Author Archives: lwitty

Inner Work: the Key to Battling Capitalistic Values and Assuming Shared Responsibility

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Throughout this course, I have done more unlearning than learning, trying to address my own misconceptions about society and our views on mortality. Most of these misconceptions arose from a misunderstanding of the importance of death as well as an ignorance of capitalism’s true impacts. I came to this realization when we started discussing terror management theory (TMT). I found that my fear of death was buffered by attempts to be “successful,” as deemed by our capitalistic society, and I wanted to see if my peers coped similarly. 

To determine what kinds of TMT are most prevalent, we surveyed 25 participants, asking them 7 questions that prompted thought about their mortality as well as their connection to the world system. From these interviews, we gathered that our peers were avoidant of death, saying they did not fear it, but preferred not thinking about death. Some identified self-esteem related forms of TMT, including having offspring or finding value in success and fame. Additionally, almost all participants were unable to draw the connection between their mortality and their impact on the environment. These results show that the denial of death is prevalent in our society, and that not considering death can inhibit potential climate action. 

The denial of death and self-esteem forms of TMT are both the product of living in a capitalistic society. We are constantly bombarded with the capitalistic values of individualism and consumerism, which each influence how we value our own lives, and eventual mortality. Capitalism forces us into an individual mindset, convincing us that we are “existing above or beyond biophysical process,” (Oelschlaeger). This allows humans to deny death, and live a life free of accountability to the world system. This is the root of climate change and cause of the creation of the Anthropocene. Humans have exploited the world for decades, searching for individual worth, while also destroying their own system. 

In order to acknowledge death and shift how most of society manages their terror, inner work should be encouraged. Participating in contemplative practices gives people the opportunity to understand the connectivity of the world and assume responsibility for their impact. Encouraging inner work among activists could begin a grassroots movement to mitigate climate change, with a focus on shared responsibility. I believe in the power of the people, and think that inner work among a few may instigate systemic change within our federal systems.

We are a part of nature, and nature is a part of us. This symbiotic relationship needs to be preserved through shared responsibility
Source: https://sites.tufts.edu/alexagaluppo/2018/10/06/nature-builds-far-better-than-we-do/

WORKS CITED

Oelschlaeger, Max. “History, Ecology, and the Denial of Death: A Re-Reading of Conservation, Sexual Personae, and the Good Society.” Journal of Social Philosophy, vol. 24, no. 3, 1993, pp. 19–39., https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1467-9833.1993.tb00522.x. 

 

Growing to Appreciate and Acknowledge the Power of Inner Work

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Before this class, I was always the person to fall asleep during contemplative practices. With my head falling to one side and my inability to leave the relaxed mindset, I had never gained much from these experiences. However, after consistently participating in contemplative practices, I have noticed a change in my ability to engage. My first observation was a feeling of groundedness. I could feel my presence on the Earth through each one of my toes and the soles of my feet. At first, this was just a physical observation. However, after repeated practices, I noticed that this feeling of groundedness spread throughout my body and changed how I perceived my presence in the classroom. With my mind both empty and full of belonging, I realized that as a small part of a large system, I still have the ability to drive change. 

This realization of my connectedness has allowed me to understand the course material better. Originally, I was quizzical about the impact of inner work. In my first blog post, I argued that inner work was important, but not the ultimate factor in mitigating climate change. However, after these practices, I am still passionate about taking action, but I also have a new feeling of belonging on Earth. I feel as if I am actually a part of the world, not just an outside actor attempting to change events. 

After this individual realization, I began to think about how the concept of inner work can be extrapolated to larger systems. In their piece, “How Democracies Die,” Levitsky and Ziblatt argue that politicians take advantage of our democratic institutions to gain power. However, this death of democracy does not come from individual quests for power, but extreme political polarization. In order to preserve our political system, inner work may be necessary. If others had an experience similar to mine, we might be able to close cultural gaps between parties and unite to spread power equitably. This would protect our democratic systems, but also provide people with a new form of terror management. In managing death, people tend to segregate towards those who hold similar values. However, when gaining an understanding of the world’s interconnectedness, perhaps people can understand how their death will have meaning in our intricate world system, leading to a stronger sense of community and united forms of terror management, both key steps in addressing climate change. 

Source: https://earthinginstitute.net/grounding-and-awareness-of-groundedness/

The Political Impact of Generational Shifts in Terror Management

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Humans have grappled with the terror of death for their entire existence. Instead of allowing this fear to control their lives, humans have developed numerous ways to manage this terror. One of the most utilized forms of terror management is religion. As discussed in “The Worm at the Core,” religion may have been created as a way to mitigate the fear of death. With a larger governing body providing order and a promise of something more after life, humans are able to live without death-related terror. However, in recent years, the US has seen a generational shift away from religion, as there has been a sharp increase in the number of people identifying as non-religious (In U.S.). This generational change leads to the question of whether this shift in terror management has also led to a shift in attitudes surrounding death. 

However, this shift from organized religion has been accompanied with great innovation in technology. This new technology is versatile, but has mainly furthered the quest for immortality. “The Worm at the Core” highlighted how new developments in medicine are actually ways to seek immortality and extend life. Seeing new generations subscribe to science and step back from religion suggests that reliance on science and its ability to extend life is a growing form of terror management. 

Terror management is not solely an individual matter, as individuals bring their fear of death into the work and political spheres. With a shift towards science as a form of terror management, we may also see a shift in policy. As discussed by Lynas in their piece “The God Species,” humans subconsciously lessen their responsibility for issues they deem “out of their control.” This is seen with climate change policy as politicians who identify as religious are more likely to see climate change effects as out of their control, and therefore less likely to take political action. However, with a shift towards reliance on science, politicians of younger generations may be more likely to assume responsibility for the impact of human behavior and advocate for systemic change.

Therefore, terror management is inherently tied to climate change policy. We are constantly reminded of our own mortality by our changing natural environment, and that forces us to find ways to manage this terror. By relying on science instead of an all-governing spiritual body, we may be able to create policies that lead the Anthropocene towards a healthier environment. 

Young people carry placards during a climate change march in Kyiv, Ukraine, on September 26, 2021.  Yuliia Ovsiannikova/ Ukrinform/Barcroft Media via Getty Images

 

References

“In U.S., Decline of Christianity Continues at Rapid Pace.” Pew Research Center’s Religion & Public Life Project, 9 June 2020, https://www.pewforum.org/2019/10/17/in-u-s-decline-of-christianity-continues-at-rapid-pace/. 

Lynas, Mark. “Prelude.” The God Species: Saving the Planet in the Age of Humans, National Geographic, Washington, D.C., 2011, pp. 3–13.

Solomon, Sheldon, et al. The Worm at the Core: On the Role of Death in Life. Penguin Books, 2016.

Chaos and Criticism of Inner Work: Lauren’s First Thoughts

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Coming from a STEM focused educational background, I found some of the material this week difficult to grapple with, as it existed outside my usual academic perspective. In my biology classes, we often discuss why death occurs and its evolutionary benefits. However, we tend to neglect the thoughts, emotions, and fears that surround it. I look forward to supplementing my previous knowledge about death with this class material, as it will give me a more comprehensive understanding of the evolutionary purpose and full meaning of death. 

This week, the concept of entropy within the anthropocene resonated with me. It was interesting to view the term entropy through an interdisciplinary lens, as it allowed me to understand our dire climate situation. As discussed in “The other side of the global crisis: entropy and the collapse of civilizations,” the chaos in our world continues to grow and we have reached our capacity to constrain it. In my mind, I was able to picture entropy in the chemical sense: with molecules of liquid evaporating to become a more chaotic gas. This example allowed me to view our world in that same manner. With increased use of fossil fuels and pollutants, our world has begun to fracture. The stratosphere has thinned, more pollutants are released into the air, and climate refugees are forced to flee their homes. Just like evaporating water molecules, our world becomes more chaotic. 

While the idea of entropy in the anthropocene resonated with me, I did struggle with other topics. One was the emphasis placed on inner work when addressing the socio-ecological model. In my public health courses, we have spent hours analyzing the socio-ecological model and applying it to health issues in order to devise solutions. In those discussions, we have recognized the importance of individual beliefs, but ultimately that is not what leads to change. Generally, the top layers of that model are able to create the most change, and individual work lies at the bottom. Placing too much pressure on an individual to modify their thoughts can also imply that they are responsible for the world’s problems, which can lead to burnout if they attempt to change their actions and are met with no results. While inner work is important, these climate issues require more systemic solutions through policies. We cannot force inner work upon the people in charge, so it was hard for me to see inner work as the solution to these issues. 

The Socio-Ecological Model
Source: https://courses.lumenlearning.com/suny-buffalo-environmentalhealth/part/chapter-3/