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Mobilising for a better future: Turn it on, not off
Mobilising people (, companies, governments) to take climate change, and all other system-related crises for that matter, seriously and adopt behaviour that proves this, is not an easy task. But are the zillion doom scenarios that are being poured over us going to help to achieve it? I have very very serious doubts and therefore propose another strategy.
The common doomsday message we hear is: we’re heading for disaster and if were honest we’re almost certainly already too late to turn the tide. But we have to, otherwise there will be even more disaster. Usually supported by model-based calculations that prove why the message is correct. The assumption seems to be that by combining Doom with Truth we will ‘finally’ spring to action.
However, what seems to be underestimated it the real -mental- effect that it has, of which there are three to four main manifestations: I. Paralysis, powered by Fear, II. Panic-driven actions that show result on the short term but complicate meaningful structural efforts, III. Apathy and Cynicism about whether any action is still relevant, by anyone but most of all yourself.
