THE FAN INITIATIVE

Shaping collapse in code-red times.

The Spectrum of Opinions​

Different perspectives prevail around the world. Scroll through for insights into how people approach the human predicament. Where do you fall on the spectrum?

I think the future is bright.
All is fine.
Only some neurotic people invent problems, but they always have.
I think there is nothing to worry about and it is definitely not my concern.
All is fine.
There may be some problems in the distant future, but smart people and market forces will figure it out.
I think this is an irrelevant, unnecessary distraction now.
All is fine.
There may be some problems in the distant future, but people will figure it out.
I think there is nothing to worry about now.
All is fine although there is a bit of an economic downturn now, and climate change is an issue to some environmentalists, but market forces and governments will figure it out.
I think there is nothing to worry about now. Maybe my kids’ generation will have to work it out.
All is about an economic downturn now, and the usual political turmoil in some countries. Climate change is a concern to some. But market forces and governments will get us through the little hick-ups, and technological breakthroughs that are just around the corner will resolve it all.
I am annoyed by the alarmist attitudes of some.
There is an economic downturn, terrorism, and the usual political turmoil in some countries. Cyber security and artificial intelligence is something to worry about. Climate change is also becoming a serious concern, as is biodiversity loss and plastic pollution. But, technological breakthroughs, market forces, economic growth, better education and conservation will resolve it all.
I am concerned, but people hate bad news, so we should only talk about positive solutions.
There is sluggish economic growth, terrorism, social dissent, global indebtedness, rising inequality, cyber security, artificial intelligence and nuclear conflict to worry about. So is climate change, biodiversity loss, pollution, fragmentation of societies, migrations and xenophobia. But, technological breakthroughs, market forces, economic growth, better education and conservation will resolve most problems.
I think it is bad but most people have no idea. People are not rational and would panic if they were to be informed.
There are lots of issues to worry about. Risks are high. We should be attentive. Potentially serious problems are unfolding with increasing speed. And, technological breakthroughs may not materialize on time, while market forces, will not be able to solve the problems which essentially stem from energy and resource constraints. will resolve most problems.
I think that only by putting in place politicians who are as wise and moral as I am, can we rapidly transform global systems and human behavior and so avoid collapse.
There is a convergence of serious issues. Risks are high. We should be attentive. Several problems are unfolding with possible impact within our lifetimes. But a radical effort to change the economy into an equitable, ecologically sustainable one can avert a crisis.
I think people would be want to be better informed about the situation so that efforts are put into what matters under those circumstances.
Risks are high. We should be attentive. Several serious problems are unfolding with increasing speed. There is not much we can do to significantly alter the course of events since we all vitally depend on the system.
I think people would be want to be better informed about the situation so that efforts are put into what matters under those circumstances.
Risks are high. We should be attentive. Several serious problems are unfolding with increasing speed. There is not much we can do to significantly alter the course of events since we all vitally depend on the system.
I think many people understand the problems but they assume it is socially inappropriate to mention it.
The conditions to which we are accustomed are changing. Risks are high. We should be attentive. Several very serious threats are converging with increasing speed. There is not much we can do to significantly alter the course of events. Societies are vulnerable because they do not appreciate the nature of their own dependencies.
I think many people understand the gravity but escape into wishful thinking and magic.
The conditions to which we are accustomed are changing. Several very serious threats are converging with increasing speed. Societies are unprepared to detect and interpret the early warning signs, to deal with what is happening and what to do when shit hits the fan.
I think a collapse is inevitable but some things can be done to make it less ugly, and perhaps a recovery on very different fundamentals could be prepared in advance.
The situation is poised to become rather catastrophic. Multiple hazards stemming from global carrying capacity overshoot, bad enough one-by-one, interact in ways that exacerbate their effects. Society is unprepared to deal with them. The behavioral, political and economic changes to avert, or delay the process, are unlikely to materialize on time.
I think that some of the worst outcomes are preventable if we face the challenge and talk about it openly.
There is an onset of irreversible changes that are poised to destabilize the system and cause potentially catastrophic outcomes if not an outright existential threat. No technology is capable to address all aspects of the global carrying capacity overshoot. Society is woefully unprepared. The behavioral, political and economic changes to avert, or delay a collapse are unlikely to materialize on time.
I think a collapse is inevitable and both history and human behavior tell us it is likely to be quite ugly. But we should still take our chances to avoid the worst.
There is a convergence of irreversible processes, set in motion centuries (and even millennia) ago. Societal collapse is certain and there is nothing we can do about it. We might see knee-jerk reactions that can only make things worse – unwise geoengineering or nuclear conflicts – which can cause even greater harm to ourselves, civilization and the biosphere. We can prevent them.
I think that chances of influencing the course of events are exceedingly small.
Due to the lock-in of socio-economic processes and the convergence of irreversible constraints, societal collapse is certain. Increasing stress and declining resilience is already apparent in many parts of the world and within critical global systems. We can prevent additional harm to ourselves, civilization and the biosphere, if we can stand up to the challenge and talk about it openly.
I think there is nothing I can do about it, so it is not my problem.
Due to the lock-in of socio-economic processes societal collapse is certain. It may happen any time. Increasing stress and declining resilience is already apparent in many parts of the world and within critical global systems. We can’t prevent much.
I think the less people know about this the better off I am.
We are fucked. Guns, cans and bunkers are the only meaningful way to deal with this. We can’t prevent anything.
Previous
Next

A response credo

Think like a Risk Manager

Think like a Risk Manager

  • Don’t invest in what will amplify post-collapse problems
  • Localize, modularize, simplify
  • Think multi-level resilience

Stay Calm

Stay Calm

  • Boost logic and critical thinking at time of stress
  • Grieve, help grieve but then move on
  • Connect with like-minded people
  • Avoid: alarmism, exaltation, panic and hatred

See Many Futures

See Many Futures

  • Turn fantasy into vision. Pursue it
  • Explore, with others, potential solutions
  • The now impossible will be inevitable one day
  • Avoid nihilism. We still have time to act.

Keep It Simple

Keep It Simple

  • Stay with basics – no need to drown in complexity
  • Ask the deeper questions
  • Avoid hubris and cognitive / institutional overload

Don’t Blame

Don’t Blame

  • We all only did what was normal for any biological organism
  • We are able to see, but unable to avert the crisis
  • Be understanding, respectful and kind
  • Avoid: conflicts – they only worsen the problem

Cut Your Losses

Cut Your Losses

  • Focus on what will be vital to us during and post collapse
  • There is not much time and capital left – save what matters
  • Avoid: spending time and resources on what is impossible to change

Break Taboos

Break Taboos

  • Help manage societal expectations
  • They won’t matter soon anyway
  • The more sapience out there the better
  • Avoid: demagogues, snake-oil peddlers

Be Pro-Social

Be Pro-Social

  • Do what will be needed to support future community welfare and the rest of life
  • Think not “What will I do” but “How can I help?”
  • Avoid: fear-driven contraction; run for the hills; guns, bunkers, gold n’ tins

Be a Hero

Be a Hero

  • Great stories will be told of epochal times. Be part of it
  • Be someone to be proud of in the tales and myths of tomorrow
  • Avoid: the sense of insignificance

Back the Good Guys

Back the Good Guys

  • Unleash the good passions
  • Preserve, strengthen civil society
  • Don’t let the best majority be silenced by a zealous angry minority

Accentuate the Positive

Accentuate the Positive

  • Forget the perceived failures of others
  • Make manifest what the world needs more of
  • Avoid: erosion of social trust

Get the Facts

Get the Facts

  • Navigate the myths, delusions, manipulative forces
  • Dare to think independently
  • Explore, without judgement, what is known
  • Avoid too much reductionism

The FAN Initiative

The FAN Initiative brings to one place powerful narratives describing the system vulnerabilities; reflections by leading thinkers on the power to meet the challenge; and the ways some are responding to shift us from collapse to a compelling future.

Contact Us
Privacy Policy

Subscribe to our newsletter

The FAN Initiative 2023 © All Rights Reserved.