Self-Centeredness: How Our Culture Fuels Climate Change

"Here is just one example of the total wrongness of something I tend to be automatically sure of: everything in my own immediate experience supports my deep belief that I am the absolute center of the universe; the realest, most vivid, and important person in existence." – David Foster Wallace, "This is Water"

David Foster Wallace's commencement address highlights the default setting of self-centeredness many of us carry. This mindset, while perhaps an understandable product of modern society, has consequences that extend far beyond personal relationships and social interactions. It plays a significant role in the environmental crisis we face today, especially among younger generations.

The Default Setting: Youth and the Cult of Self

For many young people today, the world is crafted around their experiences, desires, and convenience. Social media amplifies this perspective, reinforcing the idea that one's life is the most important, most urgent story to be told. The curated feeds, the constant stream of likes, comments, and shares—all these elements fuel a sense of self-importance that can easily spill over into everyday behaviors.

This self-centered mindset, however, has severe implications for our planet. Young people feel entitled to the luxuries of modern life—frequent air travel, fast fashion, the latest tech gadgets, and single-use plastics—all of which contribute significantly to environmental degradation. The belief that one deserves these comforts without considering the broader consequences can be dangerous. Believing that one deserves these comforts without considering the broader consequences can be dangerous.

I live in Bali and see this behavior all around me. Instagrammers abound. They show the beauty of the island as well as their own beauty. With that, they stimulate everyone else to travel and consume. A couple of years ago, I first visited Nusa Penida, a smaller island near Bali. It was unspoiled and hardly anyone visited the island itself (most went diving). Then some famous Instagrammer made a couple of pictures at a nice beach. Today, busloads of tourists visit that beach to take the same picture. Infrastructure has been developed, and the once-pristine beaches and landscapes are now gone.

Consumption at the Cost of the Planet

Let's take air travel as another example. The allure of traveling the world, exploring new cultures, and capturing Instagram-worthy moments is irresistible for many young people. However, the carbon footprint of frequent flying is enormous. The aviation industry is responsible for about 2-3% of global CO2 emissions, and as incomes rise and more people take to the skies, this figure is only set to increase. The self-centered belief that one's personal experiences are worth more than the environmental cost is a significant driver of this trend.

Fast fashion is another glaring example. The desire to stay on-trend without breaking the bank has led to an explosion in cheap, disposable clothing. The fashion industry is now the second-largest polluter in the world, responsible for 10% of global carbon emissions. Yet, the allure of buying new clothes for every occasion, driven by social media and influencer culture, often blinds young consumers to the devastating environmental impact of their choices.

Having said all this, I also look at my own life. As I wrote above, I live in Bali, while I was raised in the Netherlands. This means more air travel and looking at the carbon footprint of my family compared to the average EU citizen, makes me cry. The same holds true for leaders going to a COP conference in their private jets. We’re all contributing to the problem. But I believe the more people become part of the solution, the higher the chances future generations can live on a liveable planet.?

The Path Forward: Awareness and Responsibility

The harsh reality is that the planet cannot sustain this level of consumption. We are on the brink of climate collapse, and unless significant behavioral changes are made, the future looks bleak. Young people, in particular, need to recognize the impact of their actions and shift away from the self-centered mindset that fuels overconsumption. And the ‘older generations’ need to invest in solutions that will ensure the younger generations can maintain living on our planet. I’m an optimist, but also a realist. I believe that we can find our way out of this, but the situation we’re in is a serious one that cannot be ignored.?

This is not about blaming an entire generation but rather about fostering awareness and encouraging responsibility. It’s about realizing that every action, no matter how small, has a ripple effect on the environment. It’s about understanding that personal comfort and convenience should not come at the expense of the planet.

When I started my first company, the internet was coming up. After websites and ecommerce, Facebook, LinkedIn, and Instagram came up. I was a fan of this digital move. But I never foresaw that 20 years later, people would use Instagram every single moment of the day, doing the things I described above. While these tools hold a lot of value for people, the negative impact on our brains and our planet is big.?

I have three boys, all teenagers. Every day I struggle to make them aware of the negative impact, but the allure of the phone and all the apps on it is very big. And yet the makers of these tools keep finding ways to make them more addictive, which all leads in the opposite direction of a solution to the problems we’re facing today.

Conclusion: A Call to Change

David Foster Wallace's words remind us that our default setting—seeing ourselves as the center of the universe—is a natural but dangerous disposition. For the sake of our planet, we must actively work to shift our perspective. It's time to move beyond self-centered consumption and towards a more sustainable, conscious way of living. The future of our planet depends on it.