I think that's a very good question to ask. It was something that took me a while to process.

Like…..you know you're going to live some approximate amount of time barring an unfortunate illness or some catastrophic accident. You've always known that. Most people live 70-90 years if they're lucky enough to be born with relatively good DNA….but then you die of something. 100% of all of us. No exceptions.

But it's different when you think your entire species might be wiped out…and soon. Do you have children? That's a tough one. I had a family before I knew about collapse.

But we've also had all these wars….innocent kids die every day, and the other kids still play football on the ruined pavement of their bombed-out street the very next day.. The truth is that life is precious and valuable, no matter how short or challenging or unfair, or fucked-up….or whatever, You play the hand you're dealt, and you try to live every day, one day at a time, and you make the best you can out of whatever today gives you.

We used to talk to a group of doomers who were real haters of humanity. They hated all mankind and especially industrial civilization….for causing the other species to die and the planet to become less livable…they were themselves proud of not having kids….and many of them were extremely suicidal and crazy as hell. They gravitated to another website RE used to moderate……the Guy McPhersonites. Some of us used to talk to them. Argue with them.

In my view those people are/were pathetic. It's no way to live.

Some people have some kind of spiritual belief system that gives them strength. And I don't knock that. People who believe in science tend to be atheists. But not all. We have had some great threads on this site in years gone by about human consciousness…and whether consciousness is a byproduct of our physical body…or whether what we call life arises out of a pre (and post) existing consciousness. You get to believe what you want…..but nobody, not even the great intellectual thinkers of our time, can prove that consciousness is just a condition of physical existence.

This is THE great mystery.

I see myself living at or near the end of this complex civilization…with all its obvious flaws and overshoots and mismanaged resources and plain short-sightedness and stupidity beyond believe almost.

But its a lofty perch, with a view that can give your intellect and your curiosity a lot to chew on…if you just take it in…and try to learn something from it….not to save the world, but just for yourself…to learn and grow and try to get whatever you can out of whatever comes your way.

Humans have learned so much about the nature of the universe. It's a great paradox. We can understand what is a black hole, but we can't understand that too many cars and coal fired electrical generating plants will kill all the higher animals on the planet including ourselves

You're already a winner. Somebody born the very same day as you…..suffered for years and died young. We all have our karma to fulfill. Do the best you can. If you want to be a prepper, and try to live a low energy sustainable lifestyle, more power to you…but don't expect anyone much to get it. A few people will. Most are firmly in denial.

And remember..the past and the future are illusions. You can worry about the future, but you aren't in it. You live only in this moment…right now. That's reality.

Also remember this….it isn't all about you. In your life you will be given the chance, most likely, to be an important part of the lives of people you love and care about. You will never go wrong just trying to go through life exercising love and kindness and doing small things to help the people that providence or God or the Great Pumpkin put in your path.

For me ,this life is like the coolest ride at the best amusement park in the universe. Like I bought my ticket before I was born and now I'm taking the wildest rollercoaster ride that ever was……except I'm manifesting it all out of nothingness as I go along.

I have the illusion of being this discrete human weirdo named Eddie, for whom life is just one damn thing after another…..and sometimes things go all wrong and it looks really scary and sometimes I lose people and places and things that meant a great deal to me….but I have to just keep going.

I have a pretty good idea that my entire perception of what reality consists of…..is completely bogus…and when the ride is over I will once again realize that I always was connected to every other person, place and thing in the galaxy and perhaps a great many other things that exist right now, even though they aren't visible at all.

You are a witness. Keep your eyes and ears open…..and live and love and make the best life you can. Life is binary. You will get to make choices, and how you choose will matter, in my opinion. Your heart is a good guide. Follow it, and if the going gets so tough you feel like you can''t keep keeping on..then ask for help from whatever power you might decide to believe in……God, the great universe that surrounds you, the ghost of Christmas Past, the Easter Bunny…..whatever.

Seek out the wisest council you can find and listen to it..but make up your own mind. Use your brain, your brawn, your ingenuity and…as RE said, keep your sense of humor.

Happy New Year. and good luck to you.

I hope some of this might help. But if what I said doesn't make sense to you, then just do what seems right, and try not to cause any more harm than you have to. You'll be fine.