I remember the Cold War, thinking that at any moment I’d go outside and see something like the above (a screen cap from The Day After).
You kids don’t remember—but in the early Reagan years, it was pretty scary.
And, in truth, it still is. There are still way too many nuclear warheads out there, and with Russia invading Ukraine—it’s a bad situation.
But in recent years, I’ve felt fairly safe as far as nuclear war...but more and more certain that we were heading to the end of a livable planet.
And when you have kids, that’s just the worst feeling—thinking that you might have brought them into a world that’s doomed.
If you’ve read any of Jared Diamond’s books, which I recommend—well, one of them asks the question, what were they thinking when they cut down the last tree on Easter Island?
People are pretty shortsighted.
Without going into the science of climate change—and certainly not wanting to go into the politics—yesterday’s Senate passage of huge climate legislation was the first time in years where I felt like maybe it was not all entirely hopeless.
If any of my friends from the other side of the political spectrum are here—well, I’m a liberal Democrat, it’s who I am, so sure, I’m happy. But we can still be friends!
I was truly overjoyed at the news and hopeful that it can lead to more important things to benefit all of us.