I keep seeing 2030 predictions and none of them are good. I'll be 25 in 2030. I'm struggling to see the point in living in a world where most of my life is probably going to be spent alone. Nobody around me really likes me, the moment grocery stores collapse I'll die because my parents don't believe in collapse, I live with them and they won't let me garden or store food, and I'm sure nobody likes me well enough to share. I don't know, it just feels like there's no part of life worth living when my only friends are on the Internet and the internet is going to collapse quickly. Collapse will leave me starving and stranded and alone. I don't know how to cope with that.
This may be the best answer. There’s no way to know or to even completely prepare for every scenario.
We must find ways to enjoy the days we have and only focus on what is in our control.
This is exactly my struggle. How? (Rhetorical mostly but happy to hear any actual answers!)
I hear you, there’s no one size fits all solution and it’s deeply personal. I wish I had an easy answer, but it will come down to what you personally value and find fulfilling.
What you described is basically the purpose of mindfulness meditation. Focusing on the present moment, and not concerning yourself with things you can't control. Studying mindfulness meditation slows down your perception of the rate of the passage of time.
Read more, and in more areas. Cultivate multiple interests to keep your mind active and able to respond.
God the last possibility is the ultimate fear, that’s how life has felt so far
This is the way
Full comprehensive breakdown of society will take a lot longer. If youre unlucky to be in a settlemen hit by a well placed storm(or forest fires), localized collapse could happen tomorrow
You're 19 now... It could be time to move on your own and try to find a community that better matches your values. You need to start taking your life in your own hands now that you're an adult. It's hard, but it will be rewarding!
18, must've done my math incorrectly. Sorry. Where exactly am I supposed to get the money for a house?
You're the perfect age to move though. Go to a college in a liberal area. Student loans can cover your living situation and if everything does collapse by then you won't even have to pay them off lol. (Not actually suggesting to not pay them off)
I'm in college, small community college and still conservative though
Talk to your advisor or whoever you think can help about transferring to a school/area that shares your values. Take it from another stuck person, life is much too short to waste it living and working in a community you hate.
Great advice! Also student loans are low interest
Get as much education at your CC to reduce your student loan burden. Then, transfer to a more suitable 4-year college.
You should look into homesteading and homesteading communities. You're the perfect age to actually start on the right path instead of falling for all the typical life traps and what is still considered the norm (ex.: worthless degree, rent, children, etc.).
The hippies were up to something you know. Since you're collapse-aware, I'm sure you understand the necessity to get your s... together, and fast. It's when you think you're at a dead-end that true change will be the most beneficial to you. You just have to find the will to make the hard choices. But heh, it's your life.
I am never having children, I want my tubes tied but it's next to impossible to find a doctor willing to do that to an unmarried child free 18 year old. Hormonal birth control fucked me up really bad so I'm just not having sex and praying nobody takes that choice away from me. I'll definitely look into homesteading. The great part about my area is there's a lot of undeveloped lots perfect for living small and letting the rest remain forest.
An IUD was great for me. No periods. No moodiness. Leave it in for five years and then get another. And let me repeat: no periods, no moodiness.
Did yours hurt? I've heard some women say it hurts worse than childbirth
Everyone is different. For some it’s fine. For others it hurts.
Don’t be surprised if it hurts quite a lot. Fortunately the worst of it is over quickly, and some practices are finally catching on and offering pain management. Don’t expect to do much of anything the first day or two except rest. But to me, it’s 100% worth it. I’m on my second mirena, no cramps, no periods, no horrible side effects, no pharmacies, AND NO PREGNANCY!! I’m sticking with this as long as I can.
If I was going to get an IUD I'd want a copper one, I don't want any more artificial hormones in my body. I was on hormonal bc pills for a few months and I never was able to get back out of the depression it caused and now I'm just perpetually miserable.
My understanding is the copper iud has much higher risks of complications. I had pulmonary emboli a few years ago from birth control and so cannot really take anything with estrogen and even was told to limit progesterone, but I was really concerned with the risks of the copper iud. I ended up getting the Kyleena. It is a very small iud (still hurt like a bitch though). It is only low dose progesterone. Haven’t had a period in a couple of years now. It was honestly one of the best things I have ever done. Wish I had done it earlier.
I was on the lowest dose pill possible and it still fucked me up, I just don't want to risk it ever again
No. A little discomfort when it was inserted but I think you can ask in advance for some sort of (shot??) pain relief.
There’s a sub that lists doctors that will do it. Are you in the US or Canada by chance?
Edit: it’s here, but let me know if this doesn’t work. https://www.reddit.com/r/childfree/wiki/doctors/
Yes, I'm in the US, I'll check that out
Are there any collapse aware support groups near you? That might be a good source of support. Even online ones can be useful.
If you’re employed, you also might want to look into a small storage locker close to home. There’s nothing that says you can’t do some preparations on your own.
You don't need a house. People rent out things called apartments, which are much cheaper. And most people, in order to make money to pay for things, work jobs. Why are you acting like this is impossible? Almost all people do this and have done it for centuries.
Have you seen rent prices? I have a job, it doesn't pay anywhere near enough to make rent for most apartments. It's near impossible for a lot of young people to get out on their own right now. Jobs require years of experience that I don't have
Someone's feeling grumpy today, aren't they?
Yes but lots of evidence that our brains aren’t fully developed at that age…not till early 20’s.
Will collapse happen by 2030?
The collapse started decades ago and it will continue for decades to come.
Nobody around me really likes me
Why?
it just feels like there's no part of life worth living
What do you do that isn't on the internet? Do you have any hobbies?
I'm a liberal in a highly conservative area so people don't like me because I'm outspoken about how I think women, gay people, PoC, and trans people deserve rights and I refuse to back down just to placate others. I sew, but there's an abundance of clothes already in the world, I doubt that's gonna be too useful. I'm just praying I'm not used as a sex slave in the future given that I'm a young woman.
I refuse to back down just to placate others.
As a parent of a trans kid I truly appreciate you not backing down but absolutely don't fight that fight if it puts you at risk. Protect yourself first as supporting yourself will make you far more effective in that fight later on.
What is stopping you from moving someplace else?
I sew, but there's an abundance of clothes already in the world, I doubt that's gonna be too useful.
I am not talking about "useful" skills for a post-collapse society. As I mentioned, we are already in collapse. I am asking about hobbies that bring you joy.
I'm just praying I'm not used as a sex slave in the future given that I'm a young woman.
You are not going to wake up one day in a Mad Max world where you are going to be forced into sex slavery (any more than that already happens in todays world.)
Money. I'm in a very rural area and currently don't have a license (I'm working on it, everyone around me is short on time to take me driving) so it's quite difficult to find a job, I work on campus but only make $10/hr.
I'm in a very rural area and currently don't have a license
I live in a rather big city (Seattle) and tons of the people under 25 don't have a driver's license. I don't think that should be a blocker for you moving unless your plan is to drive for your job once you move.
But if this is a priority to you, then stop waiting around for other people to make it happen. Ask someone to help. That is the secret to life; Asking for help. And if the first person you ask turns you down, ask someone else. Make it happen today.
I work on campus but only make $10/hr.
Yep, campus jobs pay crap. But if going to school gets you on track to a better paying job, then it is worth it. What are you studying?
Environmental Science... Not sure there's a whole lot of point in that anymore given how things are going. I've been looking at Grand Rapids since I'm in Michigan and I've heard they have decent transportation
Not sure there's a whole lot of point in that anymore given how things are going.
Doesn't matter if we are facing ecosystem collapse; It is still a very important science. In fact, I would say it is even more important in that case. But if your number one concern is money, then there are some other questions to ask.
Is your plan to continue on and get your bachelor's or are you sticking with the associate's? Most jobs in that field require at least a bachelor's if not a masters. If money is a concern right now, getting an associate's degree with out a full career path plan isn't a good plan.
I've been looking at Grand Rapids since I'm in Michigan
Great. To make it there, you need a job that pays about $20 per hour. There are several certifications that take less than a few months to complete that can get you there. Is this something that might interest you?
Bachelor's, aiming for master's if it all works out and just hoping to get my foot in the door and start making money with a bachelor's. I'd be interested in the certifications
and start making money with a bachelor's.
Great, I think this a a good plan. Assuming you can manage the mental issues of living in a small conservative town until you are able to move on to a university, then I don't see any need to change anything.
I'd be interested in the certifications
Here are a few suggestions.
Get your Real Estate License and become a transaction coordinator for an established real estate agent. Entry level jobs doing this easily pay $20/hr.
Phlebotomy Technician - training usually takes 6-8 months and around where I am starting pay is $25/hr.
Project Coordinator - This was the route I took 20 years ago. Three quarters of night classes and I got my first job a few weeks after completion. Pay here is going to be closer to $30/hr.
These are only a few options. But if you need to get out of your town quicker than your degree path takes you, then something like this is the ticket.
Often, employers will pay for or help pay for further education.
Grand Rapids is GREAT. Lots of cool people, lots of cool clubs & things to do. And they have mass transit. Using that instead of driving will save you loads of money. I'm in Michigan, too.
You have NOTHING to lose by venturing out on your own. You will be proud of all that you can accomplish when you put your mind to it. I have a local friend that modifies denim skirts & jackets by adding trim & lace, corduroy & other great items. Her clothes are beautiful. She has a shop she sells them in. You could try something like that, or quilts, or anything that is all made by you. People love to buy unique items. Don't give up sweetie, things are going to be okay. We will get through this one day at a time. That's all we ever have anyway.
Keep going.
We need people who care learning as much as they can on that subject.
I'm not sure science is the solution. We can't out-technology our ravid overconsumption
There is no solution in the sense of going back to how things were years ago forever. So, thinking practically instead, I think that path gives you some employment options in the coming years. Which is handy, because with money you can make choices for how you want to deal with continuing collapse.
Because, to answer your original question, collapse has already started, but it likely won't be full on dystopian future in the US by 2030. The most likely path is a decades long decline. More boring than sci-fi.
So, preparedness and flexibility are the best options.
That’s not the worst field to get in, even though. People are still going to need solid predictions about what’s coming.
I’m seriously thinking about getting recertified in materials science. The limited amount of new housing that’s being built will have to be built to stand the big environmental swings that are likely coming. Also, there’s lots of older homes that will need to be refitted to withstand that sort of weather.
This. Asking for help is one of the hardest things for some of us to learn - and also the thing that has made the most difference in my life.
Also, hello, fellow Seattleite!!
Also, hello, fellow Seattleite!!
Hello! Seems like there are a lot of us here. I made /r/PugetSoundCollapse/ years ago... Maybe I should get it going again so that we can all have a place to hang out with locals.
re: Sewing You can start with niche products. e.g. Sugar gliders are pocket-sized exotic pets. They need several pill-free fleece items per cage, and all are simple to make. Hammocks, sleeping pouches, carry pouches, etc. Look them up or pm me for info.
I never thought of selling sugar glider accessories, this is why I love the internet. I think I could definitely do that, dogs and cats have so many people making things, but small animals really don't and many commercial products aren't suitable for them. I'm especially fond of rabbits and birds.
Wrong link, this is taking me to lyft
Sewing would be incredibly useful if bartering services post collapse. I think it's admiable you speak your mind and continue to. I'm around a lotta moderate Dem supporters and feel I have to advocate for the climate and against war.
I end up arguing with strangers sometimes and it seems you do too. You've proven you can fight back verbally so warlord scumbags will pick on the passive and quiet. You shouldn't worry aboht that. Maybe imagine yourself as the Warlord.
Sometimes I hope Social Collapse is something that allows us to evolve as a species wnd stop wrecking the Earth.
i don't think it will
Get out there and start WWOOFing -- you'll meet like minded people and when things do go down you'll be on a farm somewhere.
Oh my god, this is amazing
The founder of this subreddit left the internet to go be a WWOOFer. About 6 years ago
I can see why, it looks like fulfilling work
In much the same way we start dying the minute we are born, collapse started the minute we became the eminent global power we are now. Do I believe we are in the end stages of our democracy? Yes, do we have many good years ahead of us? That depends on how you view YOUR future and the possibilities and opportunities it holds. There are people living their lives right now who are never going to know about collapse until a horrible drought or political disaster, or whatever, hits them. Prepare your own way and don’t let others tell you what to believe. I know the more you find like minded people who share your concerns and beliefs the more engaged, busy, liked and happier you will become.
I feel like this sub does a major disservice to everyone to keep these kinds of conversations alive as if collapse is a single specific event...short of an overwhelming single cataclysmic event there is not going to be a specific date where you go to bed in "society" one night and wake up the next in a "collapsed" world.
Collapse is a process, not an event. There have been, and will continue to be, ever worsening conditions for the majority of people, there will be countless localized and regional tragedies spread around the globe, almost certainly at ever increasing frequency and scale.
But if you think anyone can predict the exact date the nukes start flying to bring on nuclear winter or some other grand event that you can point to and say "That was it! We've officially collapsed!" you've got the wrong idea.
Global wars and the like, the type of shit that actually could cause something closer to an "overnight collapse" depends on so many variables and most importantly the ever unpredictable actions of humanity that it's ridiculous to try to put a date on it. Could be tomorrow. Could be 5 years. Could be 50. Could be never, and it's just a slow and steady decline punctuated by massive but semi-isolated tragic events that play out over decades and across multiple generations even.
Its just driving me mad to not know how much time I have left because it will radically alter how I live my life. If collapse will happen tomorrow I'm gonna party and do drugs and get fucking wasted because we're all dying, what's the point? If collapse will happen when I'm 80 I'll try and live a quieter, more responsible life.
Hey, let me start by saying sorry if that was a little brash as that message was meant more generally towards the sub than to you specifically...
Listen, you're a young kid...I have a son just a couple years younger than you. And I am admittedly terrified for the world that I think it almost inevitable which you and he are growing up into. It breaks my heart, and I don't know how to feel ok with the uncertainty of it all either. It can be debilitating.
But that being said, I'm guessing you're also in the US. Yes we have very real short term concerns with political and economic instability which I can't confidently give you any great advice on how to plan for or navigate because, again, it's so unpredictable. But you are youthful, and you are privileged enough right now to live in relative safety and abundance.
If you want the advice that I do feel comfortable giving you...use that safety and opportunity you have today, right now, to find your people. Find a community. It sounds like you are lonely where you are...I don't know what kind of familial obligations or similar may be anchoring you to where you are currently, and I don't want to push you too hard to abandon any of that, but I would encourage you to think long and hard about if there might be somewhere else you could feel like you aren't so alone, like you belong, and maybe find like minded young people who are ready to stand up and fight for a better world, even in a dying one.
I'm a pessimistic old man but this is soul crushing to me to hear someone so young almost sound like they are ready to throw in the towel. I want to say to you, I firmly believe that even in a dying world, it's still meaningful to fight to save what you can, and look for beauty where you can, and to live while you can.
Go find love, go enjoy nature, go fight for whatever dwindling light is left. And don't feel bad about withdrawing from it all on occasion to just be, in the moment, and appreciate right now, this moment, that you are here experiencing the inexplicable phenomenon that is life.
It's cliche and all but the classic "You could get hit by a bus tomorrow" or "You could find out you have stage 4 cancer tomorrow." or any of those other sayings about how life can be so unceremoniously snatched from someone regardless of age or any other factor all still apply, and all of your worry and fraught would have been wasted time anyway.
I love that you are paying attention to the world and I don't want you or anyone in your generation to stop, but I damn sure don't want you guys to stop living, or stop fighting to make it better, even as it continues to get worse.
Please don't give up, and don't give in. You don't know what tomorrow holds, none of us do.
Loved reading this ✌🏼
To be fair, this is always the case - no one knows how much time they have left, you could live until 95 or die in a car accident tomorrow. That would be true even if the world was headed towards a utopia. There’s not much point in constantly thinking about things like that, especially if it’s stopping you from actually living your life in the present.
It's also about will everyone around me die. If I got hit by a bus tomorrow, only me and my direct family would really be affected. Collapse will destroy everything and everyone I love and care about
Be that as it may, I’m more talking about the response to inherently unknowable future circumstances, whether it’s collapse or your own mortality. All we can do is take reasonable precautions - like wearing a seatbelt or not smoking cigarettes - or in the case of collapse building skills, storing a certain amount of necessities for natural disasters, etc. As long as you take those reasonable precautions you have taken control of what you can take control of, and history will do the rest. Where it becomes harmful is when the fear becomes paralyzing, damages your health, relationships with others, negatively affects your life, or causes you to start making unreasonable or irrational decisions. At that point - even if the fear has a rational justification or basis - I think that the response to it should be addressed.
I think we've got a 50/50 shot at full collapse by 2030. I don't think we'll make it to 2040.
Switch your perspective a bit. Try to use the next 6 years to TRULY LIVE if you felt you haven't much. Imagine the better small scale society and that even in full collapse the human spirit could allow for some good days.
There is no defined "point of collapse". It's an ongoing long-term situation that improves and degrades over spans of time and encompasses multiple stages of development. It is highly unlikely that entire systems will just catastrophically and entirely fail. Even the internet is likely to survive as long as someone wants it to. I mean, the infrastructure around it is incomprehensible to a normal person. For every single point of it to be completely destroyed without the ability to repair it would require an unheard of disaster on a global scale that would likely also wipe out the entirety of life itself. Even if we lost the ability to generate electricity on a large scale (which is itself unlikely), it would still merely be inactive.
I think we will be lucky to make it to 2030 and if/when we do, just remember now. It won’t look anything like it.
Wherever you are reading these 'predictions' please step away from those sources. That sounds like manipulation at the level of QAnon bullshit. We do not know when it will happen. If you are in the USA, which it sounds like, the appearance of functionality will likely continue for a long time. Plus, you never know, your internet friends could turn into your meat space friends and you could end up building a life that is worth living to your subjective point of view. Let me be clear, your subjective point of view about your life is what matters. The other reason to turn away from these 'predictions' (I want to call them disgusting manipulations, if I am honest) is that they appear to be preventing you from learning how to reset yourself so you can cope with the undeniable toxicity of our slowly-crumbling civilisation. Just because civ is toxic doesn't mean we should all end ourselves. It means we should take care of ourselves better. Hope that makes sense. Also, I haven't read all the replies, and this thread is only an hour old, but if it turns into a prediction fest of how soon til we all die horribly, I will be deleting it. Predicting the future is not consistent with the mission of collapse support. Sorry if this doesn't make sense to anyone reading this. Make a post about it and we can talk about that. But we will not heap pessimism on each other about venus by tuesday. thanks for understanding.
The main sub definitely has a lot of takes like this. Personally I'm confused af what the future holds and how to live my life. Nobody knows the future, but near vs far, some folks seem pretty positive things will fall apart in near term, which isn't helpful to people genuinely wanting to understand where we're at in this catabolicness of collapse, and at worst detrimental
and I would argue that it is irresponsible to only shovel that nihilistic shit at anyone under the age of 30
I consider myself a realist, I just feel I need to keep up with reality
Reality and nihilism are two different things, thankfully.
It's extremely frustrating (and for me, very triggering) to try and find factual information and find one of the many people that share one terrifying piece of data and announce "no one knows what is coming!" or some other ominous statement. Sometimes I dig further and find out they left out important context, sometimes they didn't but still-it definitely makes me spiral in really debilitating ways and I suspect I am not the only one.
Count me in. It's even more disheartening to see experts in climate change and sometimes collapse have kids. Surely if they believe the future is so bleak they would not have children? Personally I am not, due to these things, so experts doing this makes me question sometimes if I have a realistic outlook
Nobody knows the exact timeline of collapse. 2030, maybe. 2050, maybe. Tomorrow, maybe. Next year is a solar maximum, for example.
I would suggest taking action where you can, within the tight budget of your youth. Make the most of your neuroplasticity and fitness.
Get a plot at the community garden (usually $20 or so) and learn how to grow a few potatoes and greens. Veteran gardeners usually love to teach newbies and may give you tools and seeds to start. Learn how to fish and forage and make friends in your community. Get a bicycle and learn to maintain it. Maybe learn some first aid and get a basic set of backpacking gear - water purification, minimal cook set, outdoor shelter.
If you can take small actions now, you might feel better equipped as you think about how to be flexible and prepared for your future.
Worst case scenario, you can pack up your skills and knowledge and pedal off in search of greener horizons.
https://megaphone.link/VMP4135042554
A podcast about a book about death and meaning that helped me process some existential dilemma. Hope that helps.
It's projected for 2040 by an MIT study in the 70's, which still seems to be on track.
You and they will get warning before the grocery stores fail. There will be SOME supply failures, like certain foods becoming unavailable. It's not all going to happen simultaneously in all likelyhood.
That said it's weird that they won't let you garden? Or are you trying to take over the whole lawn? It's a good set of skills to learn asap because you need some practice, even if it's just a small garden.
My dad is very fussy about everything being pristine and perfect. I got in trouble for getting water on some rocks that were already outside, I had a bird feeder and he called the birds filthy disgusting creatures because they pooped on the porch. He's the big roadblock to being able to prep.
Oh, well that explains the situation well. Can't get water on rocks that are outside? You probably can't change much at all in your home I'm guessing.
In that case I'd tell you to change the focus of your prep to something you can control.
First: fitness. Get your cardio up to par if it isn't (only takes 6 months on couch to 5k to get to that point and get it to a level of easy maintenance) and start learning body weight fitness (there's a sub for that). 90% of people are at a poor fitness level, and that's one of the best prep things you can do - and will help you in all other aspects of life.
Learn what you can. Look up what grows easily and naturally in your area that is edible - this might actually be better done by going to local growers than looking online. The best food that grows natrually where you are may not be stuff people normally buy. You want EASY to grow more than anything. And I know you can't grow at home - but can you walk somewhere with empty land that no one would care if you planted a few things? You can start there, see where you can get. It's also a better way to understand what you may actually deal with during a collapse
I can't do C25K, I tried and couldn't pass the first day. I think I'm just absolutely hopeless at fitness. I can start looking into plants though, I live by some woods and I know basic foraging, but the woods are owned by someone else so I'm technically not supposed to go out there. He just never checks.
I can't do C25K, I tried and couldn't pass the first day.
Try going really really slowly. When they say "run" do the slowest jog you can do. It's enough. You build up distance before speed. Failing that just slow walk then fast walk. Failing that, take a few weeks to build up to week one.
Everyone is hopeless at fitness to start, it takes some consistent effort over time. It's going to be more impactful on survival during a collapse scenario than gardening, I expect.
If there's some land no one cares about that's fine for your practice gardening - understanding that it's practice and it could be destroyed at any time. Again, focus on things that grow in the area and look at visiting local growers. Ask what is easy to grow / hard to kill in the area that is edible, even if it isn't something that is normally eaten there.
Good luck!
Whether collapse happens tomorrow or in 100 years, you can't live this way. You have to figure out how to exist in the world as it is, and to some extent prepare for the world that may come to be. I felt similar anxiety around your age, and I was convinced that 2012 would be the end. Looking back, I spent a ton of time worrying for nothing and delayed beginning my life because I was anticipating the end.
I think its longer for US. But I think we are going to start seeing real signs like a lot less govt services. And I think we will see more countries collapse. Like Sri lanka, Afghanistan
No one can accurately predict the timing at this point.
They're always many things to appreciate even if those things coexist with a lot of other things that make life less enjoyable.
I've concluded that there's no amount of preparation, that I personally, could do that couldn't be simply taken from me by a bunch of gun loving violent selfish jerks if things went to shit.
Most important thing is that I appreciate and enjoy what I can. It doesn't matter if it's years or decades. There are always opportunities and things to be extremely grateful for and enjoy.
2040 at the earliest, in the US.
This is the most plausible tbh
No one knows. It will be in the indefinite future, until it's today. Covid wasn't inevitable, that there would be more bad pandemics was.
Look into homesteading communities.
I say 5-20 years but that was last year, I now say 4-19 years.
I'm scared of only having 4 years left, I'll never even get to do anything
You and me both. Buuuuttt....there are many, many factors in play. I don't think it will be a fast disaster. More like the 30's dust bowl - people will start to migrate. You may be one of them, as will I.
You could prep:
Do you get an allowance? Have a closet? Start buying canned food (one can at a time) and hiding it. At least you can feel calmer knowing that you have a stash.
Ask for a tent and a good sleeping bag for your birthday. Start dropping hints. Check thrift stores for backpacking gear, like old boy scout/girl scout mess kits (they have a pan, a plate, and sfork)!
I don't think of collapse as a one-and-done event. Rather, it seems like a slow boil that we are already in. It's just that certain people experience it sooner and more acutely than others. Existing social structures ensure that some people are more exposed and others more protected. Even after nonlinear, discontinuous events (e.g., ocean conveyors stopping, Antarctic glaciers completely melting), some people will continue to deny even as death and destruction accelerate. Others will search for like-minded people for joint survival.
In the end the collapse is fatal to all, but now is a good time to reach out and find your peeps. Join an environmental group. Go out and be a part of something. Even if it's online for now, it's a start. Don't be afraid of being vulnerable, you might find that more people agree and like you than you think. As things start falling apart, people will need someone to tell them what's happening to them so they can cope. Consider yourself a part of the cutting edge.
Become involved in your community. See if there is a local gardening group and if there are community gardens. Join a buy nothing group. Look into WWOOFing. If you need help learning to live in the now, read or listen to Michael Singer and Eckert Tolle.
You should ask this question to the people of Haiti or the citizens of Ukraine
Trust me, my heart aches for those who are less fortunate than I. I wish I could save them all, I really do. But there's nothing I can do.
You sound a lot like me when I was that age. I only saw darkness and suffering ahead and wondered why bother? You are playing a very risky game with yourself, tbh, that of assuming the end is near and unavoidable. What if I told you you will live to be a lot older than you think? Believing there is no future is very risky, actually, because it prevents you from learning, saving, growing, and creating YOU. No one is guaranteed a long and healthy life, but if we want the life we do have to be fulfilling, we need to live as if we will. (with some dancing, laughing, loving, etc. along the way).
Look into communities in Grand Rapids, or Ann Arbor, or anywhere else your heart desires. Like others mentioned, you can take classes at smaller colleges. As for rent, do what millions of college-age kids do and find a group of friends sharing a larger rental house, like around those campuses. This is what I did, what my daughter is currently doing, and it really helps stretch your housing costs and it also gives you a starter kit of friends/acquaintances, you will not be going it completely alone. Start looking for roommate wanted type ads when the time comes.
As for your job interests, in addition to the ideas others have mentioned, consider looking at jobs with the local government in whichever community you reside. All of the municipalities will have a web page listing current job openings. Many do not require a degree, and have decent pay and benefits for someone starting out. You might be interested in urban forestry, parks dept., health dept., etc., and these entry level jobs don't require a ton of student debt to start. I highly recommend civil service type jobs, actually. They may not have the high level earning potential of say, a tech job, but they do have good benefits as a trade off. This is the route I took, and I was able to retire early due to having a pension. Yes, I did think my life would be short, and that was 40 years ago. Do yourself a favor, and prepare like you are going to live.
Why don't people like you?
Liberal in a conservative area
I know liberal people and conservative people and I'm a libertarian. What exact issues does this make for you? I've never had an issue with politics and friends.
Conservatives don't think I should have the right to my own reproductive system, think that many of my friends (gay/trans) don't deserve rights and are a threat, and don't even believe in climate change
Concoct a school project that involves home gardening.
6/6/29 for sure
I don't think we'll ever be able to judge collapse while we're in it. It's only looking back that we'll be able to see it for what it was.
Were in the crumbles right now, things will just suck a bit more every day. The collapse is a slow, boring process.
I wish my parents weren't selfish enough to have a kid.
1 missing reply
Idk, and I don’t think anyone else knows either. There’s SOOO many variables involved, many of which play off of one another and some which are independent of the others, and we don’t really understand most of the variables independently, let alone how they’ll affect the others.
Like, maybe we’ll have a terrible famine a 10 years from now, and that’ll lead to wars, which lead to an economic crash, which leads to a breakdown in trade. Maybe India, China, and Pakistan have a three-way war over water which kills 1/3 of the Earth’s population in a few years. Or maybe NATO enters Ukraine next year and that triggers a massive nuclear exchange between Russia and NATO which causes a nuclear winter and leads to collapse. Maybe the US has a civil war after this election, which crashes the world economy and leads to all out world war as everyone takes advantage of the fact that the World Policeman is distracted.
Or maybe everything just gets steadily shittier for five more decades, and as an old person you look back on your youth and remember all the things that are gone and you can’t quite put a finger on when the collapse happened.
My point is, who fucking knows? So don’t stress it, just keep your ears open and try to live your best life now while you can.