What Can You Tell a 17 Year Old Who’s Afraid of Dying from Climate Change? Part 2

What to learn, how to think, how to live

Another screen grab from the video game Fallout 4, This is how many young people today imagine their future.

I originally published this post as one long article, but decided to divide it into two slightly more bite-sized pieces. In Part 1, we considered two questions anyone wanting to survive the 21st Century must answer for themselves:

• What predictions can you rely on?
• What will give your life meaning?

In this second part of the post, we dive into practicalities:

• What skills and mental habits will you need?
• How will you live?

What skills and mental habits will you need?

So how do you go about creating a life of autonomy, competence, and belonging? You plan your life around goals and activities that make you more self-sufficient, knowledgeable, and socially connected. In a world of cascading climate crises, shortages, and social and political unrest, people who can think for themselves, have useful practical skills, and are connected to a like-minded community, are going to have significant advantages over the cult followers, the totally-unprepared, and the socially isolated.