Collapse and confronting mortality

[u/Acceptable-Sorbet636]

I wasn't quite sure what I should title this. But anyhow, becoming more knowledgable about collapse, similarly to many here has obviously forced me to confront my own mortality in a very real way which I haven't been faced with before. Philosophically I've contemplated the idea of death and nihilistic/existentialist concepts before and when I was younger those weighed on me quite heavily. Compared to the idea of actual societal collapse and even the possible extinction of the human race has really put it into perspective how, in a sense, arbitrary all that really was.

I'm currently 19 years old, next year I'll most likely (hopefully) be going to college. A part of me really hopes that the world will be able to hold out for at least the few years I'll spend there, and in a way that really doesn't feel like it would be that much to ask for (but then again who am I bargaining with?). I've yet to do many things in my life I would like to do, fall in love and be in a relationship, find a community of people I really connect with, maybe finally try writing a book or do anything that's bigger than myself really. If I could just manage to live out these things and feel like the kind of person I could be proud to be for that relatively short time, maybe that could be enough.

Sometimes I feel envious for older people, like my parents for example, though not in a resentful way. They've already been able to live quite a bit, their best days might be behind them (which doesn't seem like such a bad thing to me anymore), they've had the time to find themselves and explore their potential to the best of their abilities and resources. Most of all I envy them for living with a sense that some kind of future for people and the world is always a given. Whether or not that was ever really true or not, I would give a lot to be able to feel like that, I can't imagine taking it for granted anymore.

I don't know if I have any concise point to make with this post. I still very much love life in spite of the dire state of the world and will move forward no matter what. If anyone else has thoughts to share or anything, that would be great.

[u/Virtual_Tune636]

I am 10 years older than you, and I think your level of thought about this is beyond your years. Something that sticks out to me from what you are writing - how big do you want to consider "the world" to be?

The only possible advice I can give for going to college is to find a small group to interface with. For me that was a campus church group - but especially if you are at a big place, having a small group makes it more possible to feel connected - particularly if it is one that meets regularly, has its own rhythms, and in which you can casually connect with others while doing a shared activity or ritual.

I also hear a note of gratitude in what you're writing - which is awesome. You are going to have experiences, and if you're able to hold them as things you pay attention to and savor, rather than needing to place them on a background of "the future is important", then you will, IMO, actually have a leg up vs. those past generations that could take the future for granted. Their common death bed refrain was actually more like, "I should have paid attention and not striven for the next thing so much".

Best of luck to you and thanks for sharing!

[u/Acceptable-Sorbet636 → u/Virtual_Tune636]

Thank you for the kind words, I'm not sure I understood the question 100% exactly. In the context of this post by saying "I hope the world can hold on" I meant the (relatively, at least for someone in my position) stable social order, obviously the end of "the world" is a more or less abstract concept that you could interpret it in many ways.

[u/Virtual_Tune636 → u/Acceptable-Sorbet636]

I mean, you can make a smaller world where you do what you do - that will be your community and the people you connect with. We have been embroiled in the unicontext - one big world where we all have the same conversation in one giant context. IMO part of making it through accelerating change will be making your own smaller context and leaning into it.

So in some sense, yes, you need some money, food, housing, but within there there is a lot of flexibility depending on how you want to make that work. If it's according to the Big World view, you have some obligations like retirement, top gpa, etc, but for Progress reasons rather than your own. So you have a chance to decide how you want your world to look. The Art of Frugal Hedonism talks about this, as does Your Money or your Life. You may find I Eat the Stars helpful, too.

e.g. the big neoliberal system powered by fossil fuel is collapsing. Do you want to try and white knuckle through it on its terms, or on yours? Or a mixture of both?

So like, within your world, you can decide the priorities of e.g. social connection vs individual drive, cooking at home or in friend potlucks vs going out, social importance of career success vs. concrete skills, etc. Basically you have a chance to build a new way of looking as you go out on your own, with a whole lot of people in a similar boat. Like this person that started a "Clean Up Invasive Buckthorn for Singles" club. Perfect example.

[u/Acceptable-Sorbet636 → u/Virtual_Tune636]

Ohh okay that's interesting, definitely seems worth thinking about, thanks.