The truth about how bad the effects of climate change and loss of biodiversity will get can be quite shocking, and some people would rather not know. In fact, many people are already so burdened with mental health issues, financial stress, and other personal problems that they don’t have the energy or resources to think about these things. And maybe they shouldn’t. This stuff is heavy and it takes time to process. Many people will read my previous article, or maybe have read others which say similar things, but choose denial. This is the brains way of coping with cognitive dissonance, which basically denies information even though it is true, if it risks calling their beliefs into question. Essentially it’s a self-defense mechanism, protecting us from grief and pain.
Why don’t people know about this?
The other reason why this sort of conversation isn’t yet out in the open, is because the mainstream media and educational institutions still report that we can ‘beat’ climate change. Any conversation which honestly addresses the truth of the situation is shot down as being ‘doomsday’ or pessimistic – some have even said it’s outright dangerous to talk candidly about what’s happening. Perhaps there is fear that people would care less about the environment if they knew how bad it was – arguably a legitimate reason to keep it under wraps. Just recalling the panic buying following news of the pandemic might encourage us to agree on this. I agree, there might well be initial panic. But it’s only once people have accepted the truth and embraced reality, that any meaningful change can happen, both the practical and perhaps more importantly, on the level of heart.
Even after months of research, I can barely believe that I would be living in the era where we will see our climate permanently altered, and our civilisation thrown into crisis. I recognise that a lot of things about our current system don’t work, and things that don’t work inevitably die, so in some ways it’s not so surprising. I just hope that we can hold onto some of the great things our civilisation has brought into existence – art, science, literature, and build on a common story that is true, a good start might be a basing our systems on the idea that we’re all connected, and that love is the name of the game not separation. But that’s probably way in the future, beyond my lifetime as much as I’d like to be involved in the ‘new world’. Right now we need to come to terms with our prognosis, so we can begin to reap the benefits of knowing, and take the right action.
Until recently, I had always been on the side of the optimists, encouraged by the recent increase in people ‘waking up’ – to what hasn’t been working but also to the truth of who they are. I still have hope and believe that we will see a mass-awakening of some description, but I no longer think this will be what halts the steep decline we’re experiencing. The ‘turning’ might in fact happen on the way down (in fact I believe it’s already started) – when people are forced to reckon with their own mortality, when the creature comforts of modern life are stripped away for most and when people realise what truly matters.
What can we learn from the terminally ill?
I guess my reason for writing this essay, is because collectively we’re a bit like a terminally ill patient thinking we’re totally fine; we fail to make the most of each day thinking we’ve got ages left, we put off making amends and focussing on what really matters. When we suffer, we don’t understand what’s causing it which leads to much psychological suffering. Many people who have a terminal diagnosis report that they finally start living life, because without a future they fully inhabit the present and they stopped worrying about immaterial things. They often say how everyone could benefit from this complete shift in perspective.
Well, now we’re all kind of in that situation whether we like it or not. Obviously, the timeline of when the big changes will start to affect our daily lives is still not fully known, although it’s fairly likely that food shortages could start affecting us by the end of the decade, with worse to come in the decades to follow. Either way, knowing that this is highly likely, can help shift our perspective for the better in our lives going forward. I would like to insert a caveat here: the below benefits can only really be enjoyed if all our basic needs are met. Obviously if we are hungry, all our energy needs to go in finding food. For now, most of us reading this won’t be in the situation, so it will applly to us.
1: Urgency
So many of us put off what we really want to do. We wait for the perfect conditions before we take action. That place you were going to move to in ten years might have closed it’s borders, that retirement you’re sacrificing your life for now, might never happen. I must admit, this knowledge did make me think twice about having a child – you know, their life might be ruined by climate change when they’re older. But life only exists in the present. A full life is a full life, even if it doesn’t continue for decades to come. If you have always wanted to be a mother, then be a mother. Live a full life now, and give your child a full life, no matter how long it lasts for. Equally, make amends with your estranged parent and pay your lonely friend a visit.
2: Parameters
Many people have difficulty making decisions, because not only are they trying to full fill their own values, but society’s values too. For example, many people stockpile wealth because they’re told to plan for their retirement. They might be trapped in a job they don’t enjoy to pay for an expensive mortgage which they plan on selling to fund their retirement. With this new perspective, might it be better to release the funds now, and enjoy the next ten or twenty years? As beyond that who knows what’s going to happen anyway? When we’re faced with the prospect of collapse, it brings into sharp focus what really matters. Another example – if we’re overseas away from family, but hoping to return to be with them in say a decade, then knowing that things could be a lot worse then might make us make the move home sooner. There isn’t the luxury of time to be delaying what matters for decades anymore.
3: Live your values
When faced with death, people often realise what truly matters – family, relationships, spirituality, enjoying the little things in life. We shouldn’t need a terminal diagnosis to shift our lives towards these things, but for many it’s the only thing that does. For me, I already started the process of shifting my life a while ago, by intentionally slowing down and cultivating a lifestyle which makes better use of my personality, gifts and values. Now I’m even less bothered than before about what I’m ‘supposed’ to be doing, or what other people are doing. It really doesn’t matter. Like, why kill yourself trying to prove that you’re good enough to the world – we’ve been bred to believe that ‘success’ is what gives us value – money, status, career – being ‘somebody’. The fallacy of this idea is becoming more and more obvious as we see the rise in mental health problems and suicide rates – as well as the destruction of our planet from our growth obsessed economy.
Follow your passions, take a part time job, enjoy the little things, live slowly and be gentle to yourself. It is possible to live with less once we let go of the need to stockpile wealth and to ‘prove’ ourselves. In fact, slow living not only benefits our wellbeing by freeing us from the chains of fear and perfectionism, but it can also be our way of taking a stance against consumerism.
4: Let go
There is a certain amount of relief that comes with knowing it’s not up to us to fix this predicament we’re in. There is a purity culture in the eco-activism world which can be very judgemental. There never was a time when we could save the world by using reusable coffee cups, or recycling, less so now. Granted, we should still do these things from a moral perspective, because it’s true that if everyone did their bit, it would have a significant impact. But we no longer need to feel like it’s within our grasp to save the world. That’s a big burden to carry, and will rob us of joy.
Whether we chose it or not, we’re enmeshed in systems which are damaging for the environment. Most of us don’t have the means to live off grid, drive an electric car or buy organic food. For some people with adequate financial resources, learning about permaculture, and devoting their lives to sustainability will give them meaning and purpose. For others of us, it would be a better use of our energy to follow what lights us up, rather than trying to be some eco-warrior. Again, by contributing positive energy into the global community, we’re indirectly building resilience at a collective scale.
5: Gratitude
It’s always beneficial to practice gratitude. Rather than taking things for granted, it’s the practice of realising that everything is a gift. We have so much. Gratitude takes on a whole extra meaning when we consider how much the earth has had to sacrifice for us to live this quality of life here in the developed nations. Now we know how we’ve essentially squandered our inheritance, the least we can do is enjoy the bountiful goodies: running water, cars, international travel, food in the supermarkets, washing machines, central heating and air conditioning, the internet, cheap clothing, the list goes on. Since our time of enjoying these things is limited, and since having them has taken such a toll on the earth, it’s only right that we stop comparing ourselves to others, and enjoy what we’ve got. It’s such a shame that so many people live lives of psychological suffering when they have so much comfort – trapped in the demands of culture, comparison, feeling less than because they’ve not ‘made it’. It’s like we’re finally living lives of abundance, and yet because we’re in a civilisation which is on the way down, there’s so much to worry about, which makes it hard to enjoy what we have. Knowing this can help free us up to be grateful, and by doing so be a positive influence in the world.
6: Grounding
When we see through the lens of collapse, we’re no longer as shocked and appalled by what we see on the news. That’s not to say we shouldn’t do what we can to help a given situation – in fact we definitely should. When we know the signs of a civilisation in decline, such as increased mental health problems, a rise in authoritarian governments, environmental degradation, polarisation, etc, it makes sense. Of course this is what happens when we have a anthropocentric worldview, when we believe we’re separate from each other and the earth. By the same token, we can have more empathy and compassion for others who are stuck in the drama of it. They’re suffering from the decline just like we are. They just don’t know it yet and haven’t been able to put words to it.
7: Presence
When we realise our time is limited, we begin to inhabit the present moment more fully. This is it, we’re living it now. What’s the point in wishing your life away until the next holiday, the weekend, or our retirement? Each day can be beautiful if we notice how amazing everything is. Simple joys like feeling the warm sun on your face, enjoying a coffee, or spending time with a friend can be imbued with awe when we realise that it’s all about NOW. I’m someone who lives a lot in my imagination, so this can be a hard one for me. But I would honestly say that some of my best experiences of life have been when I was fully immersed in the present moment. Imagine if this could be somewhere to dwell, instead of visited occasionally? The indigenous people always knew that God is Reality. This has been echoed in the mystic side of different religions, including my own tradition – Christianity. It’s more important than ever that we start to see that reality is God. Once we start to engage with Reality rather than what’s in our heads, we’ll start enjoying life more and might even have a chance of collectively transcending this thing we’re going through.
8: Do what we can
It’s not enough to just be in the present moment and enjoy life if we’re not attending to the things that are in our power to change. For those of us who have been gifted with much, it’s our duty to spread some of the wealth/resources to alleviate suffering in others, and to enrich their lives a little. Given our new perspective, there’s little point stockpiling wealth when that could help so many people now. We need to continue to call out those who don’t give back, who look after number 1 at the expense of others.
9: Community
Attend to the people who are here and now in your life. Don’t put it off for some time in the future. We’ve all spent way too long on our own striving for individual success at the expense of connecting with community- neighbours wider family, friends. Now’s the time to make space in our lives to connect with people, especially the marginalised and lonely in our community. Perhaps we can start a community vegetable patch, an art group, whatever aligns most with us. When hardships come our way, if we’re connected with our community we might just be able to keep going. Afterall, we’re all going to be in this together, so let’s start building resilience now.
10: Nature
Spend time in nature. Learn to enjoy it’s tranquility and absorb it’s goodness. We live on a beautiful planet, every living thing is a miracle of life. It’s still here now, so let’s enjoy it. Feel how freeing it is to get away from civilisation. Nature makes us see how small and insignificant we are, and yet how we are part of nature. Learn about it, become aquianted with the changing seasons. Go hiking instead of shopping! Trust me, once you learn to enjoy the lack of stimulation, you will learn so much about yourself and you’ll grow as a person.
Finally I want to give encouragement for people to speak their truth. Most people are glad to have this knowledge, it just takes time. Like Neo in the film ‘The Matrix,’ he knows about the Matrix because of an ever present malignant doubt about life as he knows it. He KNOWS something is wrong, even if he can’t explain it. Once he understands it and experiences it’s benefits, he is grateful for taking the red pill and finding out the truth.
Perhaps when people know, then the world will become a kinder gentler place. Of course we’ll probably have the people who go into full survival mode, moving into the bush, stockpiling food, weapons, wealth, but most of us realise the futility in this sort of reaction, and in time will move from fear to a place which is much gentler and kinder than the world we’re currently in.
To get to this point, we need to start normalising these sorts of conversations, which is why I felt compelled to write this blog.
