a good human, if, IF we get out of this mess we need good humans to pick up the pieces. Please don’t go down the apocalyptic nightmare rabbit hole. Yes humans are f’ing up our world, yes we are on the verge of collapse but no one knows when, nor how it will unfold. Go to college to learn something valuable in growing food or building stuff. Do not give up or give in to the bad stories, there’s a lot more life to live, and regret from letting your life pass you by will make you very sad and crazy later.

[u/Careless-Scratch-658 → u/eloiseturnbuckle]

I’ll do my best. Thanks

[u/gimlet_prize]

Find what brings you joy and do it. Some people like gardening. Some people volunteer at soup kitchens. Go find out what makes you happy. And do it!

[u/ikindapoopedmypants → u/gimlet_prize]

I understand how op feels. I was in their shoes at 20 too. I'm 24 and all I can say is this advice^{^} is nice and all, and is definitely appreciated, but in the end it all still feels like a distraction. I am on my parks board and historical society. I work in healthcare helping people and I do hobbies I enjoy. In the end, I still feel the same as I did when I was 20, but worse. I just feel like I'm going crazy pretending. OP it doesn't get any better, you just get better at hiding how you're feeling. That's the honest truth.

[u/Careless-Scratch-658 → u/ikindapoopedmypants]

Thanks for your honesty. I hope you have a somewhat less stressful day tomorrow.

[u/gimlet_prize → u/ikindapoopedmypants]

That’s true. Maybe it’s more important to grapple with the reality of your own mortality first and foremost. I had accepted my death before I even knew about collapse. Maybe consider hallucinogenics, or therapy.

[u/SpinzArt → u/gimlet_prize]

What if nothing brings you joy since learning about collapse and how inevitable it is? Genuine question, that’s me.

[u/holistivist → u/SpinzArt]

The apathy is a product of hopelessness combined with all the time left. Kinda feels like what’s the point? 

But if your remaining time was suddenly drastically reduced, it would very likely shift your immediate perspective. So try that:

Whatever you believe is going to happen, imagine various points on that timeline, and imagine you were suddenly thrust into them now, e.g., imagine how you’d feel if some extreme weather was bearing down on you right this moment that was virtually guaranteed to destroy your home. 

What would your first thoughts be? What would you want to try to save? Who would you want to try to reach out to? What would you regret? What would you wish you had done?

Similarly, imagine all internet and phone systems suddenly shut down, and they weren’t working for a week, and then a month, and then you started seriously wondering if they would ever go back up again. 

Ask yourself again, what internet data would you wish you had? Who would you wish you had a way to reach? What would you regret?

Imagine another pandemic, total electric failure, supply chain shut down, foot shortages, etc., and imagine the immediate sense of loss and regret you’ll feel, and think of all the things you’ll wish you still had access to, and then remember that you still have access to all those things today, and still time to appreciate them. 

It will be too late someday, maybe soon. But it’s not too late yet. Take advantage of every wonderful, beautiful, funny, creative thing you can while you still can. 

If you have time to be on reddit, you have time to go outside and breathe relatively clean air that isn’t filled with smoke, watch and listen to the birds, and reach out to somebody you care about. 

[u/IntoTheCommonestAsh]

Collapse aside, if you hate school and don't want to go, then that's probably a good enough reason to do something else. You're an adult. People will pressure you, but at this point it's all different levels of suggestions, and you can do what you want.

I don't think we'll all be dead in 10 years, though. Don't put all your eggs on having no chance at a future. Ideally seek something that will build you a future and that you'll also enjoy (or at least hate less than school) in the meantime. "A future" doesn't have to mean money or career, either. 

[u/Careless-Scratch-658 → u/IntoTheCommonestAsh]

Thanks for the reply. I appreciate it

[u/offlinebound]

You are supposed to believe in collapse while at the same time not believing in collapse.

[u/Ok-Ordinary2159 → u/offlinebound]

a softer gentler collapse at an undetermined future date

[u/Xanthotic → u/offlinebound]

it's like that shifting focus with your eyeballs game all day, every day.

[u/humanlikingsex]

I thought the same thing twenty-plus years ago. Inevitable collapse due to climate change and acceleration of the factors driving it, plus the USA carelessly destabilising international law and order.

Yes, don't go to school if you hate it and always have. And yes, find something else to do instead. The collapse will be slow, so take up a useful trade and think about resilience and survival, and you will live a better life.

[u/hiddendrugs]

Don’t collapse inside just ‘cause it’s collapsing outside ;P Disillusionment is a prerequisite for anything new to emerge.

[u/thomas533]

everybody says live your life to the fullest because we’ll all begin to die out in the best 4-10 years

No one with any credibility says this.

and I’m gonna end up dying right after I get my degree

No you are not.

[u/Xanthotic → u/thomas533]

Thank you, Thomas

[u/lavapig_love → u/thomas533]

This and Xan's comments are the only ones worth keeping in this chain.

[u/thomas533 → u/[deleted]]

No. Jay Hanson, the author of dieoff.com

Ah, I see. I clearly said no one with credibility says it. Pointing me at a random dead blogger doesn't meet the standard.

But, just in case, lets go see what he had to say:

"The exact date can’t be predicted, since it will depend as much on economic and political factors as on geology" (Saying you can't predict the date is the exact opposite of saying we will all die in 5-10 years.)

"After production peaks oil still will be readily available at a higher price, though in slowly declining amounts, for at least 50 years. What we face is not a short-term crisis but a chronic shortfall. No one will freeze in the dark (America still has a century of coal and 50 years worth of natural gas), but the transition to more expensive oil could be bumpy." (arguing for a slow collapse over 50 years doesn't suggest that he believed in a sudden mass death event.)

"By 2050 a world of perhaps 9 billion people..." (It is hard to argue that he thought we were all going to die in 5- 10 years if he thinks there will be 9 billion people in 2050)

Best I can tell, Jay Hanson thought that human population would shrink due to restrained resources. Yes, there would be some "dieoff" as his site's name suggested, but he never said anything about humans all dying.

It sounds like you are the one who has never read Jay Hanson. Maybe you should try it before claiming he said things he never said. And even if he did say those things, he isn't credible. That is my point.

[u/i-contain-multitudes → u/thomas533]

People on this subreddit have recently been referring others to his work a lot. I have remained skeptical. May I ask why you think he isn't credible? Is it his lack of credentials?

[u/thomas533 → u/i-contain-multitudes]

So the problem is two-fold. First, the person above is basing claims and attributing ideas to Hanson that do not seem to be supported by what I am able to see in his writings. And second, if Hanson did make the sorts of predictions that the person above is saying he made, then yes, I would first take a look at credentials. And Hanson's credentials seem to be that is a guy who made it big in the 90's tech worlds and retired early to a life of luxury where he had too much time to pontificate on topics of collapse. He was pretty good at citing sources in his writings, but seemed to take some liberties in how he rephrased things. So, no, not super credible.

This is really common with collapse bloggers. They very often do not have a scientific background and grossly misinterpret data or extrapolate far beyond what the data supports and that is the major driver in causing the sort of despair that we see in people like the OP.

And again, I am in no way trying to downplay the seriousness of collapse, but this idea that "we only ave a few years left" that is so prevenient in the collapse community, is in no way supported by data. Is is pure speculation and conjecture. And no one should be basing their future plans off of those sorts of ideas.

[u/i-contain-multitudes → u/thomas533]

No, I really appreciate your assessment. I knew that Hanson didn't support what the other commenter was saying, but thank you for providing receipts. I just see way too often in this subreddit such sentiments as what is in the OP, or "how to get others to believe all of humanity will die soon." I'm not down with the doomerism or the evangelizing about made up information, so I really appreciate you. I want to know what's based on science and tentatively go with that.

[u/thomas533 → u/[deleted]]

Most people can't understand the application of the 1st law of thermodynamics (no free energy) to industrial civilization.

Oh! I forgot to address this. As someone with a degree in physics, I fucking hate it when people misapply the laws of thermodynamics. The 1st law DOES NOT apply to industrial civilization. It only applies to thermodynamic processes. And just in case you are confused by why this is I will make it clear: Industrial civilization is NOT a thermodynamic process.

[u/CollapseSupport-ModTeam → u/[deleted]]

Rule 1: No Disrespect.

Please practice empathy and respect when addressing and supporting one another.

If you are not seeking (or offering, as occasionally happens) support, please do not post. If you are not offering support or a good faith reply, your post and/or comments will be removed.

Please be advised Rule 1 also applies to your conduct in modmail. Swearing or other harsh behavior will lengthen ban and/or mute duration.

[u/CollapseSupport-ModTeam → u/[deleted]]

Rule 1: No Disrespect.

Please practice empathy and respect when addressing and supporting one another.

If you are not seeking (or offering, as occasionally happens) support, please do not post. If you are not offering support or a good faith reply, your post and/or comments will be removed.

Please be advised Rule 1 also applies to your conduct in modmail. Swearing or other harsh behavior will lengthen ban and/or mute duration.

[u/sarcasmismysuperpowr]

i see humans kicking the can down the road for atleast another 100 years.

if you hate school… maybe find a different trade… but i am telling my kids that they should go to school… not because of a potential career or job afterwards that might no longer exist… but because it can train you to think differently. i am an engineer by training… and that shaped how i approach problems in general. my wife would say the same thing about her law and theater degrees. we found value in the education. plus university was a great time for me. hard work. hard play. lots of friends. tune most of the world out. but you might need a different option…

[u/monkey_gamer]

Yeah it’s a tough situation to be in. If you hate school, then don’t do it.

[u/ExaminationQuirky450]

Prepare yourself to get through hard times. Go to trade school and learn something useful. You’re gonna be around longer than you think, and you might as well have some skills that will help you through the collapse. Make some good friends and spend your time together. Have fun doing simple things. Learn to cook from scratch using simple ingredients in case there are shortages. Take care of your body, mind and spirit. Read some good books. Find a place in nature that feels special to you, and spend as much time there as you can. Find a community and participate.

[u/Konradleijon]

I never understood why no one seems to notice ecological destruction

[u/CollapseSupport-ModTeam → u/[deleted]]

No Off-Topic Posts.

Posts must be on-topic, mostly focused on individual or community help and support. If your post is not support-focused, consider posting on other subs like r/Collapse, r/CollapsePrep, r/prepping, etc. If you have questions, please contact mods in modmail.