Generation Z is growing up in a time of crisis, a time far different from some of its predecessors. With a collapsing social safety net and the exacerbation of growing inequality by a pandemic to shrinking career opportunities and an uphill battle against systemic racism, there are many reasons to lose hope. Even before Covid-19, Generation Z were more likely to report mental health concerns in comparison to other generations, at least in the U.S. Are we the crisis generation of our era?

The chaos of the present moment is evident. 2020 has been marked by devastating wildfire seasons in Australia and California as well as a record-breaking Atlantic hurricane season. But climate change is an issue that not only impacts us today, but also permeates our image of tomorrow. According to the 2019 Future of Humanity survey, 41 percent of young people across 22 countries cited climate change as the most important issue facing the world today. Moreover, the picture of the future is only getting direr; a recent study shows that we are underestimating the future economic impact of climate change by trillions of dollars. Framing climate devastation as something that will only come home to roost in the future just heightens anxiety when it is already visible.

So what does it mean to be part of a generation defined by rapidly expanding calamity? Generation Z is perhaps the last generation that can make an actionable difference. Activists like Greta Thunberg and movements like Extinction Rebellion have made our crisis more visible than ever to youth, organizing large groups of people around a common thread of activism. But the cynic in many of us asks: does this even make a difference?

Say that governments, corporations and citizens do manage to successfully band together and fulfill the goals set by the Paris Agreement and other protocols. Even then, by the end of our lifetimes, some estimates suggest that global average temperatures will still increase by 3.5 degrees Celsius and many low-lying parts of the world will be submerged under water. Extreme heat and weather disasters will still increase significantly. Among many members of Generation Z, this creates a feeling of helplessness: why fight a completely unwinnable battle?

But is our battle completely unwinnable? Giving into apathy is largely a result of the feeling that individual choices make no difference in the grand scheme of events. Say I stop eating beef, greatly reduce my paper and plastic usage and take public transport, if large numbers of people feel the same, a true difference — however small — can be made with no suffering and little disruption. But the richest one percent of the world, largely concentrated in the wealthiest countries, contribute double the emissions of the entire poorest 50 percent. They speak of environmental consciousness and sustainability, while continuing to pilfer our natural resources and travel on their private jets to faraway islands. When our efforts represent a minuscule fraction of the systemic change that is necessary, deep-rooted pessimism seems to be the logical consequence.

The phrase “climate doomer” was popularized by a New Yorker essay “What if We Stopped Pretending?” by Jonathan Franzen. It argued that Green New Deal progressives were the ones in denial because they were trying to win an unwinnable battle against catastrophe. Such arguments almost serve as a siren call for paralysis when going back and forth between the daily grind and an uncertain future becomes too much to bear.

It is indeed tempting to wonder “why bother?” upon seeing so much that must be changed but is beyond our control. Still, paralysis should not define any of our lives. Acknowledging our role in a world where anything can happen can bring us closer to action and those we hold closest. But what is “action” in our context?

Action is doing whatever you can to push for the systemic change necessary. Action is fighting for those who do not have the ability to fight for themselves. Action is fighting for political change that will bring forth a sustainable future for all of humanity. It is very possible to take action throughout all your behaviors and actions while acknowledging the hovering specter of possible doom.

The lines between our most pessimistic fears, outlandish hopes and daily life appear to be far blurrier than any other generation has faced. It is empowering yet frightening to be bombarded with so much information, all through a medium where so much of our academic and personal life is conducted nowadays. This makes disconnecting from the current issues at hand effectively impossible.

Our future is with us whether we choose to bury our heads in the sand through extreme pessimism, pretend nothing is wrong or face it head on. “Doomerism” is as unproductive as pretending the problem does not exist. Our generation faces an invigorating yet frightening set of problems, and it is time to step up and face them head on.