As runaway abrupt climate change and it’s brutal reality bares down on us with the speed of a tsunami, another little discussed side affect is grief. I shall try to cover it in this blog and provide some avenues for readers to seek solace and solidarity below.
Those of us who are monitoring the unraveling of the biosphere will be fully aware of this aching phenomenon already but our numbers are relatively few (sic) due to the lies and obfuscating taking place regarding the severity of the crisis, yet when the awareness of the imminent demise of our species dawns on the afflicted planets populace, all the symptoms of grief will manifest on a monumental scale!
Sadness, depression, anger, denial, resignation, pick your poison (sic), try and be gentle with yourself and those you interact with. Embrace your grief, acknowledge it, share it with those you trust. Support those of your friends, colleagues and neighbours who are suffering, it really is best shared.
In recent times renowned climate bloggers have been courageous enough to admit in public how their research has driven some of them to the edge of despair, you are not alone;
Michael Slezak writing for The Guardian Environment;
My professional detachment has finally turned to panic
“One day in his office, he reviewed a new study about the release of methane from the ocean floor and saw, more starkly than ever before, the conundrum the world faced. It wasn’t simply that they needed to consume less, to bring humanity’s impact on the biosphere under control, it was that there were just too many people, and even allowing for technological change and economic restructuring, the planet was on a collision course with disaster. In the United States and India floods covered millions of square kilometres, in Africa and Europe the heat was growing ever more intense and in Indonesia and Brazil and Malaysia the forests were burning, yet he and Ellie were trying to have a baby. What sort of world would that child inherit? Were they really doing the right thing by bringing another life into it?”
More on the much under reported methane risk here;
Arctic Methane Emergency Group
“Dr. Maria Salta, a biological oceanographer and lecturer in environmental microbiology in the School of Biological Sciences at the University of Portsmouth, echoed this dire outlook on the state of the oceans.””For shrimpers, 80 percent of everything caught is bycatch and thrown back for dead. It is a mode of mass marine extinction.”
“It is clear that if we continue like this, in a few years time, there is not going to be much left,” she told Truthout, speaking about the impacts of ACD, pollution and overfishing. “We are losing species every day without ever knowing about them. Sometimes humans can be like a plague to the environment.”
The rest of Dahr Jamails’ great article is embedded below;
Dahr Jamail | Global Fisheries Are Collapsing — What Happens When There Are No Fish Left?
Another case in point Neven Curlin from the Arctic Sea Ice Blog;
“But a problem was emerging — Curlin wasn’t just tracking the change, he was feeling it too. As he wrote in 2012, shortly after the record fell:….this stunning melting season has made me even more acutely aware of the gravity of what is taking place….To be able to watch and write about the Arctic sea ice, I used to block out the realisation of risks, so that I could make a joke here and there and be scientifically reticent in my own amateur way, keeping up appearances, acting objective.But my bubble has burst. I’m already watching past the minimum. As the melting season ends, it feels as if things are only beginning. The age of consequences.”
I highly recommend this podcast courtesy of Deb Ozarko speaking with Dahr Jamail;
Passion, Courage and truth: Reporting from Ground Zero with Dahr Jamail
From the excellent climate blogger Eric Holthaus;
“There are days where I literally can’t work. I’ll read a story & shut down for rest of the day. Not much helps besides exercise & time.”
On our recent NZ wide speaking tour Professor Guy McPherson and I spoke to audiences in university’s and public venues and a very important aspect of the tour was addressing the emotional response to our message as the cold hard reality of what we have collectively inflicted on the biosphere sunk into our audiences psyche. They were to a large degree already aware of the severity of the crisis but often feel isolated due to the grief denying culture many of us live in.
Most of the N.Z. presentations have been embedded below by my dear friend and colleague Wolfgang Werminghausen.
Schneller als gedacht / Faster than previously thought
From Professor McPherson’s website;
“I’ve received many requests for a workshop focused on emotions rather than evidence. Such a workshop is described here . It is available in your hometown and also in Belize.”
A number of Facebook groups have been established to help people come to terms with their grief for our afflicted biosphere. For the sake of brevity I have embedded a number below in no particular order. If joining please ensure you observe the philosophy of the groups and remember we are there to support each other in any way we can.
Much respect to the diligent, hard working admins.
Near Term Human Extinction Love
Near Term Human Extinction Support Group
Near Term Human Extinction Evidence group
Ruppert’s Restaurant Named after the late great Michael C Ruppert
My dear friend and colleague Pauline Schneider is in the process of editing a documentary based on footage shot on our recent NZ speaking tour. A Facebook page has been created with a short trailer embedded here;
Only Love Remains Dancing at the Edge of Extinction
To those of my many darling friends, especially my ‘Tribe’ on Rakino Island who often ask how I am feeling, chronicling the unraveling of the biosphere, I must quote my dear friend Professor Guy McPherson; “I have a long list of people I would like to see dead, my name isn’t on it”.
“At the edge of extinction, only love remains”. Be gentle with one another, starting with yourself.
Aroha Nui. Much love, be gentle.
K
Activist, sailor, passionate about the earth. Brace for impact, based on the way the world is being operated and treated. Live every day as precious.
Well said Kevin. Our politicians and the main stream media are spineless and only deserve our contempt. We need to discard them to the scrap heap as they deserve. So much pain and suffering could have been avoided if they had done their job.
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Remember the phrase (most likely purloined from a 80’s nuclear armageddon movie), “will the living envy the dead”.
Most likely at some point.
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War of the Worlds – the preacher song
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Reblogged this on Nick Robson's Blog.
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It is a strange time. I made a comment a while back which you acknowledged that summed up my experience. It said something to the effect of “Just when I needed you most you left me, for you did not have the fortitude to love me. Those who wish to think themselves loving wish for the enlightened to lie so they might continue to love them. I feel for anyone who encounters this type of generosity.” That pretty much sums up my experience. I have never experienced anything so gut wrenching in my life, and I still cannot think of it without great difficulty. But at least I understand it now. My wife had a great deal of faith and trust in me. She would always gloat about how much I knew and how I could be asked almost anything and always have a thoughtful answer about it. When I began to realize the severity of the problem she was a completely different person. She had to question my sanity, to question why she was with me, (I didn’t used to be so paranoid) and she had to question why I completely dropped a three year project I was working on to right a book about religion. She could not understand that my work was no longer about me. It was about us; humanity. And I couldn’t work on anything but that. But she had to question me, because she trusted me so much and had so much faith in me that the things I began telling her she just could not psychologically accept. So she just didn’t. And it was entirely an unconscious psychological self-defense mechanism on her part. Everything she believed for a decade went out the window. Something was wrong with me, because there is no way anything I was saying could be true. I can explain much better now why it is true as a result. But I hope anyone who has the opportunity to read this will carefully consider how they deal with others regarding this topic. I was well into my stages of grief when I just dropped it on her. I I feel so very bad about that now. But ignorance is the cause of all our pain though, isn’t it?
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I totally and absolutely get this sentiment, been there experienced that.This is uncharted territory, navigating in a fog of despair is and will be very difficult, form a tribe, stick together.
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There are two books which provide some explanations for the resistance and denial that occur when people are exposed to such a shocking revelation as the threat of human extinction:
“Don’t Even Think About It: Why Our Brains Are Wired to Ignore Climate Change,” by George Marshall (Bloomsbury Publishing, 2014)
“Marshall presents the psychological research demonstrating why climate change simply doesn’t feel dangerous enough to justify action and how we can trick our brains into changing our sense of urgency about the problem.” – Booklist
“What We Think About When We Try Not To Think About Global Warming: Toward a New Psychology of Climate Action,” by Per Espen Stoknes (Chelsea Green Publishing, 2015).
Identifies the five main psychological barriers to climate action and offers new strategies for how to talk about global warming in a way that creates positive solutions, meaningful action, and support for policy.
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@ John. Did your wife divorce you. What was the outcome?
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Yes. Simplified, it was the result of my own grief and desperation for a meaningful future that was the cause, coupled with her unwillingness to attempt to understand the validity in my assertions. This is understandable given the state I was in. After all, I guess who would want to spend the rest of their life with someone in that condition, not understanding it nor knowing if it would continue or get worse. I spent a number of years swaying between the bargaining and anger phases of grief. The depression phase only seemed to last for a couple months with the divorce. After that I have since been doing quite well. I will be leaving to hike the Appalachian Trail in late March and am back to my old carefree self. I just laugh at everything now. All has become just a tragic comedy to me now. I think the best medicine is music, nature, laughter and friendship. Oh… And also throwing wrenches in the cogs of the suicide machine. Troublemakers are always a lot of fun to be around.
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Your comment shows a lot of insight and self awareness, thank you for it. I’m sorry you went through this with your wife. I feel like you do in terms of trying to deal with it personally and in relation to those I love. My son and his partner are in the process of adopting a baby……..they are both very intelligent. We’re all close, but even this this amazing closness…..I just can’t rub it in his face. Perhaps he’s thinking the same way towards me. You did the best you could……ignorance is indeed ( imo) the cause of all our pain. But we act from the state of consciousness we have at any given time. All we can to is keep waking up. I’m a Zen Buddhist and Master Sheng Yen, my teacher said: “Face it, accept it, do something about it and drop it” <continuously as you move through life. I've found it very good advice. We can't stay on the hamster wheel of pain. We have to keep moving with eyes open and care of self/others. That's my goal …………of course we imperfect. My daughter once said to me "muh muh….you should'nt say ( some thing or other) – You're a Zen Buddhist. I said, "I'm on the path!"
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I’m drowning in grief for the world – have been for quite some time. It’s a lot like torture. Thank you for this a direct but gentle state-of-the-climate report. I especially appreciate having the links all in one place as I prepare my next podcast, to include a NTE update in light of the recent report of record-breaking global warming. In just one year, we’re on the brink of the 1.5C to which the COP(out)21 paid their lip service. Predictions for this year depend on whether we believe there wil or will not be an El Nino. What do you think?
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I believe now alongside numerous climate scientists that we are no longer La Nina neutral and that another El Nino is building. Depending on how much momentum it develops there will be a corresponding increased risk for our coral reef systems, already in hospice
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See also these other NTHE abd related Faceboo Groups and Pages:
Clarifying Near Term Human Extinction (C-NTHE)
Near Term Human Extinction- LESSmoderated
Near Term Human Extinction Support Group Europe
NTE News
NTHE Comics
NTHE Partner/Place Finder
NTHE “Party” Planning Team
NTHE Philosophy Group
NTHE Spiritual Support Group
NTHE Vegan Folks
Planetary Hospice
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Habitat is collapsing world wide, anyone paying attention can or should be able to see it.
https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2017/jan/20/the-threat-to-species-from-climate-change-should-provoke-shame-in-our-hearts?CMP=share_btn_tw
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When the cod fish were supposedly fished out on the Grand Bankes I often wonder if it was an early sign of warmer water in the region.
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One long essay discusses in detail what it will mean to accept not only our own death and that of our family and friends, but also the death of civilization, our species, and all that we hold dear.
https://guymcpherson.com/2013/04/the-irreconcilable-acceptance-of-near-term-extinction/
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“It was pretty overwhelming how many people responded,” Holthaus told me. “I’ve never had that big of a response to anything I’ve ever written either on Twitter or as a journalist. I think [climate despair] is a pretty big thing that a lot of people don’t realize is going on right now.”
https://motherboard.vice.com/en_us/article/climate-change-is-giving-us-pre-traumatic-stress
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I have no one to share my pain with, no family, no friends, no children thank goodness, I have no one I can trust, I live alone.
Most people here are believers in ancient superstitions, their “repuglicons” & quite conservative & it seems, anti science.
I don’t share their interests in religion, politics, family, home, spouse, cooking, children, work etc, there is no one I can talk to or share common interests with except online but that’s rather isolating as well.
So where is this blog you mention Kevin? “You might want to go see what they’re up to! Perhaps you will like their blog as much as they liked your comment! ” Where where where???
I guess I’m “lucky” to be 76, I don’t have much longer to live in any case & I know many effective ways to off myself, that’s what you do when your depressed most of your life, research effective ways to end it all in the least painful & messy way possible.
My recommendations are carbon monoxide, nice “healthy” looking, pink corpse & hanging. Surprisingly, hanging done right is quick & apparently not painful, you pass out then die, you don’t want to be left hanging too long though!
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Great discussion from Professor Guy McPherson on grieving.
https://guymcpherson.com/2017/04/recent-video-from-marc-haneburght-2/
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“A new series of interviews called: ‘Conversation with Grief’ starts with Jon Young and his beautiful ways of weaving words and heart.”
“Jon Young: For over 30 years, Jon Young has been a leader in the field of village building, nature-based education, Permaculture and cultural mentoring, implementing vital advancements in the understanding and benefits of effective nature- and people-connection modeling. Jon is a deep nature connection mentor, wildlife tracker, peacemaker, author, workshop leader, village builder, consultant, inspiring public speaker and storyteller. ”
“It is the first of a series of interviews with women and men engaging fully with our collapsing world, our dying systems, our grief and our deep longing to fully participate in our world in ways of soul and beauty.”
http://www.souland.org/my-blog/conversations-with-grief-with-jon-young
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“Is the anxiety, grief, and depression that these people experience about their environment, their life, their community, and their planet simply a manifestation of a transient news report today that will become a non-issue tomorrow? Or is it a real mental health problem worthy of attention among the professional community? A clear awareness of this threat to mental health can help us recognize and respond to it.”
https://ecoamerica.org/2017/04/closer-look-ecological-stress-disorder/?utm_content=bufferbda0f&utm_medium=social&utm_source=linkedin.com&utm_campaign=buffer
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[…] liferafts which would at least provide psychological comfort would in some small way mitigate the Tsunami of Grief baring down on us. Alas denial and fascism rule at the end of the human epoch. In 2014 and 2016 I […]
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“the Tsunami of Grief” is being proceeded by global angst. That is visible but unacknowledged in politics with the success of La Pen, 45 and his Ignoranti. Global population overshoot and collapse from starvation, now expected NLT 2024, has led me to consider opting out of the inevitable decline in my quality of life either following the examples of Thich Quang Duc at the individual level, or Jonestown at the group level. Shawn Sphincter came up with the perfect name for the latter: “Holocaust Centers,” except they will be voluntary. The 60th anniversary of Thich Quang Duc’s demise will be 6/11/2023. Time enough to prepare those centers?
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Epic work on the subject of grief from a veritable expert who challenges the grief denying culture we are all a part of.
There is a tsunami building lets help each other through the grief.
“At the edge of extinction, only love remains”.
Pamela Spoto’s “Dig This” Environmental Watch interview’s Carolyn Baker on “Holding Grief And Joy When Facing Climate Change” Part 1 http://kkrn.org/broadcasts/1724
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