Sunday, August 13, 2006

The Future

I was in one of my angsty, philosophical moods the other day and realized that, damn, the future is scary! On the macro level, we have religious fundamentalism (rising Christian nationalism in this country, Islamic terrorism worldwide, and just a general anti-Enlightenment zeitgeist that's really scary), the specter of nuclear war, a looming energy crisis, the vague sense in this country that we're in economic decline, continued terrorist threats, endemic and seemingly intractable racism and tribalism, continued economic inequality, and the threat of a worldwide pandemic. On the micro level, there's the question of if I ever going to fall in love, what the hell am I going to do career-wise, what will I do when all my family is dead and I'm all alone int he world. (You know, light and airy stuff.)

And then there's the kicker: the future is and always will be scary! If religious fundamentalism or economic uncertainty or my career woes went Poof! tomorrow, new boogeymen would simply rise to take their place. It's all enough to make one go insane, or at least hide under the covers for a good week or two.

5 comments:

Anonymous said...

Whine less, recycle more? j\k lol

I know exactly how you feel. It's part of the reason behind my current malaise. "State of the World" anxiety is very common, especially in people our age.

It kept me from getting my driver's licence until after graduation. I was so panicked about how other people drove, how my driving would contribute to pollution, and just ... growing up in general that it rendered me incapable of completing the task.

Don't let the constant worry about finding love throw you off or hold you back.

Anonymous said...

You should try channeling the chap playing the piano/harpsichord in the previous post. At least, I think that's what I'm going to try to do. I just need a frock coat now....

Oh, and it could be worse: http://news.uk.msn.com/good_week_bad_week_040806.aspx?imageindex=2#730106

Frank said...

Cindy: You're right, I have to stay positive. And, again, we have a really eerie mental connection: I had almost the same sorts of anxieties about driving after I got my license in high school! It was months before I would actually do it.

Gunn: We ALL need a frock coat, don't we? Let me know if you find one.

GayProf said...

The future does not need to be scary on the micro level. It can be thought of as an adventure!

Frank said...

You're quite right, GayProf! Just look at you in Boston: a fresh start in a better environment. I really need to start being "in the present" instead of worrying so much about the future.