We Need to Change Our Attitudes

Summary

The article emphasizes the need for a collective shift in attitude towards environmental crises, suggesting a parallel to the stages of grief and advocating for unity and proactive change.

Abstract

The author of the article argues that the current approach to environmental issues, characterized by denialism and dismissal, is no longer tenable. Drawing a comparison to the stages of grief, the author points out that society's response to the environmental crisis mirrors individual reactions to loss, including denial, anger, bargaining, depression, and acceptance. The article calls for a new method of grieving that fosters unity, upheaval, resolution, and renewal, proposing that a collective acceptance of the situation can facilitate a smoother transition to restorative actions. The author also shares a personal poem and invites others to engage with the prompt, encouraging a broader conversation about stewardship and the necessary changes to address the crisis.

Opinions

The author believes that society's tendency to deny or dismiss environmental issues is counterproductive and mirrors the stages of grief.
There is a recognition that individuals and communities are experiencing various emotional responses to the environmental crisis, which can coexist.
The article suggests that society needs to move beyond these emotional stages to a place of acceptance and proactive change.
The author advocates for a unified approach to address the crisis, emphasizing the need for collective action and shared responsibility.
By inviting others to consider the prompt, the author expresses a desire for inclusive dialogue and diverse perspectives on environmental stewardship.

Denialism and Dismissal are Getting Tired

Why are we still doing this? Seems the worse the problem gets, the more energy is spent on denying it. As I’m writing this, it strikes me that this situation is a lot like the stages of grief… diluted across the people of the world.

Some of us deny the crisis exists. Some of us feel angry. Some of us try to bargain with others over a compromise in their actions. Some of us are just depressed — feeling alone in the situation. Some of us have accepted the outcome. Of course, some people are in multiple stages at once.

But we’re all in this crisis together, regardless of how we feel about it. What we need is a new way to grieve. We need unity, upheaval, resolution, and renewal. Let’s make this loss of old ways easy, as we restore the world together.

Here’s a short poem I wrote on being stewards of the Earth:

We Need to Change Our Attitudes

Denialism and Dismissal are Getting Tired

What’s something that needs to change?

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