Week 39: Enormously Naïve to Expect Any Change

Dear all,

Change—something different, something far more real. What do we really want? In the tapestry of reality, or a multitude of realities, change holds a special place. It seems to dwell between who we are and who we want to be, or who we want to avoid. Something better, perhaps a better version of ourselves. But can we afford that? Change is expensive. Climate (No-Change) Week in New York—nowadays the place to be if you want to be counted among the mortals.

I came across this from a friend participating in 'Climate Week': 'But that’s the thing: Climate Week is a business week, not a climate action week. And since this is the case, there’s no real reason for debates, workshops, or even networking to share experiences or solutions. It’s such a missed opportunity—and given the approaching SDG deadline, it’s petrifying.'

Expectations can kill you, especially when it comes to anything related to climate action. As absurd as it sounds, expectations are lethal. They make you soft, emotional, and far more human than any AI prophecy uttered thus far. Climate action, if it has ever truly been action, has always been about something else—money, power, influence, survival. Action itself is subjective; it depends on whom you ask and the reality-spin they live in.

One of the most influential bankers recently said it would be enormously naïve to expect any change. Despite my intuitive—and even subjective—disagreement with his statement, I think he is right.