On Navigating a World That Burns and Suffers

Published on Jan 18, 2026, filed under misc, philosophy. (Share this post, e.g. on Mastodon or on Bluesky.)

The world is burning. It is literally burning because of climate change. And it’s just as literally burning because of violence, by now not just because of Russia and Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, but notably because of the United States and Israel and their attacks and threats against at least a dozen countries—and their genocide against the Palestinian people.

The world is also suffering. Instead of taking care of everyone, we do the opposite, by allowing individuals to amass fortunes they can never spend, by allowing other to starve to death, and by keeping up a system, Capitalism, that enables and encourages both. We accept competition, inequality, inaccessibility.

We all long to be loved and yet we vote for and act in hatred.

I believe it's entirely understandable to be depressed, to be frustrated, to be angry. I am. Personally, it took me a few decades to realize that my own relationship to this world and our reality has always been marked by it feeling wrong. “Wrong” as in inauthentic—not like how things should be; not like how we are. Let’s face it, this world, with everyone and everything in it, is beautiful, and we make it hell.

What can we do right now, today, in the year 2026? I’m freestyling a little when proposing three tenets:

1. Understand the Root Cause—an Insufficient Model of the World

At the root of this mess is our entirely inadequate view of the world.

This warrants not a couple but a few hundred paragraphs, but our predominant world views are entirely inaccurate. I think you know this.

Economics, politics, science, and religion are all acting on principles that are not anchored in what is true about our reality, and what is actually important and useful for us.

No economic school, no political school, no scientific school, no religious school can work without the realization that everything is connected—that we all are connected—, that what hurts one, hurts everyone, and that therefore, we can only be well off—including safe and healthy and genuinely happy—, if everyone is well off.

That is just one part of a more adequate world view, but is the key one: You hurt another, you hurt yourself. There’s no damaging action against humans, animals, or environment, that isn’t also damaging ourselves.

2. Decide Not to Be Afraid: Decide to Be Courageous

As part of another longer story, some of the best advice we can give each other is that life is all about who we decide to be.

(If you have never heard this, then it only confirms the first point—our model of the world is inadequate.)

These nine words are full of important insight: It’s our decision (which affirms freedom) who we are (which deemphasizes what we “have”) that’s all that matters—that really is all that life is about.

Now, the point is that in this current time, one decision is paramount: To decide not to be afraid, but to be courageous instead.

You can decide to be courageous, and through that turn away from fear.

This is key because it allows you not to waste energy worrying, and to focus instead on what we need in order to do more for each other.

What’s more, the mess we’re in is largely because of people who are afraid. Why do you think there are people who choose to domineer, to hoard, to destroy—not to care about others?

Because of fear.

Do not be afraid—choose to be courageous.

3. Bring About Change Asymmetrically

Dozens of countries, “led” by the United States and China, spy on their own and other people. In addition to that, some countries are aggressive about their going after views they dislike, and the people who voice them.

This use of power is already problematic. It’s even more problematic given the underlying world view and motivation, meaning it cannot be constructive.

We cannot change things by resisting and responding to this power directly.

The most promising course of action is already given by the first two points:

The way we currently act in this world, exploiting and extracting from people, animals, and environment, anyone protecting those people, animals, and environments will win hearts and minds.

That is power today. No one likes an oppressor. Everyone is inspired by the one who cares. We should value this more.

As the exploitation of living beings is only something a primitive species does, a species that hasn’t yet learned to consciously decide who they are and to take responsibility for themselves and their entire world, anyone doing so—you doing so—possesses something of a value they cannot lose: conscious, intrinsic, true power.

_ Our world is burning and suffering because we have chosen to, but we can also choose differently. We can move away from being the most primitive species on the planet, one which destroys its environment and each other, decide not to engage in what led us here (fear), and to lead by example instead—to be as courageous, specifically by taking care of everyone.

About Me

I’m Jens (long: Jens Oliver Meiert), and I’m a senior engineering lead, guerrilla philosopher, and indie publisher. I’ve worked as a technical lead and engineering manager for companies you use every day and companies you’ve never heard of, I’m an occasional contributor to web standards (like HTML, CSS, WCAG), and I write and review books for O’Reilly and Frontend Dogma.

I love trying things, not only in web development and engineering management, but also in philosophy. Here on meiert.com I share some of my experiences and perspectives. (I value you being critical, interpreting charitably, and giving feedback.)