Yes to all of this! Just what I needed to read today. Literally for YEARS I’ve been studying this same line of inquiry - and doing my part to spread the word to anyone who will listen. There ARE alternatives - EVERYWHERE. Because they go against dominant paradigms, they are ignored and underreported. Doesn’t mean they aren’t worthy of attention, study, amplification. They aren’t perfect - nothing that humans get involved in is. In 2014, I started a blog, “Thriving on the Threshold,” where I wrestled with this idea of cultivating a new/old human story. Though I’m on to other projects now, I still stand by that premise - our systems and structures will continue to cause great damage as long as we live by the story that we are separate from the living world. Robin Wall Kimmerer writes well about the indigenous understanding of our kinship, of course. As for hope, Solnit is a great go-to. Also, Joanna Macy, e.g., in “Coming Back to Life,” has an excellent framework. THANK YOU for this! Subscribing now.
Thank you! For being here, and for doing the work yourself. I frequently have a hard time with feeling that writing is worthwhile because I come from peasants and laborers and what would they think of writing as a useful act? But helping to present different perspectives and finding ways to help everyone tell our various stories differently is, I'm coming to believe, just as important. Or nearly so. It's part of what shifts things in the long run, while the short run still needs the hands-on work (feed the kids, while changing the structures that keep kids hungry, while helping people see those structures for what they are ...)
This made me think of this quote, which I thought was Thomas Jefferson, but apparently not: “I am a warrior, so that my son may be a merchant, so that his son may be a poet.” ~ John Quincy Adams.
I also struggle with the value of writing, especially as I've learned in recent years just how labor-intensive and time-consuming it is to write well. (Maybe that's just me?) I'm trained as an architect and here I thought writing would be easier. Ha!
That is a GREAT quote. And no, I'm afraid, it's not just you! I don't know anyone who finds it easy, even people who've published many books. It's always a new journey :)
"Hope is a tease designed to keep the reality from sinking in." Paraphrase from Violet on Downton Abbey. That's pretty much sums up my personal view on the hope issue.
But, if you want to go down a few rabbit holes about hope, there's no better place than the Marginalian. This excerpt about a Rebecca Solnit essay on hope touches on few of your thoughts on hope and society.
Derrick Jensen has long lost my enthusiasm, but his line “Hope is a longing for a future condition over which you have no agency” has been one I return to.
That’s what used to be Brain Pickings, yes? I still haven’t read that particular Solnit book!
Yes, 'Marginalian' is the new title for Maria Popova's "Brain Pickings".
Why have you lost your enthusiasm for Jensen? If I understand your essay, you believe that positive activism/ activists are so disparate as to be rendered ineffective? I think Jensen feels the same way. Your essay resonated with me, especially since the crazy clown car, aka the Montana legislature is soon to arrive in Helena. Personally, I'm weary of collaboration with reactionaries, as my teeth get longer, my patience grows shorter. I want to see the many positive forces for our earth aligned, aggressive and effective. It's why I support the Northern Rockies Ecosystem Protection Act and not the Blackfoot Clearwater Stewardship Act.
As far as hope goes, instead of I/we hope, how about, I/we want, or I/we will?
Jensen’s taken a turn recently that I can only describe as gleefully cruel (mostly about trans people and it’s super weird and personal). I was interested in his podcast but it was full of that particular perspective. And then I found out afterward -- from some people who worked with him on Deep Green Resistance -- that he’s always been ... not great. It was disappointing to hear because I’ve gotten a lot out of his writing, but it seems depressingly common among certain types of personalities.
I’ve heard the same about the difference between those two acts. Trying to have effective conversations with groups working on that!
Ahh!! that's definitely not acceptable and makes a hypocrisy out of nearly everything about the man. That's sad, especially for someone awarded the "Eric Hoffer Book Award", but I thank you for bringing it to my attention. I only know him through "endgame" and "Voices of Resistance". Crap!!!
I didn’t know either until I started listening to his podcast! And then Conspirituality did an episode on him because I guess he’s been all up with Jordan Petersen on Facebook. 🙄
I only know of Jensen from just two of his many books. I liked the urgency in his writing. I will listen to a few of his later podcast episodes as well as the Conspirituality episode.
On another note, you've hooked me on TraumaZone - it's as good as you said.
In his book, Regeneration: Ending the climate crisis in one generation, Paul Hawken offers numerous examples of people who are actively making a difference, in their own space on the planet, and in a multitude of innovative ways. In and of themselves these noble efforts are not enough to get us out of danger and into a global state of living in harmony with nature, at least not given recent trends, the intransigence of corporate greed and political self-interest, and the speed at which we are approaching key tipping points...but at least they're something. Perhaps these are some of the helpers Fred Rogers advised us to look for.
The only Adam Curtis documentary I've watched is, The Century of the Self. I've tried getting people I know to watch it, but as far as I can tell nobody has. Not sure I'll tackle the doc on Russia, but I will certainly check out some of the other links you've provided. Thank you.
I, too, thought of Hawken towards the end of this excellent essay. His earlier book, “Blessed Unrest,” profiles the thousands upon thousands of people and organizations who are out there, have been out there, building alternative structures. He used to introduce it in lectures using that old “Star Wars” scrolling words graphic - to impress upon audiences the sheer numbers of these. . . Most going on under the radar.
That sounds like a very effective way to present that information and material! I like it.
Over and over, I feel like I stumble across the barriers in imagination almost as much as the tangible structural barriers. It's such a powerful force, and needs as many people and avenues as possible to start to shift what people perceive is possible. Thanks for being out there doing the work!
The other Adam Curtis one I watched was the one before this--I forgot what it’s called! But from interviews I’ve heard with him, the pathology inherent in hyper-individualism is the connecting theme on most of it.
There was another book I heard about but haven’t read, “Geography of Hope” or something like that? I tend more toward ones like “Notes from an Apocalypse” but when it comes to other media, these “what people are doing” give so much to me. They help me not give up. Not that they make me think we can stop crises, but that plenty of people see what’s needed to catch people when things fall apart, and to repair damage done.
You must not ever give up. I know that circumstances appear dire, and the task at hand is herculean, but your writing is too important. The planet needs warriors willing to stand up for her. The human race needs help reimagining itself. Our very survival is being held in bondage by faulty presuppositions and the myths that are intertwined with them.
As for the "Geography of Hope," I wonder if you are thinking of that phrase as it appears in Wallace Stegner's Wilderness Letter.
One could argue that the hyper-individualism we see today has, at least in part, been cultivated by corporate propaganda. It may be that isolated individuals are easier to prey upon with consumerist rhetoric than those with strong communal mindsets. I suspect this to be the case.
That is very, very kind of you. This in particular is I think important for all of us to keep in mind: "Our very survival is being held in bondage by faulty presuppositions and the myths that are intertwined with them." It's something I try to remember!
And I think your point about individualism is an important one -- Hannah Arendt wrote about how making people feel isolated and alone is a tool of authoritarianism.
Yes to all of this! Just what I needed to read today. Literally for YEARS I’ve been studying this same line of inquiry - and doing my part to spread the word to anyone who will listen. There ARE alternatives - EVERYWHERE. Because they go against dominant paradigms, they are ignored and underreported. Doesn’t mean they aren’t worthy of attention, study, amplification. They aren’t perfect - nothing that humans get involved in is. In 2014, I started a blog, “Thriving on the Threshold,” where I wrestled with this idea of cultivating a new/old human story. Though I’m on to other projects now, I still stand by that premise - our systems and structures will continue to cause great damage as long as we live by the story that we are separate from the living world. Robin Wall Kimmerer writes well about the indigenous understanding of our kinship, of course. As for hope, Solnit is a great go-to. Also, Joanna Macy, e.g., in “Coming Back to Life,” has an excellent framework. THANK YOU for this! Subscribing now.
Thank you! For being here, and for doing the work yourself. I frequently have a hard time with feeling that writing is worthwhile because I come from peasants and laborers and what would they think of writing as a useful act? But helping to present different perspectives and finding ways to help everyone tell our various stories differently is, I'm coming to believe, just as important. Or nearly so. It's part of what shifts things in the long run, while the short run still needs the hands-on work (feed the kids, while changing the structures that keep kids hungry, while helping people see those structures for what they are ...)
This made me think of this quote, which I thought was Thomas Jefferson, but apparently not: “I am a warrior, so that my son may be a merchant, so that his son may be a poet.” ~ John Quincy Adams.
I also struggle with the value of writing, especially as I've learned in recent years just how labor-intensive and time-consuming it is to write well. (Maybe that's just me?) I'm trained as an architect and here I thought writing would be easier. Ha!
That is a GREAT quote. And no, I'm afraid, it's not just you! I don't know anyone who finds it easy, even people who've published many books. It's always a new journey :)
"Hope is a tease designed to keep the reality from sinking in." Paraphrase from Violet on Downton Abbey. That's pretty much sums up my personal view on the hope issue.
But, if you want to go down a few rabbit holes about hope, there's no better place than the Marginalian. This excerpt about a Rebecca Solnit essay on hope touches on few of your thoughts on hope and society.
https://www.themarginalian.org/2015/12/30/rebecca-solnit-hope-in-the-dark/
Derrick Jensen has long lost my enthusiasm, but his line “Hope is a longing for a future condition over which you have no agency” has been one I return to.
That’s what used to be Brain Pickings, yes? I still haven’t read that particular Solnit book!
Yes, 'Marginalian' is the new title for Maria Popova's "Brain Pickings".
Why have you lost your enthusiasm for Jensen? If I understand your essay, you believe that positive activism/ activists are so disparate as to be rendered ineffective? I think Jensen feels the same way. Your essay resonated with me, especially since the crazy clown car, aka the Montana legislature is soon to arrive in Helena. Personally, I'm weary of collaboration with reactionaries, as my teeth get longer, my patience grows shorter. I want to see the many positive forces for our earth aligned, aggressive and effective. It's why I support the Northern Rockies Ecosystem Protection Act and not the Blackfoot Clearwater Stewardship Act.
As far as hope goes, instead of I/we hope, how about, I/we want, or I/we will?
Jensen’s taken a turn recently that I can only describe as gleefully cruel (mostly about trans people and it’s super weird and personal). I was interested in his podcast but it was full of that particular perspective. And then I found out afterward -- from some people who worked with him on Deep Green Resistance -- that he’s always been ... not great. It was disappointing to hear because I’ve gotten a lot out of his writing, but it seems depressingly common among certain types of personalities.
I’ve heard the same about the difference between those two acts. Trying to have effective conversations with groups working on that!
Ahh!! that's definitely not acceptable and makes a hypocrisy out of nearly everything about the man. That's sad, especially for someone awarded the "Eric Hoffer Book Award", but I thank you for bringing it to my attention. I only know him through "endgame" and "Voices of Resistance". Crap!!!
I didn’t know either until I started listening to his podcast! And then Conspirituality did an episode on him because I guess he’s been all up with Jordan Petersen on Facebook. 🙄
I only know of Jensen from just two of his many books. I liked the urgency in his writing. I will listen to a few of his later podcast episodes as well as the Conspirituality episode.
On another note, you've hooked me on TraumaZone - it's as good as you said.
Did you see this article in today's Times?
https://www.nytimes.com/2022/12/30/world/europe/soviet-union-100-years-in-pictures.html?unlocked_article_code=hJf-Jy3LP0HPjbO7lWll2vojGxY3di9td2gWjc6gNWQ0FtAn8dOBnJ0oRqxejq5HVEatIdQD2vP4EnVc72P87LG3omYabD9IXiJ2pcHF6He2H6qDPZYh1g3dab8RENFjOpT0S_KnmonZStRiAjmyLQCd7orYpnuZuld70lR3z6CNvUTssv9z7L4jSxIkMmX3ObWnHCBM6zfycLabmdAJgxIaqdsd9Tkm4cYXaasGCF3jNeDuF9UAGNe6gVBRrqzlmN7ybbKrz6GBaWSWapNjCG63Z7N0x4vk7lmigHsDAZgsvDe5eS07t6JjVurBziuap8hKUBMvLwlXtfScCCPwiIvgJWDt-MT2DvGc2tuw35Y&smid=share-url
Yes, re-imagining is everything.
In his book, Regeneration: Ending the climate crisis in one generation, Paul Hawken offers numerous examples of people who are actively making a difference, in their own space on the planet, and in a multitude of innovative ways. In and of themselves these noble efforts are not enough to get us out of danger and into a global state of living in harmony with nature, at least not given recent trends, the intransigence of corporate greed and political self-interest, and the speed at which we are approaching key tipping points...but at least they're something. Perhaps these are some of the helpers Fred Rogers advised us to look for.
The only Adam Curtis documentary I've watched is, The Century of the Self. I've tried getting people I know to watch it, but as far as I can tell nobody has. Not sure I'll tackle the doc on Russia, but I will certainly check out some of the other links you've provided. Thank you.
I, too, thought of Hawken towards the end of this excellent essay. His earlier book, “Blessed Unrest,” profiles the thousands upon thousands of people and organizations who are out there, have been out there, building alternative structures. He used to introduce it in lectures using that old “Star Wars” scrolling words graphic - to impress upon audiences the sheer numbers of these. . . Most going on under the radar.
That sounds like a very effective way to present that information and material! I like it.
Over and over, I feel like I stumble across the barriers in imagination almost as much as the tangible structural barriers. It's such a powerful force, and needs as many people and avenues as possible to start to shift what people perceive is possible. Thanks for being out there doing the work!
The other Adam Curtis one I watched was the one before this--I forgot what it’s called! But from interviews I’ve heard with him, the pathology inherent in hyper-individualism is the connecting theme on most of it.
There was another book I heard about but haven’t read, “Geography of Hope” or something like that? I tend more toward ones like “Notes from an Apocalypse” but when it comes to other media, these “what people are doing” give so much to me. They help me not give up. Not that they make me think we can stop crises, but that plenty of people see what’s needed to catch people when things fall apart, and to repair damage done.
You must not ever give up. I know that circumstances appear dire, and the task at hand is herculean, but your writing is too important. The planet needs warriors willing to stand up for her. The human race needs help reimagining itself. Our very survival is being held in bondage by faulty presuppositions and the myths that are intertwined with them.
As for the "Geography of Hope," I wonder if you are thinking of that phrase as it appears in Wallace Stegner's Wilderness Letter.
One could argue that the hyper-individualism we see today has, at least in part, been cultivated by corporate propaganda. It may be that isolated individuals are easier to prey upon with consumerist rhetoric than those with strong communal mindsets. I suspect this to be the case.
Happy New Year, Antonia.
That is very, very kind of you. This in particular is I think important for all of us to keep in mind: "Our very survival is being held in bondage by faulty presuppositions and the myths that are intertwined with them." It's something I try to remember!
The book I'm thinking might have been this one, although I'm sure Stegner is where the author got the title! https://www.penguinrandomhouse.ca/books/181090/the-geography-of-hope-by-chris-turner/9780679314660
And I think your point about individualism is an important one -- Hannah Arendt wrote about how making people feel isolated and alone is a tool of authoritarianism.
Happy New Year, Kenneth! Glad we connected. 🧡