We live in a decaying system, which in turn produces ideologies of decay to justify its existence.

No matter what cultural signifiers they get packaged with, these ideologies come down to the same material result: a future in which for the average person there is less of everything. To paraphrase Mark Fisher, we find it easier to imagine the decline of civilization than to imagine a civilization worth living in.

The beauty of the universe and the beauty of what we can accomplish within it are two related but separate things, and the separation matters.

Is it possible that on some level, people want to believe that everything's going to get worse? That it's comforting to think that humanity is bad and every solution will just go wrong? Because that way, you're never responsible. You never have to take on responsibility for anything outside yourself and never have to grow up.

1K: There will always be user error.
Melville: I think I could idiot proof this thing... but I do take your point. Pellegrino once almost killed himself with a bucket.

Ther is no tool that is not also a weapon; and no human that would wield it as one.