There's a big problem in the world.
Actually, there are several. Between climate change, ethnic and religious quarrels, wars, terrorism, not to mention the admittedly more petty but seemingly no less intractable problems of the day to day (cough *malware* cough), it's easy to get discouraged.
I was working with a high school student the other day who is studying energy territories in geography (a topic which the curriculum emphasises a good deal more now than when I was in school, it seems). We got to talking about fossil fuels, pollution and renewables, and at some point he said to me: "I'm a pessimist. This all looks pretty hopeless."
*Sigh!*
What did he say beyond what many of us feel when we look at the problem of climate change? It's so huge, so intractable, and most of us have enough to do getting through the day without fighting against an upcoming climate-pocalypse. So why bother?
Defeatism has become a normal part of our culture. A way of life. Cynicism, and its close cousin skepticism, are blankets we use to throw over our real insecurities: that we haven't been clever enough to come up with a solution.
But that doesn't mean we shouldn't try. And it doesn't mean we should allow the younger generations not to try. Or hope. Sometimes, you are going to lose a fight. Fine. But some fights are worth fighting regardless. We have to fight for our right to hope, we have to fight for our right to love, we have to fight for our right to live well, and we have to fight for a miracle. We have to try and hope and try again to come up with solutions to intractable problems because maybe, maybe we'll find one. We have to live everyday and not let others live them for us because they are OUR days. And we have a right to them.
We need more HARD WORK, instead of defeatism. More HOPE, instead of cynicism. Skepticism should be reserved for the beliefs that are dangeous to our health and happiness, not applied to the dreams that keep us alive.
As individuals, maybe we can't change everything, and maybe we are insignificant. But in my life I matter, and in your life, you matter. And we'll both feel a lot better at the end of them if we can say: "I did everything I could do."
Fight till the last second. Hope till the last moment. Be brave and let your children hear you speak of hope. Because we need it, and so do they.
