It's time to grieve something you might not think about .....
You are one person on a planet with over 8 billion. The inertia of exploitative capitalism and human industry is rapidly pushing Earth systems beyond tipping points which will commit human civilization to a massive involuntary population reduction. The people in power today got there as a result of their ruthlessness and willingness to exploit the environment. They have used their financial power to dominant every meaningful institution in the USA, including the media. There is no significant media presence in the USA where the truth of malignant capitalism is discussed.
Amid such a setting, it is very easy and even reasonable to arrive at a conclusion that you are powerless. The mere suggestion that you might have some power at your disposal to alter the trajectory of human civilization might be considered heretical. The ruthless people who are in power want you to believe that you are powerless and they spend a great deal of energy perpetuating that belief.
From a scientific standpoint, powerlessness is a hypothesis. The way to try and prove or disprove a hypothesis it is via experiment.
Background
Survival is the dominant force in the biological world. You and everyone else behave in ways which enhance your survival outlook. Going toe to toe with the most ruthless people on Earth is not conducive to our personal survival outlook. So we shrink from the confrontation. We complain about environmental destruction but we don't rally around an avatar who is willing to go toe to toe with the oligarchs.
The zeitgeist is shifting. Even people like Bill Gates are expressing existential fear about the potential for AI to morph into human extinction.
There is at least one human being out there who is willing to represent the majority preference for survival and go toe to toe with the Musk's, Zuckerbergs and Ellison's of the world. Someone willing to enforce laws which limit the liberty to pollute.
Experiment
Let's start with a very simple experiment which asks whether you want someone to have the authority to manage the chemistry of the atmosphere, oceans, water supply and soil in a manner which maximizes the survival outlook for humanity.
The answer should be an easy yes. There doesn't appear to be any other route to salvaging human civilization. There are too many perverse incentives to exploit the environment for personal short-term gain that it will be impossible to manage via voluntary cooperation. There must be a source of authority which is empowered to say no on behalf of the interests of the masses.
What We Need To Grieve
The inability to say respond yes to this question is exemplary of our fear. We want someone to take on the oligarchs but we choose to be bystanders because we don't want to be associated with the confrontation and recipients of the blowback.
We have the power to say yes. It just requires courage.
We need to grieve the version of ourselves which clings to powerlessness.
You are a member of the majority. Fear is a ubiquitous feature of humans. It's OK to be afraid. I'm afraid too. There is no opportunity for courageous action without the prerequisite of fear.