I have one word for you: compartmentalization.

About half my friends have no illusions about the future of our world. Most of them are vegans. We are all aware of what is happening, and make jokes about it, and try to be nice to each other and go on with our lives.

The other half believe that life will go on as usual no matter what. Many of them have children. Many of them are American Democrats. They are nice guys and girls: they wouldn't be my friends otherwise.

While I do sometimes resent their compulsive consumption, I don't really see the need to tell them the bad news: a few hamburgers more or less, deplorable though they are, are not going to make any significant difference in the long run.

The interesting part is that more than a couple of them have come to me and expressed their fears, one on one. I always find this hard: am I going to tell them that their children's futures are completely fucked?

So I don't. I tell them that their suspicions are probably right, and that the future is dark, but instead of working out the logical conclusion, I point them back to the present, and suggest they should reduce their consumption and enjoy things as they happen.

No one actually reduces their consumption, of course. The vegans all are very mindful of their footprint, but everyone else just pretends for a few minutes to care, and then doesn't.