This was great! I've been encouraged by how this type of thinking is becoming more common. Instead of only focusing on individual effort or structural change, we do both because it's all necessary and all interconnected.
YES! I feel that over the past decade-ish, people have shifted away from individual effort in favor of pushing for structural change (ie "oil companies are responsible for far more carbon emissions than any of us normal folk are, so I don't need to change my habits). This is all well and good in theory, but structural change takes forever to achieve, so in the meantime we're really not moving the needle. I'm glad that more people are beginning to realize we can do both.
Loved this one, Adrianna, especially the part about spite. Everything I do lately is out of spite! I'm convinced spite is at least 75% of how I'm going to survive the next couple years lol
I think this sentiment is very important, and I'm glad I read it. I think societally this defeatist attitude has permiated for years and has kind of lulled us into acceptance and passivity. "That's their problem," "The next generation will fix it," etc. Its inspiring to hear ideas similar to my own and it all adds up.
Thank you so much for saying that! I get that we're all exhausted, but it certainly doesn't inspire hope for change if everyone accepts defeat before even trying to achieve something else.
I loved this article and it totally encapsulates my thoughts re: doomsaying. I've always had a hard time communicating with the "well, nothing will change any way, so why should I?" people but this gave me a new perspective. Thanks for sharing!
I really appreciate you sharing this! I've had a similarly tough time handling those conversations, and I'm glad this piece could help me work out why. Glad you liked it too :)
In time-machine stories if you make a tiny change like stepping on cockroach or moving an object in the past, you completely change the future. Why don’t we think that small actions we do today won’t change our future as well?
Individualistic tendencies are a feature, not a bug of capitalism. When we don’t see that we’re a small part of a whole, we forget how powerful we can be. Moreover, if you’re feeling overwhelmed at everything that needs to be done, remember, you can’t fight every fight, but you should fight one.
Great article; I liked the reference to climate change issues not being addressed due to mere apathy when previously the issue was outright disbelief. Every movement has a large group of nihilistic/apathetic/etc fence-sitters, but that is a pretty stark and specific example! Really drives the point home.
Thank you so much Samantha! I think about that fact all the time - that disbelief in the power of action is enough to hold us back. I'm glad I could share it with someone else 🥹
Oh I LOVE this article, Adrianna. It might be my favorite of yours so far. The powers in capitalism WANT consumers to think they’re small and their impact for change is minimal. Our apathy and lack of belief in ourselves and our impact is the downfall of the world around us. Even by doing little good things, that is still so much good that wasn’t in the world before.
This made my day, thank you :') And yes, I 1000% agree! At the very least, I'd like to know that when I had the opportunity to make someone's day or improve someone's life, I took that opportunity. What else are we here for? Why should we give up on that just because some people are wildly selfish?
I don’t know how the Substack algorithm works or how this post found its way to my feed on this particular day, but I know that this is EXACTLY what I needed to read today to pull the nose up on my doom spiral. I feel in my heart that the little things I do — trying to reduce waste in my one, tiny little house, biking instead of driving when I can, planting native flowers in my garden, growing some vegetables in my little garden, choosing consciously, telling my children why we make the choices we do so they can think critically about it and be good grown ups — has to add up to something, even if I’m a teeny tiny micro inside a great, big macro. Thank you for the little nudge I needed to keep at it and channel my inner earthworm. 🌎💚
It really made my day that you shared this, thank you 😭 I promise that those little things add up. Think about how gray the world would be without them! Think about how all of the people who get to meet your children as they grow will feel how empathetic they are!
I love this. Just this Sunday, I organized a sign-a-ton to stop the construction of a highway over the local city river that would damage many ecosystems. I think if we all act in ways that help our current environment, get involved in local activities, we can all cooperatively make a difference. It is easy to get lost in the global news cycles and let despair submerge us in inaction. Try acting local first, you'll see your power is greater than you imagine!
i’ve been swinging back and forth between the doom-thinking of it all and the notion that every small positive action matters. thank you for reminding me that each good thing we do, no matter how small is still so important. today, i decide to be an earthworm. relentless in its pursuit of chewing away at the bad bit by bit.
Thank you so much for leaving this note! I totally understand what that pendulum feels like, but I think we can find a healthy place in the middle that inspires action without deluding us into thinking everything's fine. One little munch of dirt at a time, hehe
Aw yay! worms getting some love. LOVE WORMS🪱🪱🪱(& this post in general!). I read a really good book dedicated to Worms last month. Not at home, & it's very niche so can't find online, but will forwards info another time.
Thank you for sharing! Such an inspirational message. I loved this paragraph in particular:
"Here, Zimov efficiently encapsulates yet another issue with doomsaying: by giving up on practicing good, you’re denying yourself, your community, and your planet the opportunity to experience a positive outcome. If you practice good, there’s at least a chance that your unhoused neighbor will end up back on their feet, or that your city will expand its accommodations for disabled folks, or that our most valuable cornerstone species won’t go extinct. But by sitting on your ass and complaining instead of acting, you’re guaranteeing a negative outcome—or, just as ugly, you’re admitting that the hard work isn’t yours to do."
Really appreciate the phrasing “the convenience of our inaction.” Thanks for this great newsletter!
Honestly once I wrote that I was like "oh hell yeah, I'll be using that again and again" LOL. Thanks so much Eira :)
This was great! I've been encouraged by how this type of thinking is becoming more common. Instead of only focusing on individual effort or structural change, we do both because it's all necessary and all interconnected.
YES! I feel that over the past decade-ish, people have shifted away from individual effort in favor of pushing for structural change (ie "oil companies are responsible for far more carbon emissions than any of us normal folk are, so I don't need to change my habits). This is all well and good in theory, but structural change takes forever to achieve, so in the meantime we're really not moving the needle. I'm glad that more people are beginning to realize we can do both.
Loved this one, Adrianna, especially the part about spite. Everything I do lately is out of spite! I'm convinced spite is at least 75% of how I'm going to survive the next couple years lol
Thanks so much! Me too, about the spite. No shame in using whatever feelings we can until we have something sturdier to hang onto.
I think this sentiment is very important, and I'm glad I read it. I think societally this defeatist attitude has permiated for years and has kind of lulled us into acceptance and passivity. "That's their problem," "The next generation will fix it," etc. Its inspiring to hear ideas similar to my own and it all adds up.
Thank you so much for saying that! I get that we're all exhausted, but it certainly doesn't inspire hope for change if everyone accepts defeat before even trying to achieve something else.
I loved this article and it totally encapsulates my thoughts re: doomsaying. I've always had a hard time communicating with the "well, nothing will change any way, so why should I?" people but this gave me a new perspective. Thanks for sharing!
I really appreciate you sharing this! I've had a similarly tough time handling those conversations, and I'm glad this piece could help me work out why. Glad you liked it too :)
In time-machine stories if you make a tiny change like stepping on cockroach or moving an object in the past, you completely change the future. Why don’t we think that small actions we do today won’t change our future as well?
YES! I love this and fully agree.
Individualistic tendencies are a feature, not a bug of capitalism. When we don’t see that we’re a small part of a whole, we forget how powerful we can be. Moreover, if you’re feeling overwhelmed at everything that needs to be done, remember, you can’t fight every fight, but you should fight one.
Great article; I liked the reference to climate change issues not being addressed due to mere apathy when previously the issue was outright disbelief. Every movement has a large group of nihilistic/apathetic/etc fence-sitters, but that is a pretty stark and specific example! Really drives the point home.
The purple worm quote is adorable too :)
Thank you so much Samantha! I think about that fact all the time - that disbelief in the power of action is enough to hold us back. I'm glad I could share it with someone else 🥹
I needed to hear and see this today 🩵 thank you!!!
This means so much - thank you for sharing :')
Oh I LOVE this article, Adrianna. It might be my favorite of yours so far. The powers in capitalism WANT consumers to think they’re small and their impact for change is minimal. Our apathy and lack of belief in ourselves and our impact is the downfall of the world around us. Even by doing little good things, that is still so much good that wasn’t in the world before.
This made my day, thank you :') And yes, I 1000% agree! At the very least, I'd like to know that when I had the opportunity to make someone's day or improve someone's life, I took that opportunity. What else are we here for? Why should we give up on that just because some people are wildly selfish?
I don’t know how the Substack algorithm works or how this post found its way to my feed on this particular day, but I know that this is EXACTLY what I needed to read today to pull the nose up on my doom spiral. I feel in my heart that the little things I do — trying to reduce waste in my one, tiny little house, biking instead of driving when I can, planting native flowers in my garden, growing some vegetables in my little garden, choosing consciously, telling my children why we make the choices we do so they can think critically about it and be good grown ups — has to add up to something, even if I’m a teeny tiny micro inside a great, big macro. Thank you for the little nudge I needed to keep at it and channel my inner earthworm. 🌎💚
It really made my day that you shared this, thank you 😭 I promise that those little things add up. Think about how gray the world would be without them! Think about how all of the people who get to meet your children as they grow will feel how empathetic they are!
I love this. Just this Sunday, I organized a sign-a-ton to stop the construction of a highway over the local city river that would damage many ecosystems. I think if we all act in ways that help our current environment, get involved in local activities, we can all cooperatively make a difference. It is easy to get lost in the global news cycles and let despair submerge us in inaction. Try acting local first, you'll see your power is greater than you imagine!
i’ve been swinging back and forth between the doom-thinking of it all and the notion that every small positive action matters. thank you for reminding me that each good thing we do, no matter how small is still so important. today, i decide to be an earthworm. relentless in its pursuit of chewing away at the bad bit by bit.
Thank you so much for leaving this note! I totally understand what that pendulum feels like, but I think we can find a healthy place in the middle that inspires action without deluding us into thinking everything's fine. One little munch of dirt at a time, hehe
Aw yay! worms getting some love. LOVE WORMS🪱🪱🪱(& this post in general!). I read a really good book dedicated to Worms last month. Not at home, & it's very niche so can't find online, but will forwards info another time.
Thank you for sharing! Such an inspirational message. I loved this paragraph in particular:
"Here, Zimov efficiently encapsulates yet another issue with doomsaying: by giving up on practicing good, you’re denying yourself, your community, and your planet the opportunity to experience a positive outcome. If you practice good, there’s at least a chance that your unhoused neighbor will end up back on their feet, or that your city will expand its accommodations for disabled folks, or that our most valuable cornerstone species won’t go extinct. But by sitting on your ass and complaining instead of acting, you’re guaranteeing a negative outcome—or, just as ugly, you’re admitting that the hard work isn’t yours to do."
I appreciate this so much!
Love this! 🪱