AIBU - Are we doomed for dystopia?

[dropletdrew]

Perhaps I should stop watching shows like Handmaids Tale, Years & Years, or even just watching the news…. But I feel more and more terrified of the future. So many things are uncertain, I am filled with dread that I may have doomed my young children to a dystopian nightmare future.

Does anyone else feel this way? I know I shouldn’t worry about things I can’t control and should just enjoy each day, but I can’t help but feel like humanity is on a cliff. Some of the horrors I fear have repeated throughout history, and are even currently present in many pockets of the world, so why not us? Why not here?

I don’t feel secure or safe. I am terrified of what’s to come. Is this normal? How can I go on thinking we’re doomed? And before anyone suggests it, yes I am looking into therapy.

What with the low birth rates, American states banning abortion I feel the Handmaids Tale isn't unthinkable

I feel similarly, but just try not to worry about what I can't do anything about. I know that's not particularly helpful.

I'm honestly a different person since I decided NOT to listen to the news, current affairs discussions, read articles, etc. That's all superfluous noise to me now and I've realised that it is just repetitive stuff, hour after hour, day after day. The media has to try and keep us interested so the more lurid the headline, the more disastrous the message we will stay on our toes and keep clicking.

I realised with some surprise, that I cannot do ANYTHING about it from my living room and I am much calmer as a result.

I do get news alerts, and listen to occasional podcasts of current issues, so I know what's going on, but I don't have to listen to the doomsday fearmongering on the hour every hour. Last week it was Trump and disastrous tariffs etc. This week it's the trans revenge on the Supreme Court ruling, next week it will be something else. All gets sorted eventually.

That's how I deal with the incessant "noise" that can lead to fear and discombobulation!

Stop fretting over things you cannot control.

I grew up in the 1980s

everyone then was worried about nuclear war, acid rain, the hole in the ozone layer, etc etc.

nuclear war didn’t happen.
acid rain and the ozone layer are slowly being fixed.

not all threats come to pass.

@Octavia64how did you cope? How did your parents help? Or was it not top of mind?

I agree OP. YANBU because life is hard for so many at the minute. Bringing children in to the world the state this country is in is something I’ve worried about.
i wonder what society will be like when they’re adults. It’s ok people saying you can’t control it so don’t stress, they’re right in some way but it’s natural to wonder how how our children will survive and succeed in this shit hole we have become.

I’m not even referring to nuclear wars etc…. I’m just wondering about basic standard of living that was taken for granted such as affordable housing availability, access to Doctors or if healthcare will only be available for the rich like in the US and the gap between rich and poor will become ever larger.

There doesn’t seem to be anything positive at the minute

I grew up in the 1980s, the ozone was a concern but certainly not something I dwelled on. I wasn't bothered about nuclear war. Presumed I would be able to buy a house though..

What @vandelier said. You think about what you feed your mind with! Focus on making your patch of the world a great place to be. That’s all you can control.

In the history of human existence, it's a pretty good time to be alive, compared to say, the middle ages, so no

I just don’t watch the news. My MH is a million times better for it.

Every generation of humanity has had its low points and threats.
In the last 100 years alone we have had 2 world wars, 2 pandemics, the Cold War, the Great Depression, general strike, global financial crisis, several other wars of varying types and magnitude. Life now is pretty good for most. Not for all obviously but comparatively we’re mostly very lucky. We’ve just all got used to life being very easy.

Dairy cows live a similar life to a handmaid. Forcefully impregnated, a hairy farmers arm up her backside, her calf taken and slaughtered so we can drink her milk. Everywhere you look females are hated.