Sleepwalking

September 8th, 2023

I am not even angry, rather disappointed and lethargic about it. It is almost the middle of September in north-east Poland and the temperature is getting to 30 degrees Celsius. And it is supposed to stay like that for a week, without any rain in the forecast. And no one cares. Not even a little or with a shrug — there is nothing, no response or acknowledgement of any kind.

It is not supposed to be like that in September where I live.

And the change is gradual but picking up momentum. And yet, it seems like everybody is just getting used to this change and its effects. No effort from any side, and especially from the ground up — that would be too inconvenient, as you might guess. So, huge gas-guzzling cars, failing public transportation and demand for more and more electricity for air-conditioning and such are here to stay. There is no change forthcoming, no matter what politicians and CEOs say — sustainability sells, so it will be mentioned and used as a catch phrase for everything that matters and can bring money, without any lasting or measurable effect on our reality. And the “liberal” middle-class applauds with convictions that something is being done without inconvenience in their lifestyle.

Well, nothing will change or turn for the better. It will only get worse for everybody everywhere — save a few well-isolated individuals and their families and their security details. I am almost 50 — and might not feel the brunt of climate disaster myself that much — although the change that has already happened is affecting me and my lifestyle. It is the future generations, the children of so many well-meaning, but lazy (especially intellectually) people that will suffer. And no one cares, and we are all just sleepwalking deeper and deeper into a disaster.