e123 maps – what possibilities do you not yet know?

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(Bell and breath) 

I sometimes try to map out, on a piece of blank paper like this, where I think humanity is at with the ecological crisis…

This helps me, among other things, to come to terms with reality. 

I decided to share this exercise with you, listeners of the conscient podcast, in case you have similar thoughts. 

I’ll start on the left with mitigation, which is the act of reducing the severity, or painfulness, of an activity. In this case, we are mitigating our own self-destruction. 

The second part of my map is adaptation which is the modification of our behaviour that makes us more resilient. In other words, adapting to disasters and catastrophe as the new normal. Adapting to new circumstances. 

Now the third part of my map is called a tipping point line, which is the point when unstoppable changes take place. A kind of tipping into a point of no return. Some say we’re already there, others that we’re very close. But either way the tipping point is a critical moment and it’s one we need to be  aware of. 

Next is survival which is about continuing to live in spite of extremely difficult circumstances. It makes me think of the film Thelma and Louise, some of you might know,  the very last scene, when their car drives off a cliff. I think humanity is like that, in free fall and that some of us might survive. 

The last element of my map is recovery which is a bit more positive, but the recovery happens after the catastrophe and the disasters that are coming. Recovery is that return to a normal and healthy state, where we recover knowledge and skills that are  required, or draw upon new knowledge in order to live in harmony with all living beings on earth. It’s ironic and tragic that we actually could do this now but we chose not to. 

So these are the five elements on my map: mitigation, adaptation, tipping point line, survival and recovery, but the problem is that I’m wrong. The map is wrong. 

The truth is that I don’t know. 

There are endless possibilities and dimensions that I’m not yet able to conceive or understand and yet sometimes, somehow, I can feel them.

So I’m done with drawing maps and speculating with thoughts and ideas. Instead, I’m going to listen to the intelligence of my body, to the intelligence of non-human beings around me, to other forms of knowledge and beings that are emerging, and see where that takes me. 

Thanks for listening.

Oh and my question is…

What possibilities do you not yet know?

*

This episode is a bit of a risk. I wrote the text in one draft and then recorded it right away before editing it too much. It is quite raw, which might make it interesting as part of my learning and unlearning journey. 

I’ll leave it up to the listener to determine where their own point of recovery might be: before or after the tipping point line…

I am grateful and accountable to the earth and the human labour that provided me with the privilege of producing this episode. (including all the toxic materials and extractive processes behind the computers, recorders, transportation and infrastructure that make this podcast possible).

My gesture of reciprocity for this episode is to Deep Adaptation Forum.


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Responses to “e123 maps – what possibilities do you not yet know?”

  1. […] post e123 maps – what possibilities do you not yet know? appeared first on conscient. conscient is a bilingual blog and podcast (French or English) by audio […]

  2. Hildegard Westerkamp Avatar

    Thank you for the map, Claude. It can apply to daily life even, which is just as uncertain as longer time stretches ahead of us. It is a good practice to stay aware of that and try to live/listen accordingly.

    1. Claude Schryer Avatar

      Thx. Uncertainly is the new normal. It actually always has been with us (think of the Cold War in the 1960’s) but also in parts of the world where they live day by day. We are extremely privileged here in Canada, which comes with responsibilities and accountabilities… Thanks for the advice to live and listen in these times. To do so genuinely means dealing with a lot of eco-anxiety and eco-grief, which can be used as a catalyst for action…

  3. JEANMARC LAMOUREUX Avatar
    JEANMARC LAMOUREUX

    En ce qui concerne les possibilités inconnues pour l’humanité, il est important de reconnaître que notre connaissance et notre compréhension du monde sont limitées. Il y a des domaines de la science, de la technologie, de la philosophie et de l’exploration qui restent largement inexplorés. De nouvelles découvertes, des innovations et des percées sont possibles dans ces domaines et pourraient ouvrir de nouvelles possibilités insoupçonnées.

    Il est également important de noter que l’avenir est incertain et qu’il est difficile de prédire avec précision ce qui se produira. Les progrès technologiques, les changements sociaux et politiques, ainsi que les événements inattendus peuvent tous façonner l’avenir de l’humanité de manière inattendue.

    Pour faire face à l’incertitude de l’avenir et aux défis de la crise écologique, il est crucial de cultiver une approche ouverte, inclusive et collaborative. Il est important d’encourager la recherche, l’innovation et l’exploration dans tous les domaines pertinents, ainsi que de promouvoir la durabilité, la conservation de l’environnement et la justice sociale.

    Nous devons également reconnaître que l’avenir de l’humanité est étroitement lié à notre relation avec la Terre et avec les autres êtres vivants qui la peuplent. Il est essentiel de prendre soin de notre planète et de vivre en harmonie avec la nature.

    En résumé, les possibilités inconnues pour l’humanité sont vastes et complexes. En adoptant une approche ouverte, curieuse et responsable, nous pouvons espérer découvrir de nouvelles voies et solutions pour faire face à la crise écologique et façonner un avenir meilleur pour tous.

    Merci de votre attention et de votre réflexion profonde sur ces questions importantes.

    1. Claude Schryer Avatar

      Merci Jean-Marc

      Je suis d’accord pour dire qu’il faut garder une attitude positive et qu’il y a beaucoup de choses que nous ne savons pas. Je cite l’écrivain Rebecca Solnit, tiré de l’épisode 20, dans Hope is an embrace of the unknown: Rebecca Solnit on living in dark times, que ‘l’espoir se situe dans les prémisses que nous ne savons pas ce qui va se passer et que dans l’espace de l’incertitude il y a de la place pour agir’.

      Mon propos dans é123 cartes était d’exprimer mon propre stress (ma détresse ?) quant à la situation actuelle et à la direction que nous pourrions prendre, mais vous avez raison de dire que ‘les progrès technologiques, les changements sociaux et politiques, ainsi que les événements inattendus peuvent tous façonner l’avenir de l’humanité de manière inattendue’.

      Ce qui me préoccupe, c’est notre profonde déconnexion (dans le monde occidental) avec la nature, qui est à l’œuvre depuis des siècles et qui est en train de nous tuer tous.

      Il faut donc repenser nos valeurs et nos relations fondamentales. Le professeur Frank Tester l’a exprimé de la manière suivante la semaine dernière ici à Vancouver (extrait de mon blogue de juin) lors d’une conférence sur la crise du climat et de la nature au Peter Wall Institute for Advanced Learning de l’université de Colombie britannique :

      • Toutes nos relations sont un gros problème
      • Le changement climatique est un problème social et culturel dont la source est la surconsommation.
      • Nous devons repenser la manière dont nous donnons un sens à notre vie.
      • La justice sociale et l’équité sont au cœur de ces questions
      • Les universités font partie du problème
      • Notre avenir est sombre si nous ne changeons pas rapidement et radicalement.
      • Les arts ont un rôle essentiel à jouer.

      Je mentionne dans ce même blogue que :

      • Partout où je vais, j’entends des discours comme celui du Dr. Tester : changement radical ou mort. On ne peut que conclure que puisque nous ne changeons pas (assez vite), nous allons mourir (en tant qu’espèce).

      Donc, Jean-Marc, je ne pense pas que la quantité d’innovation sera utile si elle est construite sur un modèle autodestructeur (capitalisme extractif, croissance sans fin, déni de la relation à la nature, etc.). Il est certain que le catastrophisme n’aide pas, mais l’espoir naïf non plus.

      Je termine mon blog par cette réflexion :

      • Je me suis souvenu aujourd’hui de l’enseignement du collectif Gesturing Towards Decolonial Futures sur le fait de marcher sur la corde raide entre l’espoir désespéré et le désespoir irréfléchi. La ligne est fine… mais je pense avoir échoué et que je suis tombée dans l’écueil du désespoir, mais avec, pour l’instant, une certaine réflexion.

      Là où il y a une lueur d’espoir, – une fine pellicule d’argent – c’est dans ce que vous décrivez à juste titre comme ‘en adoptant une approche ouverte, curieuse et responsable, nous pouvons espérer découvrir de nouvelles voies et solutions pour faire face à la crise écologique et façonner un avenir meilleur pour tous.’

      La question que je me pose est de savoir où placer son énergie pour y parvenir ou au moins pour mourir dans la dignité, comme l’ont fait d’autres espèces sur terre lorsqu’elles ont été confrontées à l’extinction.

      Merci encore pour votre contribution. Elle est très appréciée.

  4. JEANMARC LAMOUREUX Avatar
    JEANMARC LAMOUREUX

    When it comes to unknown possibilities for humanity, it is important to acknowledge that our knowledge and understanding of the world are limited. There are areas in science, technology, philosophy, and exploration that remain largely uncharted. New discoveries, innovations, and breakthroughs are possible in these domains and could unveil unforeseen possibilities.

    It is also important to note that the future is uncertain, and it is challenging to accurately predict what will unfold. Technological advancements, social and political changes, as well as unforeseen events, can all shape the future of humanity in unexpected ways.

    To address the uncertainty of the future and the challenges of the ecological crisis, it is crucial to foster an open, inclusive, and collaborative approach. Encouraging research, innovation, and exploration across relevant fields, as well as promoting sustainability, environmental conservation, and social justice, are essential.

    We must also recognize that the future of humanity is closely intertwined with our relationship with the Earth and the other living beings that inhabit it. Taking care of our planet and living in harmony with nature are vital.

    In summary, the unknown possibilities for humanity are vast and complex. By adopting an open, curious, and responsible approach, we can hope to discover new paths and solutions to address the ecological crisis and shape a better future for all.

    Thank you for your attention and for engaging in deep reflection on these important questions.

    1. Claude Schryer Avatar

      Thanks Jean-Marc

      I agree that we need to keep a positive attitude and that there is much we do not know. I quote writer Rebecca Solnit in episode 19, who said, in Hope is an embrace of the unknown: Rebecca Solnit on living in dark times, that ‘hope locates itself in the premises that we don’t know what will happen and that in the spaciousness of uncertainty is room to act.’

      My point in e123 maps was to express my own stress (distress?) about where we are at and might be going but you are right that ‘new discoveries, innovations, and breakthroughs are possible in these domains and could unveil unforeseen possibilities.’

      What concerns me is our (in the western world) deep disconnection with nature, which has been in the works for centuries and is killing us all.

      This requires a rethink of our fundamental values and relations. Prof Frank Tester put it this way last week here in Vancouver (from my June conscient blog) at a lecture about the climate and nature crisis at the Peter Wall Institute for Advanced Learning of the University of British Columbia:

      • All of our relations is a big problem
      • Climate change is a social and cultural issue and the source is overconsumption.
      • We need to rethink how we make sense.
      • Social justice and equity are at the heart of these issues
      • Universities are part of the problem
      • Our future looks bleak unless we change rapidly and radically
      • The arts have a critical role to play

      I also mention in my blog that :

      • ‘I hear discourse like Dr Tester’s everywhere I go: radical change or die. One can only conclude that since we’re not changing (fast enough), we’re going to die (as a species).’

      So, Jean-Marc, I don’t think amount of innovation will help if it is built on a self-destructive model (extractive capitalism, endless growth, denial of relation to nature, etc). Certainly doomism does not help, but nor does naïve hope.

      I end my blog with this thought:

      • I was reminded today of the Gesturing Towards Decolonial Futures collective’s SMDA Compass teaching about how to walk a tightrope between desperate hope and reckless hopelessness. It’s a fine line … but these days I’ve have fallen into a deep cavern of hopelessness but not (yet) recklessly.

      Where there is a lining of hope – a slim silver one – lies in what you’ve rightly described as ‘adopting an open, curious, and responsible approach, we can hope to discover new paths and solutions to address the ecological crisis and shape a better future for all.’

      The question I ask myself is where to place one’s energy to get there or at least to die with dignity, as other species on earth have done when faced with extinction.

      Thanks again for your input. It is much appreciated.

  5. […] For example, on June 7, Jean-Marc Lamoureux wrote about episode e123 maps:  […]