Many conscientious people are busy figuring out what they can do to turn this “ship bound for a major iceberg” around. I commend them. There is so much to do and we need “all hands on deck.” However, this past week or so, I have heard two environmentally-minded people say the following, “We are doomed”–the “ultimate negative,” if there every was one. Statements like this are better not said. They serve no function other than furthering hopelessness. Furthermore, they indicate a serious degree of self-righteousness as well. In such cases, I recommend that people just “don’t do it”.
Let me try to explain why I find these sort of sentiments so problematic. First off, they are stated as fact. No person knows what will happen. No person knows what can happen. Even the bleakest of situations can sometimes be resolved or return to a better state (history repeatedly shows us this). Such statements definitely ignore the incredible potential that exists in each one of us as well as the gargantuan power that we harness collectively. Importantly, they also completely fail to recognize the enormous power and potential that exists within nature. Our current understanding of the natural world is still in its infancy, something the field of biomimicry has made clear over the past two decades.
Secondly, fatalism isn’t good for your/our health. We know from scientific research that animals/babies that aren’t loved don’t fair as well as those that are. Articulating the “ultimate negative” can’t be a good thing for our psyche or our physical well-being.
Thirdly, such negative thoughts don’t lead to action. They actually lead to inaction and paralysis. They may even lead to self-harm or, worse, harm done to others. I imagine some of the “suicide” acts we have observed in recent years are driven by people who have “no hope.”
Fourthly, negativism breeds negativism. People hear what you say and react to it. If you are so glum as to speak the “ultimate negative,” you should say it privately (and then seek support from others). Otherwise, if others hear you, they too will likely become more depressed and inactive.
Lastly, consider the sentiment a victory for those very powerful entities that have created the extreme injustice and cynicism in the general populace. As long as “we the sheeple” continue to behave as if “we are all doomed”, they continue to control us, our lives, our bodies, and our minds.
So, “just don’t do it”.
[After writing this, I heard an amazing couple that perform UPBEAT jazz–Pippi & Daniel…what a special duo they are!]
I also hear these complaints and find it frustrating. I know someone who told a friend that she “might as well eat tuna because they’re pretty much extinct already.” I’ve heard people justify their environmentally unfriendly habits because “we’re all doomed anyway.” These statements are mean and self-centered. When they come from the environmental community it’s concerning. As the article points out, negativity breeds negativity. But this negativity also shows a lack of imagination.
It’s easy to become overwhelmed when we are presented with so many environmental problems. The questions we grapple with often have a community, an ecosystem, or the whole world at stake. But the solutions, the policies, the technologies, and the best practices are attainable. It’s just a matter of grappling with a problem until we find a solution.
When a blow is dealt, it’s easy to wallow in despair or become stagnant. I’ll admit that this happened to me recently. I visited the rainforests of Peru, fulfilling a lifelong dream. I learned so much about this incredible ecosystem and it was a genuinely moving experience. When I left, I learned of the dramatic increase in Amazon fires that week. This coupled with the Brazilian government’s apathetic response was crushing.
However, in these moments one can also find great hope and inspiration. I discovered Hoja Nueva (https://hojanueva.org/) and learned of the incredible work they do to protect the rainforest and the brave individuals behind it that grapple with deforestation every day. It was a stark reminder that the situation was not hopeless. They weren’t giving up. How could I?
To those out there that think we’re “doomed”, I recommend you find the communities, organizations, projects, policies, and/or environmental successes that inspire you. In each instance, it took a lot of imagination and hard work from the people behind those projects to bring them into fruition. We’re stuck with a lot of problems, so we need to put our imaginations to good use.
The philosopher Robert Pirsig believed that the state of being completely, utterly stuck when you have a problem is one of the best places you can be. He believed it allowed us to eliminate patterns of traditional reason so we could evaluate problems in new ways and our minds could move more freely towards a solution.
We’re stuck with a lot of environmental problems right now. Rather than viewing them as unsolvable problems, I think we’d be wise to change the way we evaluate them so we can better understand these environmental issues and work towards sustainable solutions.