Ruins of Tomorrow [Climate Change Action Story]

Chapter 4

"So basically, we're doomed?" Penelope asked after Aaron had explained what global warming is, the causes, consequences, what could still be done and what should've been done decades ago. "When this Swedish Thunberg girl had all the attention on her in 2020, she gave all the facts, she told politicians to act, and called for all youth to stand up against a government that didn't care about their future. Unfortunately, democracy was only an illusion at the time. That's still the case by the way.", Aaron started to explain, " so yes, we are even more doomed than we already were 30 years ago."

"So what do we do about it? Penelope asked, determined to change something about their fate.

"What do you mean, 'what do we do about it'. You can't just take the global temperature down a couple degrees."

"So you're going to sit here in your room until we die, playing games, hoping someone will miraculously do something about it?"

Aaron had no answer to that. He realised that this was exactly what he had been doing for years.

"What did you have in mind?" he asked.

"How should I know? You've studied the situation, and everything that's completely gone to shit about it, for years.", Penelope said surprised. This boy could talk all he wanted, but if he was too shy to do something, nothing would change. "Maybe start with why no one has ever taken real action?"

"Because most of the people in rich countries still don't know there is a problem? While we have been telling them for years but it's easier to believe everything is fine so they can enjoy the rest of their meaningless lives? And if the citizens don't know about it, the 'leaders' don't care, because it won't get them more votes.", he said with emphasis on 'leaders', pointing out the irony of being called leaders while not giving a shit about the people you 'lead'.

"So how do we make them care?" Penelope asked.

"Well, honestly I don't even think that's possible. In rich countries, people are protected from climate disasters by higher dikes and better weather forecasts than anyone could ever imagine. We don't bare the consequences of our own actions. Poor people do, but society has been told we shouldn't care."

"But you and I care, don't we?"

"We do. But when a lie is told often enough, it becomes the truth. At least for less intelligent people. And our population isn't exactly what you call smart, is it?"

"Oh we learned about that in school, right? In 2020, president Trump kept repeating his lies over and over, so his cult started to believe everything he told them! I never knew our society had the intelligence of an average Trump supporter nowadays."

A sad smile ran across Aaron's face when he heard her metaphor. If you put it that way, it sounded even worse.