Via digital Extinction Rebellion LA’s channel, Charlie watched articles I have published argues that activism is not always the answer to environmental anxiety and grief. After that, Charlie contacted me by email. He described to me his history of environmental suffering, as well as how he got involved in activism to help reduce it. He also explained that he recently had to take a step back from the operation because of exactly what I described in my newsletter. Like many who have seen outside activism as a “cure” for inner pain, he rushes in too quickly and tries to cut through the transition to becoming a happy, determined activist. and tenacious. He confused the therapeutic effects of the community, which the therapist wanted him to explore, with the idea that acting in a more positive future would relieve his suffering.
Don’t get me wrong — acting on the outside is absolutely important. Society needs more than that, and contributing to that momentum can bring real calm because it means you’re dealing with an issue that’s causing you stress. But bromides such as “action is the antidote to despair” can simplify a complicated experience and point to a society that doesn’t like difficult emotions.
As eco-anxiety researcher Panu Pihkala writes, “With (excessive) emphasis on action, one can also see traits rooted in general emotional or even cultural avoidance. disregard”. In many western countries where mental health problems are on the rise, we tend to get rid of our emotions by working (too) hard, busy and distracted, therapy retail, eat and drink too much, take drugs, or rationalize their emotions. This is the emotional immaturity of many modern societies in the workplace, which will take a long time to stop the deeply internal and collective externalities that are forced to confront and process emotions. Touch difficult to complete.
Charlie understands this, and instead of trying to express his feelings with actions, he spends more time sitting with them.
He realizes that activism is just a way to reach others to “get it,” which his climate awareness therapist urged him to do. As he began reaching out to various writers online who were thinking about these topics (not just me) and having meaningful conversations with them, he quickly developed relationships may contain his deepest fears and frustrations. Every honest conversation about the emotion of man-made environmental devastation, he says, makes it all the more bearable. Research backs up his findings and shows that this kind of social support is important for maintaining psychological health.
What he is still struggling with as we speak is a burning need to get out of industrial society as soon as possible. He felt strongly about skipping town, moving to the woods and learning to live off the mainland. Away from the hustle and bustle of the big city, at least he won’t have to agonize over the reminder that the water that comes out of his faucet is being pumped with fossil fuels from a reservoir 300 miles away. But then he would think of all the kids in LA who never had a chance as a kid to follow their dreams, play music and just enjoy their youth without the ghosts of them. climate emergencies and pandemics follow. heads. Wouldn’t he leave an entire generation in need of help nurturing their resilience if he just stepped out into society and tried to find the apocalypse? The responsibility was already in his mind. After all, what do we owe each other at the end of the world as we know it?
