We ruptured Nature. But Nature is giving us a second chance. #lockdownlessons

G’day & Chao (hello in Aussie slang and in Vietnamese),

Spring is in the air down here in Australia.

As promised in my last piece about the Anthropocene talk I attended, In this piece, I share my thoughts and reflections on the book: Defiant Earth (2017) by Clive Hamilton, an Australian author, thinker and Professor of Public Ethics.

Don’t worry, I also get overwhelmed by big words and this one is full of them. But I can break it down for us using some of the best quotes and statements from the book. In summary, as a young adult growing up in a Westernised country and seeing the abundance of STUFF and the mass of STUFF thrown, this book will hit deep in your conscience to want to do something about it #thenextgenofleaders

1. The Book

In the beginning chapter, he adopts a ‘factual’ tone, stating research from the ICS (International Commission on Stratigraphy) and including findings from earth scientists.

“Earth scientists' belief lies in the rapid increase in concentration of CO2 in the atmosphere... shifting out of the previous epoch, the Holocene.” (p.1) The “last 60 years... have seen the most profound transformation of human relationship with nature.”

He points out that before, the ‘Holocene’ was a 10,000 year period of mild & constant climate that permitted civilisation to flourish (p.4).

He then goes to state that this new epoch began around 1945:

“CO2 became steep after World War II.” (p.2) He seems to also take the more ‘serious’ position with the ‘experts’ in emphasising that we have entered not a new ‘epoch’ but a new ‘era.’

He argues that if society does not respond to climate disruption, the Anthropocene will upgrade to this ‘anthropocentric’ ‘era...’ (p.7)

Wait, can the pandemic the dawn of this Anthropocentric world?

2. Human Power over Nature

Clive Hamilton states that in 1945 marks the 'turning point’ for ‘nature’ and ‘humans’ (p.4).

“The geological evolution diverged from one driven by blind forces of nature to one influenced by the conscious, willed being... a new HUMAN - GEOLOGICAL POWER (p.4).

He then goes on a little deeper to our actions in the industrial times & now:

“Industrialism aims to bring the natural world under human supervision...” (p.8) and “impacts such as increases in CO2 do not happen... but are the consequences, intended or decisions taken by human minds (p.6).

Hmm, I’m thinking out loud here... Clive Hamilton seems to open up here as a vulnerable and honest human being, admitting that ‘we’ are all part of the ‘cause’ and ‘consequence.’

He is reinstating and revealing that we have the ability to make decisions…‘decisions’ that affect our life, other people and most importantly according to Hamilton - nature, the environment and the WHOLE Earth....

Hamilton exaggerates and emphasises the notion of our ‘POWER’ over nature - use of ‘power’ not ‘force’ that can be ‘withheld’ and ‘exercised.’ (p.6)

I feel really responsible for my actions after reading these first few pages. I think this was Hamilton’s aim to make us feel some kind of ‘human burden’ as ‘intelligent’ creatures with morals and ethics.

“The world is in the history of MANKIND.” (p.2)

3. Hamilton’s definition of the Anthropocene:

He clears up the early assumptions of what we think of the Anthropocene by arguing what it isn’t:

“It’s not a term coined to describe continued spread of human impacts or modification of ecosystems... but instead describes a rupture in functioning of the earth system as a whole...” (p.34).

'Rupture' means that humans have destroyed, punctured, marked, left a hole/scar on Earth.

I admit that I followed the common crowd of thinking that many of the big issues in the world are due to ‘human impact.’ Hamilton takes a big step beyond the limits of ‘human impact’ and goes on to say that what’s more important is the ‘state’ of the whole Earth now - its shifts, its reactions,.. reality of nature (natural disasters, climate change...) And yes, I feel after reading this line again that when we hear on the news of a place with flooding, fires or food loss, we all feel the affects even though we are many miles geographically apart...

“If the Anthropocene is a rupture in the history of Earth as a whole, then it's also a rupture in the history of humans as a whole” (p.34).

What does he mean in the last part of the sentence? Clive leaves me thinking: What does it mean for humans now? What exactly happened in the past?

Hamilton repeatedly writes of this idea of earth as “no longer a collection of local ecosystems, landscapes... but as a SINGLE, FUNCTIONING SYSTEM (p.34).

EARTH SYSTEM AS A WHOLE:

He continues this description of our ‘new’ era with emotive words that evoke fear describing the Anthropocene as being ‘unstable,’ ‘unpredictable,’ and will endure for thousands of years...

Nature he says (he portrays our natural environment like a pronoun) refuses to be tamed as our freedom & technological powers have led us to a brink of ruin.(p.37).

How daunting does this sound? He really hits us at the core. It feels like being scolded by my parents saying: “Look what we’ve done.”

4. Understanding of Earth & Nature in this Age

"Our modern ideas of earth as an environment in which humans make their home is being replaced by images of an awakened giant, ornery beast, fighting back and seeking revenge... a world of angry summers.” (p.48)

Goodness, this has an element of truth. What do picture here? I’m scared and I’m thinking - WHAT DO WE DO?

"Our understanding of Earth... is undergoing a RADICAL change.” He says we are moving towards a ‘radical’ understanding of our relationship with the Earth (p.45-50 below):

• Nature no longer exists apart from humanity.
• Nature is our victim or servant.
• Nature is no longer passive, fragile or suffering in silence.
• Nature(climate system) is becoming more energetic.

• Nature is both a sublime earth that is beautiful when becalmed and terrifying when enraged. Nature is both an ‘intimate’ and an ‘alien’ planet.

“Nature is no longer a magnificent book in which God speaks to us and grants us a glimpse of his infinite beauty & goodness but a grim report which scientists speak to us and grants us a glimpse of the disrupted natural patterns and a chaotic climate.” (p.49)

5. What should we not do?

Hamilton thinks because we have modified the many processes and ecosystems within Earth (p.51), it may be too late to pull back... (p.54)

Again, grimly, he states our actions are ‘irreversible’ and the effects will persist for millennia (p.52).

This doesn't sound right though? Does that mean we just continue doing what we have already been doing in this technological & industrial age? (Although in the wild year of 2020, I’ve heard of lower pollution levels, cleaner air and more bird chirping)

BUT, he doesn’t present solutions or specific action points. He calls us to think about:

• What can be done to SLOW the changes...
• What can be done to ADAPT those changes that are unavoidable in the long term?
• What can be done to remediate damage to the earth’s system?

I think Hamilton ‘stirs’ some emotions in us and provides a catalyst to make us want to act or do in any way. In this case, makes us think and question.

Is that enough? Is this enough - just thinking and questioning?

He continues...

“We must go beyond earth system science to philosophy... the new anthropocentric age is an embedded subject - humans are inseparable from forces of nature” (p.53).

What does this mean?

Perhaps, Clive wants us to first sink in despair and feel the guilt for our own self in relation to nature, to others and the Earth?

6. The need for a new narrative

In the last few chapters, he talks about our NEW ROLE as humans...

“We emerge as a kind of a tragic figure - a central agent, unable to fulfil the dream of modernity so we extricate ourselves from nature & rise above it.” (p.53)

It is true. But again, reinstating our ‘ties’ being attached with nature. We are left to think: What will our NEW relationship be like with Earth?

He calls this narrative: ‘TELEOLOGICAL ANTHROPOCENTRISM’

He claims what makes us different in this age is this new form of ‘human specialness...’

“Humans have the actual power to change the course of earth” (p.70). It’s similar to the view of secular ‘ecomodernists’ who has the philosophy that man guides human destiny rather than God... (p.77)

I think this narrative will invite everyday people to open up to our personal experiences of our connection to nature and our everyday practices #communitybuilding.

Hamilton thinks when we are called to act on our natural environment, it is not judged on the scale of good & evil(religious) but on the scale of care & neglect (p.155).

Again, I’m getting Hamilton’s tone of the burden of human responsibility.

“This new form - humans are not free to do whatever we want but must retrain ourselves & restrict what we do” (p.70).

I’ve realised that Hamilton indeed impacts us psychologically. It’s not so much about our doings but about our sense of control and mindfully aware from our actions that directly impacts our Nature, the people around us and our health etc.

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Most importantly, I think Hamilton wants us to use this ‘mindset’ or frame of mind when going about our daily lives or applying it in an economic, political and social sense. He says:

“This new narrative exposes our powerful failures... there is no promise of a happy ending in the Anthropocene narrative... but it is one we are compelled to ACCEPT.” (p.82&83).

Lastly:

He wants us to think not only locally but beyond and globally: “In the postmodern age, our entire world has fallen under the spell of GLOBALIZATION. We have become self-focused global consumers... Our new narrative is that we go towards global citizenship” (p.129).

How radical of a thought is that?

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Takeaways during #lockdown:

I have fallen in the trap in my darkest period of life blaming people, corporations and society. Now I am left with my-self. I don’t have control. And I don’t need lots to save humanity.

I realised we all have a personal opportunity to rectify our own lives and that means our personal relationship with Nature.

And it really starts from here.

There are some humans who are sowing some seeds already.

And so I have filled myself with grief and guilt already in the past few years and now I can say that the pandemic allows ourselves with a second chance, forgiveness to start small and start where we all are, with what we have.

And so it leaves me following a conscience that is not a particular colour, category or clan or even a religion but with a duty and responsibility.

And that’s enough to keep me going during this time #hangintherefriends

“The fate of humans... our own welfare, our virtues & our duties to one another... our inescapable responsibility for Earth defines us as moral beings” (p.53).

Thanks for sticking through this long piece.

-juju