8 Comments

Thank you for another insightful and depression busting read.

I have a bit of unease about the US centered nature of the tips above. I do get it: you are in the US, that is a big country, and a lot is happening there. So attention is perfectly warranted. But the world is larger than the US, and Climate Change blatantly disregards borders, so cooperation is something that will be needed. US persons to have an interest in other parts of the world would be appreciated (EU, China come to my mind as big and active power blocks, but I mean all 170 countries). Attention to working internationally, and what psychological surprises that holds for us activists, would be an interesting topic to see in a next time.

Expand full comment

Hi M van Dillen,

As a Canadian who has lived in Europe for much of my adult life, I deeply understand the frustration with US-centric narratives that don't see beyond the navel of America. I'm glad that you've pointed out that I am doing some of that now that I live in the US, so thanks. I'll try to be more attentive to it. That said, I welcome you to check out any of my Gen Dread articles that feature the work of people in Europe, Australia, the UK and Africa, such as:

https://gendread.substack.com/p/how-does-eco-anxiety-compare-with

https://gendread.substack.com/p/why-climate-disasters-call-on-us

https://gendread.substack.com/p/to-have-a-baby-or-not-birthstrike

https://gendread.substack.com/p/whats-wrong-with-the-term-climate

Expand full comment

Loved this issue, in particular the mention of a lover witnessing their significant others' psychotic break. I'm grateful to the courageous people who participated in the conversation. As someone who experienced a psychotic break in a third world country and someone that studied global health and sustainability, I think in order for us to activate this WWII-style worldwide call to action we're going to have to see something deeply inspiring: spirit-led, perhaps, as movements often are, and at the intersection of all of the movements that exist already. I personally see something very artistic in nature sprouting, trauma-informed, and truly sensitive in the ways that we heal one another in our simple humanities. How it'll happen structurally I'm not sure, maybe this is currently being explored in the U.S.

Expand full comment

"we're going to have to see something deeply inspiring: spirit-led, perhaps, as movements often are, and at the intersection of all of the movements that exist already" I love this, and totally agree

Expand full comment

Having lived in a third world country for the past 5 years I can tell you that very few of its citizens are concerned about their climate future. They don't look at life the same as you and I, for too many of them just surviving another day, week, month or year is their main concern. Even the upper crust there sees things much differently than we do. Any climate activist movements in third world countries are very likely by indigenous people if they even exist at all.

Expand full comment

Yes, there are huge differences. Relative protection and privilege allows this distress to be forward looking for many people in the west/the global north/industrialized nations, while the hard knocks of just trying to survive every day in much of the industrializing or non-industrialized world/global south means they're living the "collapse" many here are afraid of. It's something I'm always keen to learn more about, and do write about in my book. You might find this paper interesting, that looks at the emotions of climate activists in the global north versus activists in the global south, and how they're mediated differently by these realities you mention: https://www.researchgate.net/publication/318307076_Fear_hope_anger_and_guilt_in_climate_activism

Expand full comment

I appreciate the emphasis here on emotional dwelling with one another--the comportment I recommend for working with emotional trauma.

Expand full comment

Your work is super relevant here, I've been reading a bit of it

Expand full comment