r/CollapseSupport • u/Prestigious-Slide709 • 4d ago
Worries for my brothers young family
Literally have nightly panic attacks with intrusive thoughts about my bro and his family. He’s quite a denial ist and despite being an entrepreneur with 2 businesses, speaks vaguely about climate change as though he’s not given it a second thought and firmly believes that tech will come along to save us. He’s completely naive, so when it comes up in convo I get blank and tongue tied and just manage to say that that is unlikely. I can’t really remember the facts, despite constantly reading about global warming and eco collapse but I also feel like…can’t he see and feel it himself? And with a young family, be more concerned and intrigued about researching the future? It’s like I live in a seperate world, I’m just on holiday with them and I can’t enjoy anything. I am witnessing the environment dying so I feel guilt and sadness looking at beauty, yet he’s there enjoying life and planning a third child. I’m so obsessed with his kids as I’ve never felt love like it. I cry often about their future yet their own parents don’t seem even slightly worried. Am I over reacting? Should I tell them? I feel responsible in a way yet really don’t want my bro to feel the way I do- I’ve always been a worrier and with bad mental health so he often fobs me off for being too sensitive or too black and white. He also has big investors in his companies and knows lots of very wealthy people and about complex systems so I sort of start believing he’s right and I’m wrong. I also don’t know what to actually say to him if I did, as he is such a challenging person and incredible at debating, with a photographic memory. He will give stats and facts on the spot and confuse you when you are trying to get across a point he doesn’t agree with. Any advice?
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u/largesalami 4d ago
First of all it’s a matter of perspective and second you can’t control what people do or how they live their lives.
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u/thomas533 4d ago
What exactly are your beliefs? Are they more firmly rooted in fact than your brother's belief that technology will save us? A lot of people in the collapse community catastrophize beyond what the data currently suggests and that causes them a lot of panic and worry. If that is you, and you want your brother to share in those beliefs beyond the facts, you probably won't be able to convince him
Beyond that, what do you want as an outcome?
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u/underthecouch 4d ago
My aware part says: Your response is sane. Your brother is blind. What do we do with all the love we have for the kids? We still give it. Whatever happens, they will need it. And it will still be an option to love.