2010 and 2020
xkcd.com
xkcd.com
Asking because I'm noticing that some others online are missing the fact that this is a comic, and not a 1:1 representation of how things are for the average person now. Which is normal maybe but not cool to watch.
This kind of emotional response seems (maybe irresponsibly, maybe not) brought to the forefront by details which have been over-magnified, and kept there, and that's how people start to make rash decisions and suffer from legitimate anxiety issues.
Last time we had an emergency where I live (last year), it wasn't cool at all because the joking of this kind had a bitter edge to it, and good people ended up in quite a panic, even going to the hospital seeking care because they are not used to even a little destabilization. In the end, most affected by the disaster were OK.
I'm not a fan of propaganda but I wish we could factor in the normal boring reality a bit more. People around me are going on hikes with their families today, and otherwise taking this a day at a time.
(With that said--props for a clever reference to the Bitcoin phenomenon. I get the joke, downvote if you feel the need to, but I do wonder if the joke is helping or hurting)
That said, I'm looking at the bright side of all this. The economy will slow down, and a significant amount less carbon will be produced. Companies who had never considered it before may allow employees to work at home permanently, which is even less air pollution. Reducing PM2.5 saves lives.
Air travel will be drastically reduced, which helps with carbon/radiative forcing, as well as halts overtourism. People will be more inclined to cook at home with local foods and home-grown crops. In short, we'll get a little bit of a break from our most dangerous habits (with the exception of Twitter and the chans), which will buy scientists and engineers time to save the planet from climate change.
I get the joke. No need to take such a didactic tone. Your interpretation though, is one of many. There are those who are reading this and discussing as if it represents / agreeing that it represents current reality, no extrapolation needed.