—Let’s say you live on a planet with limited resources and a complex ecosystem and all your activities threaten the survival of all species including yourself. What do you do?
—Let’s pretend happiness.
—What if scientists discover that Canada is warming two times faster than the rest of world and no one does anything about it?
—I think I’ve seen that movie before.
—How does it end?
—Not well.
—Someone will take care of it.
—No one’s taking care of it.
—I know you’re proud of yourself, but we happen to be facing extinction.
—It’s not that bad.
—It’s dire.
—Don’t poison today with tomorrow.
—Worse things to come.
—Are you trying to make me feel bad?
—No, I always try to be the saddest person in the room.
—And they all just went about their business. That was the end of the story.
Kathryn Mockler
Kathryn Mockler is a writer and filmmaker. She recently edited Watch Your Head: Writers & Artists Respond to the Climate Crisis (Coach House Books, 2020).
*This excerpt is from an in-progress dialogue series and video project called This Isn’t A Conversation.
