I agree Cathy, more than hope is needed (although holding hope is also important!)... but sometimes we just can't and we need to make room for all those other feelings and thoughts too. You might like to get in contact with my daughter Gabrielle Feather who is researching this topic for her PhD - she's developing an intervention for eco-anxiety/despair to build psychological flexibility based on a therapy model Acceptance and Committment therapy. It also emphasises living aligned with our values. She's just started writing on Substack - Holding Both: Collapse & Resilience, or msg me on substack @talkingwithatree
I agree with you about hope -- we can't strain it.
I've been working actively on climate change since 1988, and at times it seems hopeless, but in the world of human affairs, things move slowly and there is always some hope. We should keep acting positively however big or small that hope is.
Moreover, none of us is all-seeing. There are unpredictable breakthroughs happening all the time, in politics, technology and so on. Maybe a meaningful breakthrough is just around the corner. Keep on trucking!
Acting in ways that support your values expands you in beautiful ways - it gives you depth and is empowering. It's true that judging the outcomes of your heartfelt actions can trip you up. I try to keep in mind that I am unable to see the full ramifications of any action as it works, domino-like, sparking other actions through time. Keep space in your mind for unknown possibilities. And it's true that big changes can come swiftly and absolutely out of the blue!
'So why do we keep fighting? Is it because we’re certain we'll succeed?'
We keep fighting because it is dealing with the real world. For self respect, we must deal in the real world. We live in The Post Truth Era where denial has reached the mainstream. To increase miliary spending is another step toward a global nuclear holocaust.
Thanks for your thoughts on this - it's a topic worth returning to.
With the rise of authoritarisn regimes around the world I fear a repeat of the abuses and excesses of the power hungry that we've witnessed in the past. I'm uncertain if humates have changed much since some very dark times. On the bigger scale I'm not overly optimistic about out species ability to rise to the challenge. I cannot bring myself to be hopeful but not do I want to skip into cynicism. However, at a local level and as a member of intersecting communities, I am convinced beyond doubt that love, kindness and regard for others and the non-human world will shine through. I'm optimistic more people will join in and we'll build up a movement. I can see how what I can offer contributes to this. I'm reserving my hopes for this sphere.
I try to remember Rebecca Solnit's words, in "Not Too Late" about hope. They are words that help me to be more positive and supportive in a practical way, for the young people around me:
"Hope is not optimism. Optimism assumes the best, and assumes its inevitability, which leads to passivity, as do the pessimism and cynicism that assume the worst. Hope, like love, means taking risks and being vulnerable to the effects of loss. It means recognizing the uncertainty of the future and making a commitment to try to participate in shaping it.”
Wunya, hi from over the ditch Cathy. Your thoughts on hope are really helpful to me. As part of a small local coal and gas action group, one of my long term buddies is always joking about his DAG (doom and gloom) outlook versus my optimism/hopefulness. But you nailed it when you said that hope is in itself a bit of a burden and can be undermined (like when we don't win on a big campaign etc). So I am encouraged to keep at this because as you say, it aligns with my values. Uncle Adrian Burragubba a Wangan and Jagalingou custodian who's been working for over a decade to stop the Adani coal mine from wrecking their Country and sacred springs, says that he and his mob are on Country and in courts and wherever they need to be - arguing, advocating, speaking up - because protecting country is in their DNA - it defines them - their life purpose is to protect country for future generations. What you have written ties in well with his outlook and values. Keep up the amazing work BTW. Malcolm
I agree Cathy, more than hope is needed (although holding hope is also important!)... but sometimes we just can't and we need to make room for all those other feelings and thoughts too. You might like to get in contact with my daughter Gabrielle Feather who is researching this topic for her PhD - she's developing an intervention for eco-anxiety/despair to build psychological flexibility based on a therapy model Acceptance and Committment therapy. It also emphasises living aligned with our values. She's just started writing on Substack - Holding Both: Collapse & Resilience, or msg me on substack @talkingwithatree
Thx Cathy
I agree with you about hope -- we can't strain it.
I've been working actively on climate change since 1988, and at times it seems hopeless, but in the world of human affairs, things move slowly and there is always some hope. We should keep acting positively however big or small that hope is.
Moreover, none of us is all-seeing. There are unpredictable breakthroughs happening all the time, in politics, technology and so on. Maybe a meaningful breakthrough is just around the corner. Keep on trucking!
Ralph Chapman
100%
Acting in ways that support your values expands you in beautiful ways - it gives you depth and is empowering. It's true that judging the outcomes of your heartfelt actions can trip you up. I try to keep in mind that I am unable to see the full ramifications of any action as it works, domino-like, sparking other actions through time. Keep space in your mind for unknown possibilities. And it's true that big changes can come swiftly and absolutely out of the blue!
'So why do we keep fighting? Is it because we’re certain we'll succeed?'
We keep fighting because it is dealing with the real world. For self respect, we must deal in the real world. We live in The Post Truth Era where denial has reached the mainstream. To increase miliary spending is another step toward a global nuclear holocaust.
Thanks for your thoughts on this - it's a topic worth returning to.
With the rise of authoritarisn regimes around the world I fear a repeat of the abuses and excesses of the power hungry that we've witnessed in the past. I'm uncertain if humates have changed much since some very dark times. On the bigger scale I'm not overly optimistic about out species ability to rise to the challenge. I cannot bring myself to be hopeful but not do I want to skip into cynicism. However, at a local level and as a member of intersecting communities, I am convinced beyond doubt that love, kindness and regard for others and the non-human world will shine through. I'm optimistic more people will join in and we'll build up a movement. I can see how what I can offer contributes to this. I'm reserving my hopes for this sphere.
PS This list of suggestions for self care related to difficult world events just arrived in my inbox:
https://mentalhealth.org.nz/wellbeing-hub/managing-difficult-feelings-around-world-events
I try to remember Rebecca Solnit's words, in "Not Too Late" about hope. They are words that help me to be more positive and supportive in a practical way, for the young people around me:
"Hope is not optimism. Optimism assumes the best, and assumes its inevitability, which leads to passivity, as do the pessimism and cynicism that assume the worst. Hope, like love, means taking risks and being vulnerable to the effects of loss. It means recognizing the uncertainty of the future and making a commitment to try to participate in shaping it.”
Wunya, hi from over the ditch Cathy. Your thoughts on hope are really helpful to me. As part of a small local coal and gas action group, one of my long term buddies is always joking about his DAG (doom and gloom) outlook versus my optimism/hopefulness. But you nailed it when you said that hope is in itself a bit of a burden and can be undermined (like when we don't win on a big campaign etc). So I am encouraged to keep at this because as you say, it aligns with my values. Uncle Adrian Burragubba a Wangan and Jagalingou custodian who's been working for over a decade to stop the Adani coal mine from wrecking their Country and sacred springs, says that he and his mob are on Country and in courts and wherever they need to be - arguing, advocating, speaking up - because protecting country is in their DNA - it defines them - their life purpose is to protect country for future generations. What you have written ties in well with his outlook and values. Keep up the amazing work BTW. Malcolm