Feeling guilty about the world we're leaving our kids

[TakemedowntoPotatoCity]

I know no-one could have predicted coronavirus and the disruption has caused to all our lives, but the world just seems to be changing so rapidly and it scares me. So many frankly unbelievable things have happened in the last few years - Brexit, Trump, fake news, reality tv, climate change, this, the list goes on and on and it's all just moving so quickly it seems like a different planet to the one I grew up on and I'm only 45.
I know change is inevitable and some change is a good thing. But with the virus, I just think this is the first of many ways the earth is showing us it's had enough and is fighting back. There will be more viruses over the next few centuries and they will be worse.
I just feel I'm on a rollercoaster and it's not my dd's fault and I want to say sorry to her, for the shitty way the world.is in and for the future she will inherit :(

[Scottishgirl85]

Pandemics have occured in the past and are always anticipated, in fact some scientists are surprised we don't have them more often.
Climate change hasn't just happened in the past few years!
At least our generation hasn't lived through a world war.
It's just life, there is always something.

[MamaKarmaLlama]

Yes, it definitely has been anticipated.

[MsTSwift]

Why should we assume our lives will be easy lovely and as we planned? This has never been the case. Our expectations now are far too high. Read history!

[Utterlydespairing]

Ffs

[Sandybval]

There have been a lot of trials and tribulations throughout history. Maybe frame it this way, we are fortunate because for many people this is the first 'big' that's directly majorly affected them in their lifetime.

[HPLmummy]

These are things out of your control and no fault of your own. Don't feel guilty. Continue to love and nurture her the way you are and remember this will pass. Sure, these are scary uncertain times but we have to make the best of it and your daughter deserves to learn and see the joy and happiness of life. Better times are coming x

[noego]

I disagree that it's just life and the way it is......

The consumer drive for cheap goods is the main cause.

Kids of 6 and upwards up to their eyes in mud mining tin for your mobile phone for example.
Rives and lakes being drained of water for your cotton/denim clothes
Palm oil??
Oil production??
China have just decided to build 2 more COAL fired power plants (makes a mockery of the fact you've just recycled a plastic bottle)
Deforestation not just of the Amazon but indigenous forest in Romania and other countries. Rosewood trees take 100 years to grow and are being butchered because they fetch 10,000 dollars on the black market. for example.
Exploitation of wild animals for food. Is whale meat a real necessity? Is Rhino horn a necessity? Is bear stomach bile a necessity??
30 million refugees displace in Yemen, Syria and Libya?
Human Rights issues in countries around the world
LGBT rights in countries around the world including South Korea as an example.
If you expect your politicians, the UN, the WHO to sort this out then think again, they have no power at all and what power they do have is simply ignored.
Consumers however do have power, imagine if all the consumers in the West decided not to purchase products from countries that disregard human rights, animal rights, climate and environment issues those countries would soon take notice when their economy gets affected. Retract their GDP by 10% and they'd soon change their ways. It would be like having a fair trade sticker but for countries and when they do comply then consumer confidence could return.
Teach you DD the truth, don't hold back, let them join organisations like Greenpeace, WWF, teach them that the purchase of non essential goods is not needed, hopefully if there is one thing good that comes out of this pandemic is that people see that buying unnecessary goods can make the planet better.
Because even as we go into the 8th week of lockdown the air quality is still the worse it has been for 3 million years and the world temperature is 1.3 degrees warmer than last year.
Consumers can do a lot. Teach our kids that.

[MsTSwift]

I think history will judge us harshly tbh especially as we know the above and carry on anyway 🙄