What are a few of the best ways to help others in the community acknowledge potentially depressing realities?

Question

It seems as if a huge portion of our society is like 'deer in the headlights', when it comes to confronting anything ominous and frightening, such as economic upheaval brought on by declining reserves of fossil fuels. And yet - working to improve their odds of survival, --- will do just that; improve their odds of survival. Even just TALKING about it may improve their odds of survival. We can't possibly be a healthy society, with such blinders on.

Answer 1

It has to start with the children, with teaching critical thinking and being able to question authority and the status quo. If you are spoon-fed from day one, you develop a sense of entitlement, and a deep disbelief that anything in your world could ever change drastically enough to harm you. If, however, you learn to recognize bullshit from day one, you will be better equipped to deal with it productively in your later life. Maybe not fossil fuels and economic upheaval specifically, with kids-- learning to question, challenge, and take action is a skill that can be learned and practiced in a school context with school issues, and later applied to adult issues as the kids grow older.