The Climate and Ecological Crisis - Tell the Truth

In order to properly understand something, it is essential to put it into context. Today, across the world, we see violent military interventions, staggering wealth inequality, destruction of indigenous communities, mistreatment of minority groups, starvation, homelessness and the destruction of nature. These phenomena are not new.

A clear pattern of human behaviour emerged with the invention of agriculture and writing. This pattern is largely characterised by greed, cruelty and colonisation.

But in spite of thousands of years to learn and reflect, humanity, as a whole, hasn’t woken up from “the nightmare of history”. In other words, we haven’t learned from history and evolved.

But time is running out. The oppression of nature is the final and ultimate oppression. If we toxify our natural environment enough, it will eradicate us.

I feel we need to globally overcome the unhealthy mentality that has led to such oppression and transform ourselves. This may sound like a complicated and impossible task, but it doesn’t have to be.

To begin with, it takes telling the truth. As Rupert Read puts it “telling the truth underscores everything else”.

We need to tell the truth and keep on telling it. This is why Extinction Rebellion’s demands are so resonant and why Greta Thunberg is having such an impact.

Greta speaks in plain and honest words. She doesn’t manipulate. She isn’t bought by corporations. She doesn’t have vested interests.

Only by speaking honestly can we raise awareness and consciousness, then appropriate action will ensue.

Extinction Rebellion addresses the destruction of our natural world in an honest and appropriate way, thus people can meaningfully connect with it.

Unfortunately, our politicians and main media outlets are bought and controlled by corporations, with deeply vested interests. The truth of the climate and ecological crisis threatens such interests. Thus, it is either ignored or distorted. In the words of George Monbiot:

"Because the dirtiest industries attract the least public support, they have the greatest incentive to spend money on politics, to get the results they want and we don’t. They fund political parties, lobby groups and think tanks, fake grassroots organisations and dark ads on social media. As a result, politics comes to be dominated by the dirtiest industries".

The essence of unregulated capitalism, or neoliberalism, is directly challenged by environmental awareness. This is because environmental awareness prioritises respect and consideration over profit, greed and short-term gain.

Widespread truth telling is what we need most in alleviating the climate and ecological crisis, but doing this represents a direct challenge to our fundamental societal system.

Widespread truth telling means questioning the way we do almost everything, particularly, in my view, the way we relate to nature.

This is our final chance.