The air crackles with unspoken anxieties. Richard Uzelac realizes that he lives in a world intricately woven with the threads of a complex civilization, a system that underpins the very survival. I often feel threatened by the notion of the fragility of our civilization. I have been critical, yet I know that…our/my way of life brings me comfort—From the food on my table to the warmth in my home, my life is deeply enmeshed with its functioning. To critically examine this foundation, to even entertain the notion of its fragility, feels like staring into an abyss.
It threatens my sense of safety, my ability to navigate the world, and even my fundamental understanding of how life operates. This confrontation is frightening, depressing, and yet, paradoxically, potentially liberating for me so I want to share a little of what I know.
Understanding the Possibilities of Collapse
One of the significant barriers to engaging with this difficult reality of the possibility of collapse is cognitive dissonance. What’s cognitive dissonance anyway? Put simply, cognitive dissonance is the mental discomfort we experience when holding two or more conflicting beliefs, ideas, or values. Our way of living has been structured long before we were born, so being critical of our civilization is paradoxical.
In this context, the dissonance arises from the fundamental conflict between our reliance on the current civilization for survival and the growing awareness of its inherent unsustainability. We understand, on some level, the environmental degradation, resource depletion, and systemic vulnerabilities that plague our world. Yet, our daily lives are structured around the continued functioning of this very system. We need the fossil fuels that contribute to climate change to power our transportation, heat our homes, and fertilize the fields that feed us. It creates a deep internal conflict, a tension that many unconsciously seek to resolve through repression, pushing the unsettling truths into the shadows of our minds. While repression is an unconscious defense mechanism, suppression is a conscious effort to ignore or avoid uncomfortable thoughts. The argument here is that for many, confronting the potential for collapse is so deeply unsettling that it often operates on an unconscious level.
This brings us to a crucial juncture, one illuminated by Jordan Peterson’s seventh rule for life: “Pursue what is meaningful (not what is expedient).”
The “expedient” path, in this context, is to cling to the familiar, to maintain the illusion of perpetual progress and stability. It’s the comfortable denial that allows us to continue our current way of life without grappling with the uncomfortable realities. This expediency is fueled by the psychological mechanisms described earlier: the fear of the unknown, the desire to maintain hope, and the powerful force of cognitive dissonance. It’s easier to look away, to trust that somehow, things will magically resolve themselves or that technology will provide a last-minute salvation.
However, Peterson’s rule challenges this very inclination. It urges us to look beyond the immediate comfort and short-term gains offered by expediency and instead orient ourselves towards something deeper and more significant: meaning.
Accepting the possibility of collapse, or at least understanding the profound vulnerabilities of our current systems, can be a deeply meaningful endeavor, even if it is initially painful. It requires intellectual honesty, a willingness to confront uncomfortable truths, and the courage to look beyond the familiar. This acceptance doesn’t necessarily mean succumbing to despair. Instead, it can be the first step towards:
- Resolving Cognitive Dissonance: By acknowledging the potential for systemic disruption, we can begin to reconcile the conflict between our reliance on the current system and our awareness of its flaws. This can lead to a more integrated and less internally conflicted understanding of the world.
- Shifting Focus to True Resilience: Instead of blindly relying on the continuation of a fragile system, we can begin to cultivate genuine resilience at individual, community, and even larger scales. This might involve developing skills for self-sufficiency, strengthening local networks, and fostering a deeper connection with the natural world.
- Re-evaluating Our Values: Confronting the potential for collapse forces us to question what truly matters. Stripped of the conveniences and distractions of our current consumer-driven society, what are the core values we want to preserve and cultivate? What kind of future, even a different future, do we want to strive for?
- Finding Meaning in Adaptation and Creation: Even in the face of significant change, there is immense potential for meaning in adaptation, innovation, and the creation of new ways of living. This could involve contributing to local food systems, developing sustainable technologies, or fostering stronger community bonds.
“Pursuing meaning in the face of upheaval doesn’t mean we’re reliably able to change the future, but just like what J. Peterson said time can be bargained. Hence, the mindset of preparedness, adaptability, and a commitment to values are important.”- Richard Uzelac.
Richard Uzelac’s Realization:
Another example that I can think of is death. Everyone succumbs to death. I know someone who says, “Eat whatever you like; we will die anyway,” or, “Don’t exercise.” It is a fact that death is inevitable, but just as Jordan Peterson said, “We began to realize that reality was structured as if it could be bargained with.” We began to realize that behaving properly leads to a more meaningful life rather than simply getting things the way we want.
I’ve realized that recognizing that our current way of life, while seemingly secure, may not be the only way, or even the most fulfilling way, to live—Embracing the troublesome truth and choosing the path of meaning over the comfort of expediency, we can move beyond the paralyzing grip of denial and begin to energetically shape a more resilient and meaningful future—whatever form it may take and whatever you value.
