Why I Remain Optimistic

Hey folks—How do I remain an optimist about the human future, even as the planetary crisis worsens?A few thoughts.AlexPS: A little more to chew on:* More here on the mythological universal conversion event, and how we might think more clearly about the future.* Why real optimism springs from grasping what fights are now winnable and why outspoken optimism is actually critical to winning those fights.* The long-running debate about whether “optimistic” or “resolute” is the right description of this stance, and whether “steely-eyed optimism” splits the difference.* I’ve written many times about how predatory delay is not only a strategy for playing out the end of the unsustainable, but is itself as a waning industry, for example here.Reminder: My next live Ruggedize Your Life: the Basics class (a concentrated introductory course for planning a personal climate strategy) will be held a week from today, on Thursday, January 30th, from 11:00 am - 1:00 pm Pacific Time. (Yes, class will be recorded.)Click the button below to save your spot:- If you like this new podcast, When We Are, please rate, review, follow and share these episodes. Thank you!- Stay connected on social: Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, Bluesky- I have a new piece in Mother Jones, Trump Won’t Confront the Climate Crisis. He’ll Feast Off It.- Check out my books: Worldchanging and Carbon Zero- View my TED Global talks on sustainability and cities.- I’ve spoken with the media hundreds of times. Recently, I was featured in a NY Times Magazine piece, "This Isn't the California I Married." My writing was the jumping-off point for an episode of This American Life titled Unprepared for What Has Already Happened, as well as the podcasts Without; The Big Story; Everybody In the Pool and 99% Invisible’s Not Built for This series. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit alexsteffen.substack.com/subscribe