[lbo-talk] Is There a Robust Left Response to Eco-quietism?

Dwayne Monroe dwayne.monroe at gmail.com
Wed Oct 29 13:41:34 PDT 2008


Today, I read this post at John Thackara's 'Doors of Perception' blog:

Unplugged - or unhinged?

I'm reading a moving and important book by Sharon Astyk called "Depletion and Abundance: Life On The New Home Front".

Uniquely among recent books on life after the Peaks - energy, protein, biodiversity etc - Astyk does not write to scare us all witless. She does not write about elaborate ways to fix The Economy. She does not even furnish a shopping list of green tools and equipment that we can all buy as evidence that we are Doing Something. (This latter prohibition is a particular disappointment to Kristi and me: we've been compiling a shopping list of high-end fruit dryers, choucroute kits, and grain grinders, that we were about to send to our friends before Christmas).

On the contrary, Astyk writes about the benefits that can come (and will come, for most of us) from being poor in material terms. She proffers practical advice on how best to live comfortably with an uncertain energy supply; prepare children for a hotter, lower energy, less secure world; and generally how to survive and thrive in an economy in crisis.

<snip>

Rather than fight The Economy, or try to fix it, Astyk seems to be suggesting that we simply ignore it - that we unplug. It's a very un-male, un-macho solution - which is why the book is subversive.

[...]

full -

<http://www.doorsofperception.com/archives/2008/10/unplugged_or_un.php>

Aside from the gendering of virtue (which, as longtime Monroe readers probably know, makes me reach for my revolver -- though perhaps that's just the testosterone talking) I was struck by Thackara's promotion of the idea, reportedly at the heart of Astyk's book, that the correct response to climate change, peak oil and all the rest of it is for everyone to accept a future of quiet lives, mostly at home, tending our gardens and chickens and not making too many demands on, well, anything really.

Here's a paradox: the very people who advocate super-simplicity are often the most sincere and enthusiastic world builders, detailing what we should do (or, they usually insist, *will* do, whether we like it or not) to adjust to peak everything.

Note the flight from the world aspect at work here -- a call for us to cultivate a 'light footprint' as a principled lifestyle choice. And unlike say, pursuing kickboxing at your gym, which only serves to make your thighs tighter, the whole world will supposedly benefit from the fact you tend a garden and re-use Ziploc bags.

Again, as attentive Monroe readers already know, I have many problems with this way of thinking which, among other failings, suffers from a massive blind spot when it comes to understanding, or even acknowledging, capitalism's role in crafting our dire situation.

This time however, what I'm focused on is this from Thackara:

"Rather than fight The Economy, or try to fix it, Astyk seems to be suggesting that we simply ignore it - that we unplug."

Which suggests, astoundingly, that it's possible to solve the world's problems by not participating in the world at all. If we all 'unplug', perhaps our collective problems will softly exit the room, leaving us free to enjoy our children, chickens and candlelit fiddle concerts.

The problem is that while we retreat into gentle domesticity the Dick Cheneys of the world (and to me, Cheney is as much an eternal personality type as a singular person) continue to push their agenda forward. And even in a world of gardeners, hierarchies and power elites will exist and command troops ready to carry out their orders.

The fantasy of unplugging is that if you leave the world alone it'll return the favor. But capitalism tirelessly expands into every niche and systems of power abhor everything beyond their control.

These facts are smoothed over or conveniently forgotten by the people who dream of unplugging. It seems to me that as this illusion gains strength (a product of the overwhelming problems we face) a hard headed left alternative is needed -- something which fully acknowledges the ecological crisis while correctly identifying its source.

.d.



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