Every day, news reminds us of the gradual loss of our familiar world. Threats like bee population decline, coastal community evacuations, and collapsing ice shelves contribute to anxiety about climate change. Mark O’Connell, in his book Notes from an Apocalypse, shares his deep worries about the future, especially after becoming a parent. How do you raise a child in a world facing inevitable disaster?
O’Connell delves into various subcultures and scenarios related to apocalyptic thinking. He attends a conference on Mars colonization, engages with “preppers” preparing for doomsday, and explores an underground bunker real estate development in South Dakota. Despite his beautiful writing and insightful observations about human behavior in extreme circumstances, the book seems to veer off course from its initial premise of confronting the end of the world.
In the end, O’Connell reflects on his anxiety and acknowledges that living in a perpetual state of fear is unsustainable. While he admits uncertainty about the future, some readers may find his conclusion somewhat evasive given the book’s thematic focus on coming to terms with apocalyptic scenarios.
