Climate Anxiety 2.0 - Next Gen

Ever since my husband passed because of a brain tumor in 2002 my driving force for everything was climate anxiety. I turned it into a powerful motivation because I refused to believe that there is no future, that we do not have to accept unacceptable situations and that we always have a choice.

Therefore climate optimism.

Last night I was rattled by a murder mystery on TV, that does not happen often, am a seasoned watcher ("ohne Krimi geht die Mimi nicht ins Bett")...I watch those (I hear many of my other female colleagues do too) for relaxation after a stressful, exhausting day. Perfect to space out. It keeps my overactive mind busy following others' puzzle solving and mysteries while I can take a break from my own.

The famous German "Krimi Tatort", ongoing for centuries (it seems) with an ever changing cast with a regional flavor, was called "The secret lives of our children". I came in halfway and did not pay too much attention...typical story...murder victim...drug lord involved apparently...patchwork family drama...love story among step sister and brother...some mention of needing money to by a minibus for a trip to Africa...all kinds of other ingredients that were almost comical...if the resolution on the last stretch to the finish line had not been quite jarring.

The motive that had caused all the crazy behavior that then led to the tragic events had been climate anxiety...it was totally unexpected, came out of nowhere, complete 180...the deeply held believe that the world was going to end and that they, the group of young friends, had to gamble and make lots of money fast through becoming influencers, investing in volatile bitcoin, dealing drugs and what have you to be able to emigrate to New Zealand or Africa. I got confused at the end there because I had not seen the beginning. But point was, they wanted to get to a place where the apocalypse was not going to be so bad, had done their research and identified a place on earth that they were headed to. And for that, they needed money. Lots.

And that shook me up out of my relaxation mode. I felt the earth shaking and the sands shifting.

And maybe the random cocktail of everything that has to be in series these days would have made the casual observer dismiss...made it even more impactful. The seemingly random collection of absurd circumstances and cliches...where situations seem of yesterday, not realizing or acting upon clear pressures and dangers in appropriate proportion leaving the protagonists hanging...revealing a deeply held anxiety about the future.

I often see myself in the climate activists shoes, I identify. Wonder what life would be if I was Greta Thunberg's age now...wonder what conclusions I'd come to what I would do...but that does not matter, because I do not have that option, not me, not forever young. I am in a very different spot in life. Realizing that.

Now, I am the adult, the responsible party for those who are not yet economically vested and have no economic power (with or without children of my own). I remember the economic powerlessness, the dread, the desperation so well...the dependence of always having to be in the back seat. It was maddening.

Conclusions from the murder mystery...the youth is really, really troubled! It feels like a wave, a wave coming at us in addition to all others. 80% are worried about the future, 50% even seriously so (and who would not be, feels weird to even having to point out stronger severity, but that is data for you). I feel their pain.

That future that they envision is shaping their actions. And they need help. They need our help. Now, that I am in my 5th decade, I really value experience and understanding of how everything is connected over time. It has eased my anxiety. The long view and comfort that can be found in it is difficult to communicate. We "elders" need to try. If one can't see, feel, trust it is easy to become completely desperate in this situation and to give up. We need to be coaches to the next generation to go long, to invest in the the long view they can't feel, only conceptualize. Transmitting our experience is more crucial than ever.

Isolation of youth, blaming them for their actions, being angry at or even worse indifferent to interruption by their climate protests is not living up to the occasion. Insulting them by saying their actions of resistance against societal climate denial are undemocratic...what insanity. It is not us versus them it is us and them. In it together. We need that handshake. As equal partners. The young people do hold an immense amount of power, our future!

The sands are shifting, I can feel it, and not in a good way. The Next Gen (I refuse to call them Last Gen) cannot loose hope. And to make sure that that does not happen is the greatest challenge of my generation. Because then all would be lost.

Packen wir's an!