As the World Spins

 

Saying goodbye to Climate Change. Wow. I can’t believe it! After pages upon pages, picture after picture, it is finally time to say goodbye to Climate Change.

After the fanatical Squarzoni we had for the majority of the graphic memoir, his ending seems apathetic and anti-climatic: “Dooms day will happen. Oh well. I hope I’m wrong.”

In a finite world, growth cannot be infinite. But the American Dream is based on infinite growth. Does this mean fighting for the climate is inherently against American culture? I don’t think so – I refuse to believe that. The American Dream is defined by wanting a better life. Wanting a better life is not just to want material things but to want a better, healthier planet as well.

The idea of humanity depending upon only certain countries for help is scary to me. I hope it never comes down to that. That would inevitably lead to revolt. That could mean the end of humanity.

The current economic model is based off of the individualistic and hedonistic values of a consumer society. It is against preserving the climate. Is there a way we can fix this? How? How much would we have to give up? How much of a difference would that actually make?

We tell ourselves tales because we cannot ask ourselves those difficult questions. We bury our heads in the sand like ostriches because to view reality is to give up too much. If we do not, the glass shatters in our minds. We are not okay. We live in delusion as we spiral further and further into the depths of demolition.

I feel as if Squarzoni dropped the ball with this ending. I did not like it at all and now it is affecting my view on the entire book. Does the ending really mean that much? Can a bad ending ruin a good book and could a good ending make a poor book seem better than it actually is? If anything, this ending shows me the importance of having a good ending.

Climate Change is encroaching itself upon the world. Our actions are finally catching up to us.

Now what? Unlike Squarzoni, I am uncomfortable accepting that “the end is near.” I want to know what I can do to help the environment. Humanity should not acquiesce. We will not lie down and allow climate change to destroy everything we hold dear. We refuse.