In 2020, being wholesome - not addicted, not acquisitive, not narcissistic, not "dark and edgy", not alienated - is the ultimate narrative taboo.

> not addicted, not acquisitive, not narcissistic, not "dark and edgy", not alienated is the ultimate narrative taboo.

And the curious thing is that being "wholesome" - at least in the 1950s kind of way - is just the narrative that the addicted acquisitive narcissists of today appeal to.

Topsy turvy times indeed.

Yeah, my workin theory is we are twenty years away from a New Victorianism.

Those folks are being way too dramatic. This is not a year devoid of wholesomeness.

The 2020 meme is by far the worst meme of the year (and worst meme of the decade since we've started saying $CURRENT_YEAR is bad). These are peculiar times but it's far from the end of the world. In fact it's given us some perspective and respite from modern frantic life in some aspects.

Its extremely peculiar. 10% of the country is unemployed.

Business and museums are shutting down for good.

Cities are emptying out.

Hugging another human has been demonized and is considered irresponsible.

People are getting fined for not wearing facial coverings.

Our way of life has been completely hijacked by fear.

Things are very unstable and then we have an election.

One can take the necessary precautions to protect themselves and those around them without living in fear

The best precaution is being under the age of 70 years old.

And not having any of the plethora of conditions that also put one in a high risk category.

Yep, if you're either one of those categories why would you even leave quarantine? You could die!

OTOH, if you're not in one of one categories you have very little to worry about.

Punk is about change and rebelling fundamentally - including ironically against the concept of rebellion which has established its "norm".

We were at this before with both cyberprep and steampunk too in different ways. Cyberprep was more "work inside the system" and "technology has potential for good" and rebellion against tired old luddite science fiction 20th century tropes of fear and panic against science and technology. Steampunk is fundamentally dated such that its progressive or radical ideas and aesthetics as very old hat, its past traditional ways laughably obsolete. How much of the usual era suspect's past (Usually Victorian but one could on a trchnicality put in Bronze Age Hero punk as it is only an incorrect descriptor by convention) and old mores are included or not and how praised, condemned, or simply presented how it "was" unflinchingly.

> very much in line with the direction that society wants to go

Or at least, he direction that society should want to go.

I don't see that much conscience about climate change, renewables, energetic sustainability, resource depletion, etc, around me.

Depends where you live. In Europe it's everywhere even if it's greenwashing posing as the real thing. It's in the EU's stated political agenda, clearly discernable under Building a climate-neutral, green, fair and social Europe.

Wow harsh. I mean.. You don't even know me...

Society doesn't really seem to want to strongly go to more anarchist structures, simpler lives and less stuff, but much rather trends to continuing how its going while hoping for some tech miracle to save everything. Otherwise deep environmental activism wouldn't be put in the "hippie" corner it still is. "Everyone has a Tesla" isn't solarpunk.

Being deviant or alienated in a sick society is healthier than being normal. (I read that on a sticker in a bus years ago)

>"Solarpunk," to me, sounds pretty wholesome and very much in line with the direction that society wants to go.

I'm not sure if you're paying attention, but current society wants capitalism and consumption until the earth has been pillaged. For instance, Joe Biden said no fracking after 2050. That's 30 years from now.

That's right, we need to end fossil fuel usage right now. If we don't switch solely to solar and wind worldwide in the next ten years there's going to be an apocalyptic ecological event. It's a climate crisis. I don't understand why people can't just follow the science. It doesn't matter how much food and energy prices would rise if fossil fuels were abruptly banned; a few poor peoples' ability to eat or stay warm is nothing in the face of the climate crisis.

https://rebellion.earth

> a few poor peoples' ability to eat or stay warm is nothing in the face of the climate crisis.

Or maybe, in such a case, the people who have actually been consuming (and emitting) like there is no tomorrow all these decades should make substantial adjustments to their lifestyle (i.e. pay more taxes), so that the people who have been consuming nothing can eat. Sounds a bit more reasonable to me. And we are not talking about a few people, especially if you are referring to the whole world.

Actually, for a brief moment I thought you were joking.

It was in fact extreme sarcasm

>If we don't switch solely to solar and wind worldwide in the next ten years there's going to be an apocalyptic ecological event.

Well, being as how there's 0% probability of us ending fossil fuel usage in that time, I guess we'll put your prediction to the test. Personally, I don't see it happening...

Fossil fuel usage will end itself once other more convenient energy sources become relevant. You can't possibly suggest leaving vulnerable people without shelter, heat or food because there's an impending apocalypse brewing. Fossil fuels be banned sounds like a quote from the nutcake realm. You're probably using ICE engines for transportation, gas and electricity for indoor lighting and heating like everybody else. Imagine if these were turned off for your own good and the survival of modern society.

Biden would be what 107 years old by that time.

He’s Biden his time.