Down to the wire : confronting climate collapse / David - Index of
Down to the wire : confronting climate collapse / David - Index of
Down to the wire : confronting climate collapse / David - Index of
You also want an ePaper? Increase the reach of your titles
YUMPU automatically turns print PDFs into web optimized ePapers that Google loves.
S<br />
172 far<strong>the</strong>r horizons<br />
belief in self-governance, and <strong>the</strong> belief that all men are created<br />
equal. The present narrative, at least <strong>the</strong> commercial version <strong>of</strong><br />
it, is not so noble, having <strong>to</strong> do with <strong>the</strong> promotion <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> seven<br />
deadly sins <strong>of</strong> pride, greed, envy, lust, sloth, anger, and glut<strong>to</strong>ny,<br />
along with a strong dose <strong>of</strong> national self-righteousness. But now<br />
that we are approaching <strong>the</strong> edge <strong>of</strong> a disaster <strong>of</strong> our own making,<br />
what is <strong>the</strong> right narrative for our time? Frankly, I do not know,<br />
but let me suggest three possibilities about <strong>the</strong> spirit in which we<br />
might rewrite our national s<strong>to</strong>ry.<br />
The fi rst is taken from a friend who recently spent several<br />
months as a patient in a cancer ward. During hours <strong>of</strong> treatment,<br />
he witnessed <strong>the</strong> growth <strong>of</strong> community among his fellow cancer<br />
patients. Once reluctant <strong>to</strong> say much about <strong>the</strong>mselves, under <strong>the</strong><br />
new reality <strong>of</strong> a life-threatening disease <strong>the</strong>y gradually became<br />
more talkative and open <strong>to</strong> thinking about <strong>the</strong>ir lives and listening<br />
<strong>to</strong> <strong>the</strong> experiences <strong>of</strong> o<strong>the</strong>r patients. Living in <strong>the</strong> shadow <strong>of</strong><br />
death, <strong>the</strong>y were more open <strong>to</strong> ideas and people, including some<br />
that <strong>the</strong>y formerly regarded as threatening or incomprehensible.<br />
They were less prone <strong>to</strong> arrogance and more sympa<strong>the</strong>tic <strong>to</strong> <strong>the</strong><br />
suffering <strong>of</strong> o<strong>the</strong>rs. They were less sure <strong>of</strong> once strongly held convictions<br />
and more open <strong>to</strong> contrary opinions. No longer master<br />
<strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong>ir lives, <strong>the</strong>ir schedules, or even <strong>the</strong>ir bodies, many achieved<br />
a higher level <strong>of</strong> mastery by letting go <strong>of</strong> illusions <strong>of</strong> invulnerability,<br />
and in <strong>the</strong> letting go <strong>the</strong>y reached a more solid ground for<br />
hope and <strong>the</strong> kind <strong>of</strong> humble but stubborn resilience necessary<br />
for beating <strong>the</strong> odds, or at least for living <strong>the</strong>ir fi nal days with<br />
grace.<br />
Ano<strong>the</strong>r possible narrative can be drawn from <strong>the</strong> experience<br />
<strong>of</strong> people overcoming addiction. Alcoholics Anonymous,<br />
for example, <strong>of</strong>fers a 12-step process <strong>to</strong> overcome addiction that<br />
begins with self-awareness, leading <strong>to</strong> a public confession <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong><br />
problem, a reshaping <strong>of</strong> intention, <strong>the</strong> stabilizing infl uence <strong>of</strong> a<br />
support group, and a reclaiming <strong>of</strong> self-mastery <strong>to</strong> higher ends. The<br />
power <strong>of</strong> this narrative line is in <strong>the</strong> similarity between substance