Why do I write science fiction? To attempt to express that we should forgive ourselves for being part of a broken society since we have no choice in the matter. But each day we reduce our personal consumption, we do a world of good. So much of that consumption (of fuel, food, and other resources we take for granted) is heavily subsidized in a multitude of ways, and most people have little grasp of the bigger picture. I have nothing against someone making good money, I'd just rather see them spend it on an old Rembrandt (or on putting an artist to work so they can feed themself) than on jetting around the world, or on a collection of vehicles that went through the entire process of manufacture just to sit idle in a collector's big garage (yeah, I'm talking to you, Jay Leno), or on gutting a perfectly good home just to remodel it for the sake of trendiness.
Rampant misuse of resources has had and continues to have a direct relationship with severe climate change. Individual happiness need not ravage the world. I don't expect everyone to turn into a monk, and I realize many people struggle with practically nothing as it is. But if those 'with means' (take that as you will) all scaled back consumption a little, the world and all the people on it would be better off.
I'm simultaneously conflicted by the fact that without the harsh realities of exploitation, war, and greed, it's highly unlikely that we'd ever escape this solar system, which has to be the goal of humanity. One might argue that military funding has driven technological advancement, and that competition and the pursuit of profit have spurred innovation in many industries. Sol will inevitably fail someday. Pack your bags.
