An age of optimism

On the occasion of Rishi Sunak’s budget.

Have we just made enemies of our best friends? are there shortages bought about by our own idiocy? well, never mind, be optimistic! Have we just killed tens of thousands of people through our own inaction? do not think of that, that is past now: simply declare the pandemic over and be optimistic! Does the virus not hear our optimism and will tens of thousands more die as a result? do not worry be optimistic! Does physics not listen to the stupid tales of endless exponential growth told by idiot economists? don’t worry, physics cannot stand in the way of our glorious future: be optimistic, that is enough!

Will the climate talks fail, or if they succeed will we not think to implement our grand vaporous proposals: who needs actions when you’ve got words? Will the sunlit uplands, instead, be deserts drying in the sun? will there be water shortages? will there be catastrophic movements of people fleeing as their homes become uninhabitable? will there be resource wars? will billions die? Don’t think of it, it is years away yet and we can push our exponential death cult a little further yet: instead be optimistic!

Are we ruled by idiot clowns who are in the process of dismantling democracy so they may rule for ever? yes, we are: we are those clowns and we will march in glory, right arms raised, into our brilliant thousand-year reign: be optimistic! The future is ours!

Nothing on the top but a bucket and a mop
And an illustrated book about birds
You see a lot up there but don’t be scared
Who needs action when you got words
— The Meat Puppets