Is it just me, or have you felt it too? “It” is the idea or feeling that things are just spiraling out of control.

There have been crises and disasters throughout history, of course, but this time it feels different. Everything seems threatening, and worse, they all seem to be working together, each disaster working with the others in a coordinated symphony of deterioration and decay.

First and foremost are our own political troubles here at home. The economy hints at multiple potential collapses. Then there are the threats of war in Europe, the Middle East and Asia, each a major disaster in itself, but now all coordinating and cooperating to become a global mega catastrophe. The potential solution to any of these emergencies only seems to make all the others more inevitable. Looming behind it all is the steady drumbeat of dismal climate news from which there seems to be no escape or solution. Throughout the world, free people seem to be sensing this subconsciously and are hoping for some charismatic strong man to deliver them from evil, because they seem to have lost the confidence that they can do the task themselves.

I’ve lived a good life. I was born during a time of American global power and influence and I have been fortunate enough to have a long life where pretty much everything fell in place for me. My time here has been prosperous and happy, for the most part. I can’t complain. If I wake up tomorrow morning and the world is coming to an end at least I can say most of my life turned out pretty easy. Even if the end is near, it will be quick and short and I’m going to die soon anyway. But my heart breaks when I think of the world my generation has left for today’s young people. The old always criticize and envy the young, but I feel sorry for them. It is not a good time when the dying feel sorry for those being born. To paraphrase the title of a popular movie, this is no world for young men. I catch myself thinking; “Let them poison the world and the future, I won’t be around to have to clean up their mess”. And I recognize that as bitterness, despair, and selfishness.

Maybe its just me, maybe my own age and vulnerability lead me to exaggerate the crises accumulating in our near future. But it seems to me any one of them is critical, and collectively they are all working together to overwhelm us. I don’t see a way out.

As a kid, I was afraid I would die too soon and miss the wonderful future that science, freedom and prosperity offered to us. I read science fiction because it offered a glimpse into a time I desperately longed for, freedom, peace, justice, prosperity, adventure–the exploration of the solar system, perhaps even the stars, and I might even play a part in it. Now I not only feel I might miss it, now I’m convinced it will never happen. Is this as good as its ever going to get?

I know. I’m a silly old man with maudlin thoughts and too much time on my hands. I certainly hope so.