• goldsound [he/him]
    ·
    4 years ago

    So maybe its just me, but does it bother anyone else when comrades anywhere (this site included) tell Americans to "get out while you still can" or move to x part of the country like its that easy? I don't see any feasible way that myself or most people on here can fully and successfully uproot their entire lives and start again. It feels a bit... privileged? ignorant? To offer it is a viable solution. Again, maybe that's just me.

    • Frank [he/him, he/him]
      ·
      4 years ago

      It's really privileged, and I still tell people that, because I've read a lot of stories where someone in Germany told their family "get out of germany" and the last message they ever heard from their family is a post card a few years later that said "you were right".

      If people can get out they should get out. There's no future here, and when it's all over no one will judge the people who escaped when they could. Because let's get real - we're all expecting death squads at some point.

        • FieriDepthsofHell [none/use name]
          ·
          4 years ago

          Enormous caveats about being privileged Americans and shit cascading downhill from the global north as situations worsen, etc. but a couple of friends (with no money to speak of - one plays online poker professionally, the other makes a living translating Arabic somehow) have moved to Mexico and love it. The poker player is in Mexico City and the translator somewhere on the coast.

          With cartels and us sitting on top of them and all, I'm in no way sure I'd pick Mexico myself but there are parts of the developing world that I'm suspicious won't be worse for a working class person than the US in 10-15 years.

      • goldsound [he/him]
        ·
        4 years ago

        Yeah, I get that. As lib as it is to do new years resolutions, I've decided I'll do one for 21: learn to gun

    • FieriDepthsofHell [none/use name]
      ·
      4 years ago

      Said as commiseration, fine, but as just about anything else, yeah, fuck off.

      Relocation demands enough privilege to (partially or totally) cut family and social ties or such dire straits that they've been forcibly cut or you have no choice but to do so. My father was an only child of working class parents - it was always in the cards that he/my immediate family would play a major role in their elder care. 'Just relocate' isn't an easy option in that scenario unless you've got money to cover the care or so few prospects that you have no choice (or you hate your parents).

    • LargeAdultSon [she/her]
      ·
      4 years ago

      It's interesting that you also get that from the 'first world' side. I'm South African, and could probably emigrate pretty easily with my qualifications, so of course, I'm constantly encouraged to do so by well-meaning people and many of my friends are trying to go to Australia/New Zealand/Canada/Europe. (Nobody I know wants to be in America, though 😝)

      But dude, my whole fucking life is here, and especially because a huge chunk of my postgrad studies were state-funded, I feel strongly about contributing my skills back into this country. Like yeah, shit sucks, but it sucks everywhere right now.

      I am fucking terrified of climate change, though 😔

      • goldsound [he/him]
        ·
        4 years ago

        I feel the whole life being somewhere. I fight for my friends and family, and they are where I am. Except the last one, I'm terrified existentialy too, but at least I already live in a region that will feel the negative/worst effects last.

    • SSJBlueStalin [he/him]
      ·
      4 years ago

      I been thinking about that. I really gotta qonder where there is left to move to. Anyplace by the sea is going to be prone to flooding. Inlanxs ade gonna get to hot

      Do we have a good idea about what the world will look like post climate change? It's still kinda a blacl box right?

      • goldsound [he/him]
        ·
        4 years ago

        Its somewhat black box, but I think the most likely model is a slow drowning of the coasts and a desertification of drier/more southern regions. North and center (at least in terms of NA) are the safest in the long run.

    • Nuttula [comrade/them]
      ·
      4 years ago

      I think that people who react strongly to this are perhaps projecting their own situations and experiences to others. Like if I was a parent and my children told me they have the opportunity to move to a better life somewhere else with their family(or maybe a change to start their family) then I'd say yes please go I'll be fine. Throw in climate change and I'd be begging them to leave me.

      Of course not everyone is the same, and I'm sure some parents will never really want to say goodbye or whatever for one reason or another, but my main point is not everyone is the same and not every situation will be the same. So acting as if emigrating is impossible is just as silly as acting as if everyone can do it.

      If we talk about the requirements look around and you'll see immigration requirements are quite achievable if you are American you'll likely have some inherent advantages or be in a position where this could be a realistic goal.

      Yes surely if you are poor and working retail two jobs overtime or whatever I don't see any path to emigration other than English teacher route and even that is a shitty job. There is no denying this. The poor will be hit the hardest exactly because of these reasons.

      But if you have some decent job now(literally anything in IT can get you a job abroad) or a bachelor degree you can leverage to find a job offer than it is quite possible.

      I don't think giving this suggestion is "privileged", if emigrating is the best option then you should be able to say it, yes it is sad not everyone can do it but that does not change reality, when shit hits the fan due to climate change there will be millions of climate refugees anyway. You can either consider it now and/or plan for it while you still have time or become desperate and try to do it 10-20 years from now along with hundreds of millions of third world climate refugees. Ah and you'll be quite a bit older too so that wont help either.