Bagg-age Of The Past

I’ll be turning 50 in the coming Jan. I find myself in a position to influence and decide on a lot of things — at some scale — that could have an impact on climate. On the other hand, the lock-in into energy and materials, outcomes and measures of success that are deeply embedded in my head are from the 90s, even the 60s and 70s — when virtues and wins were largely correlated with ever more use of energy and material. I have personally “logically” arrived at a different place but the deep mental frames don’t shift so easily — I still glance again at a fast car or check out a new snazzy phone or a vacation in a different continent or get a kick out of a fast expressway or some such energy and material guzzling activity. This when I’m almost an anomaly for our generation and realize and acknowledge the huge negative trade-offs these motivations represent — most in my generation are either completely oblivious or deliberately neglect even these thoughts, and are saddled with a linear way of thinking with little ability for systems thinking or even an acknowledgement of complexity.

The ones who will face the consequences of our thoughtlessness, or the habits, motivations, tools and measures we have created as a society in the past are all younger. Likely below 25 at this point. And they have very little decision making space in this world of “grown ups” deciding everything in governance, industry, the COPs and what not. The older folks continue to make decisions from points of view deeply anchored in motivations and imaginations of the past.

We’re being seriously, severely unjust. To the younger folks, and even more so to the unborn and the non-human.

I believe we would do better to yield collectively to the younger citizens of planet Earth.

Of course there’s wisdom, knowledge and points of view so many of us have that are useful. Many of the younger folks have never seen a time of lesser/limited consumption, and will need help creating that imagination from what many of us have seen in real life, or at least heard from our grandparents. But given that they are the ones who will bear the brunt of our madness, we must work towards a transition over the next few years and take a backseat and let them decide and be prepared to help. In government, in industry and in society.

We really need a new way of thinking about the planet. We need new motivations, new measures and new ideas of success. And it’s only fair to give those who will live the future we created for them space to decide how best to deal with it.