Coping with the Climate Crisis (and more) via Memes
Gen Alpha, Gen Z, and Millennials are masters of finding light in the parody of our lives.
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Every month I evaluate my expenses and allocate a portion of my income towards retirement, a vague, mythical, somewhat imaginary phase of life that lingers beyond the comprehension of me and my friends as we joke about whether or not we’ll be here in forty plus years. Maui is on fire. Canada is on fire. Slovenia is flooded. Los Angeles is in a hurri-quake. The air quality in major cities continues to reach inhospitable levels. These are the headlines that we wake up to every other week. Which is why I often question how relevant the concept of “saving for retirement” or “working for the future” is for my generation. Where is the fund that allows us to withdraw without penalty in the event of a climate disaster, or when we decide that we may not make it to 60?
I remember reading a book about the climate crisis when I was in college, back when I believed that if we learned enough about a problem, we could fix it. I reached a chapter about the delayed effects of greenhouse gases, explaining that there was a large gap between the cause and effect of climate change, and that we were only experiencing the results of our climate emissions from the 1970’s. Emotionally, spiritually, and near physically, I shat myself. It was difficult for me to imagine: What would the world look like when the delayed effects were no longer delayed? If fires were already routine along the Pacific and flooding was more common than in previous decades, what would come next?
My brother joked that one day all of California would be on fire, and then a massive tornado would hit, birthing a new phenomenon called the fire-nado, and shortly after a mega-tsunami would pummel the coast, somewhat to our relief. We’d all cheer for the tsunami, finding gratitude for one climate disaster over another, washed away in a manic wave of desperate laughter.
The climate, as we’ve known it would become for several decades, is more unhinged than Psyconic’s online personality, a corner of the internet that millions of people watch for comedic relief. And, unsurprisingly, the climate crisis is disproportionately affecting communities of color in the U.S. — Black, brown, and Indigenous counties experienced the highest death counts among the storms that were recorded between 1988 and 2019, suggesting systemic government neglect and societal vulnerabilities are factors contributing to the death toll.
How do we cope with it? Social media and memes. Action, too — of course — but while community organization and policy change remain the two vehicles through which we may stop climate change, humor has become the integral way in which we are able to live with it. Existing alongside the omnipresent sense that everything is coming to an end, when the institutions that are crucial to changing the course we’re on continue to worsen the situation, is not an easy feat. But it becomes easier when we find light in the parody of our lives.
So we make fun of the hurri-quake, again and again until it seems less scary. We pour another glass of wine and entertain ourselves in other ways. We watch TikToks that parody other aspects of our reality that feel similarly dystopian — the policing of women's bodies, the regression of Black, Latinx, AAPI, and queer education across the United States — to lighten our mood and open up space for laughter and joy, the fuel that sustains us. Hence, one of Psyconic’s most influential characters being the religious, homophobic bigot Terri Joe.
And, most importantly, we fight: After her apartment in Lahaina was destroyed by Hawaii's deadliest wildfire in over a century, 13-year-old Kaliko Teruya, like many young Americans, is advocating for stronger environmental policies. Youth climate activists across the country are suing their states over fossil fuel use, organizing marches, and using social platforms like TikTok to amplify their message.
We remind each other how important it is to exemplify what a conscious society should look like in our individual actions, even if corporations continue to violate the sparse optimism we have left. We check on each other when one of the impacted areas mentioned in the news pertains to our friends or family, which it always does. And we continue living our lives, finding joy in the world we live in right now, no matter where it’s headed. Example given: This past week, my friends and I threw a party and streamed the whole thing online — I’m thinking that the next one can be themed “Climate Doom,” where everyone dresses up as if they knew the world was ending the next day.
Capy Corner: The Xanax of News 🙂
A good news roundup to combat the stressy and depressy! Here’s a rundown of some wins in cultural diversity and representation for queer, BIPOC+, and womxn-identifying communities around the globe:
Yes, these gays are trying to murder you — better representation for gays on-screen - nyt
A new trend of out-and-proud gay villains is on the rise, thanks in part to Jennifer Coolidge’s on-screen death in season two of The White Lotus. These gay villains are not the campy, mincing stereotypes of the past, but complex and dangerous characters who challenge our assumptions about what it means to be gay — potentially a sign of progress, as it shows that gay people are no longer being pigeonholed into certain roles.
Xóchitl Gálvez offers a new future for Mexico, opposing unpopular President Andrés Manuel - washington post
Xóchitl Gálvez, a self-made Indigenous woman who rose from poverty to become a successful tech entrepreneur and senator, is shaking up Mexican politics as the leading opposition candidate aiming to succeed President Andrés Manuel López Obrador. Representing the Indigenous community and emphasizing social reforms, she seeks to create a fairer free-market economy, thereby distinguishing herself as a unique voice of centrist populism in an era when democracy is under threat globally.
The triumphant return of sagging pants — on women - washington post
The sagging style, where clothing reveals boxers or underwear, has made a resurgence in the fashion world, with brands like Miu Miu and Hugo Boss incorporating the look into their runway shows as early as 2021. This trend, once popular in the 1990s and 2000s, primarily among male hip-hop artists, has been reinvented for a broader audience, blurring gender lines and making a statement about the fluidity of fashion norms.
India's Supreme Court steps towards gender-sensitive rulings - the diplomat
The Indian Supreme Court has taken a step towards gender justice by releasing a handbook to combat patriarchal stereotypes in court rulings. The handbook aims to dismantle the harmful mindset that has led to the acquittal of rapists and the blaming of victims. It’s a bold move that could have a ripple effect on society at large, helping to create a more just and equitable world for women.
Sleepover Updates: We Threw a Party! 🪩
We threw the first Sleepover kiki and streamed it live on Twitch! Watch the full recording here — featuring sets from our friends Dalia, Avery Lee, Juni, Damian Braun, Bad Roomies, Guilty, and Allan Grank.
Subscribe to the Sleepover Radio YouTube account for individual DJ sets. We’ll be sharing the latest DJ sets and conversations from the Sleepover party series soon!
Playlist of the Week: “Climate Doom” 🎛️
This week’s playlist features Kah-Lo (a dance-pop vocalist from Nigeria), Biig Piig (an electronic artist from Ireland), and Channel Tres (a rapper and producer from Compton, California), three of my favorite artists at the moment.
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With love,
Your favorite capybara ~ AKA Travis Zane
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Sleepover is a party that turns into a sleepover, a newsletter publishing cozy content to your inbox every week, and an occasional mixed media series promoting BIPOC+, queer, and womxn-identifying creators — produced online and in print.
Even worse than saving, the concept of taking oit a multi decade long mortgage when the world is up in flames just seems so silly. I imagine myself painstakingly running through literal flames trying to change my CC at my mortgage provider's online portal to make sure I don't miss my payment date 😂😭
This was really interesting, I’m really proud of you <3