If you're overly pessimistic, your odds of actually working towards something that's an improvement just shrinks. I would argue it leads you to throw up your hands and say, we're all screwed. And so, that was surprising to me how little enthusiasm it garnered from the pessimistic corners of the movement. That's what I point to as a cost.
Are things as dire as they seem? How big is your moral circle? And should Angela spend time with her kids or answer her emails?