getting used to things
i was six when my teacher first introduced us to the concept of climate change and how serious it was. during that class, we discussed why climate change was a problem (the ecosystem is damaged, farmers grow less food and grow poor, people don't have enough food or water because desertification etc), who caused it (mainly fossil fuel companies, factories, people who make and use plastic and electricity including us), and how we could help solve it (use tumblers and reusable items instead of plastic cups or disposable itemes, buy in bulk, use less heating, don't throw trash on the street, reduce reuse recycle). we made posters, made used plastic bottles into bookmarks and purses and sold them (the teachers, parents, and students in year 1 and 2 all participated and we raised like 5000 yuan i think), and reused old clothes to make items of our choice as a group (our group was a failure lol). the school as a whole donated to charity a lot and encouraged students to participate in donations. there was this one guy in year 6, the primary school captain, who emailed the lunch company to replace disposable plastic bags and bottles with reusable containers, and it actually changed next semester. i thought those efforts were really cool, and i wanted to be part of that effort too. so even in the most illogical way possible (i thought all kinds of trash was bad so i never threw away my worksheets, instead i put them in my backpack to the point a kid claimed i had a korean bug in my backpack that eats paper) i tried to make pollution less worse.
fast forward to 2025, i turn on the news and there's things about trump and his supporters being racist, sexist, homophobic, transphobic, and not giving a fuck about anyone except for rich white cis men. people are starving, homeless, not having access to services like education or healthcare, being arrested for doing nothing wrong. people are talking more than ever about climate change and how humans are now also endangered. and i just sit down, trying to ignore the climate change denial people, the people who think trump is saving america and social media censorship is right because 'if you aren't going to agree to the social media rules, why are you here?', and people being homophobic and transphobic for 'well queer people are bad and mentally disabled' without any explanation. and i try not to be depressed about the fact that just 5 years later, my life could be ruined by rising sea levels and dictators. instead i decide to laugh at the world's state, look at the US having trump, man our country ruled out former president yoon as soon as he declared martial law and had the best protest in the world! and what, they don't have healthcare? lol what a ridiculous place. and guns? lol. (ok its mostly the US that i like to make fun of) like i just got used to the world being shit, i gotta ignore that and study or whatever so i go to this fancy schmancy school.
but you know, those problems are real and it's right next to me, it's just that i've gotten too used to them and they're usually worse somewhere else. and yes there always have been and still are people who deny those problems or worsen them, but so are people like my former school's captain who make a difference, whether that be small or big. and i can still choose whether i want to make a tiny change or stand by as everything gets worse. how much companies making fossil fuels, fast fashion, and AI yell to us about being useful, cool, or innovative, it's undeniable that they actively pollute the environment and suck up resources that could be used for people in need. as someone who uses electricity and a bit of AI, and wears clothes, as well as other activities that probably worsen global problems, it's easy to ignore those problems because of my guilt. in fact i think i have fallen into this trap multiple times, i think if i know that things i do may be good for me but bad for the world, i should find a solution right now. but i don't therefore i ignore the problems. but actually i should always keep that in mind so that even in the future i try to find any solution.