Category Archives: Death

The Gift of Life

Posted on by
Reply

After talking about death and how to cope with it for an entire quarter, I would say I am still just as scared about dying and the thought of death as I was prior to this class. However, I would say that I have a better understanding of how that fear motivates me as a member of a certain society to act in a certain way. Terror Management Theory was a concept that I struggled to come to terms with as someone who likes to see myself motivated by life, not death, but working through it with our class has made me appreciate my time and place on this earth in a different light.

            Working with my action project group to showcase people’s opinions about death and how they could be rationalized or explained by the work of Ernest Becker and related to experiments done in Worm at the Core on Terror Management Theory was a very grounding experience. We got to work with the material we spent so much time discussing in class while we debated economic impacts of globalization on climate change and the influence of sacrifice and gift giving on our relationships with facing death. It felt like creating a small piece of information about the enormous concepts of life and death that we covered all quarter.

The Gift of Life – a painting by Aditi Jha

            Absorbing information about what to do as an activist in the face of climate change was just as difficult as facing the idea of death multiple times a week. I felt like we spent so much time talk about the irreversible damage that human pollution has caused to the environment during a time when I personally have never felt more connected to earth. It forced me to reevaluate if I was appreciating my position as a human existing as part of the earth system and giving back to it, because loving to hike and ski isn’t saving it even if it makes me appreciate it. It was seeing the albatrosses, learning the meaning of Anthropocene, and discussing the effects of the Bolt Creek fire on Seattle when we had the worst air quality in the world.

            Even though I am one person, this quarter has helped me understand the gift of existing as a person on this planet for the short time that I am.

Apple in a box

Posted on by
Reply

This past week we have explored how the fear of death cannot only shape our personalities but also our perception on how we see the world. As analyzed in the book “The worm at the core”, every achievement has been motivated by the terror of death. This terror has even created religions, art, economies, societies, innovations and more.

Some days ago I came across a really interesting video that was part of a documentary called “a trip to infinity”. ‘I am bigger because I know how small I am”. In the excerpt, there was a box, a perfect box that nothing could come in or come out anymore. Inside the box there is an apple. As time passes by, the apple decays, becomes dust, the chemicals temperature increase and turn into energy. After billions of years, neutrons will decay to and the other fundamental particles, so if the apple has 10 to the 24th particles, then there would be 10 to the 10th to the 24th states that  these particles can be, although that is a huge number, it is not infinite. If we could wait infinite years, then all of these states would happen and according to the theory one day, we could open the box and see the apple again. The documentary ends with the controversial phrase of “And why should we are? Maybe because one day we might also end up in a box”.

The surprising thing is that after reading the book “The worm at the core”, instead of watching that video as a scientific exploration of infinity, I could only see a reflection of the desperate battle of humans against mortality, like we had the need to develop a theory like that so we don’t just accept that death is just death, the end.

A Final Goodbye

Posted on by
Reply

Taking this class was honestly surreal. At no point in my academic life have I ever engaged in death in such a rich and generative way. Through our discussions and the weekly readings as well as our action project, I’ve began to find the answers to the multitude of questions that kept arising:

Why do I feel this helplessness/lack of control in the face of global catastrophe and death?

What is my true relationship to the earth and the earth’s system, and how am I impacting it?

The Overwhelming Feeling of Helplessness –Image credit: https://i0.wp.com/lakesidelink.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/10/bigstock-Stressed-Man-Sitting-On-Floor-289059874.jpg?fit=838%2C1024&ssl=1

I was able to understand that the topics that we discussed such as climate change and death as multi-dimensional: the issues permeate into social, political, and economic issues as well. Some examples includes death anxiety and political polarization, climate justice and environmental racism, disillusionment in our political institutions, and even contextualizing ourselves in the grand cosmic scheme of things.

Working through the action project allowed me to process these issues in a very productive way. Our group was tasked with design five social media posts to promote the campaign’s platform Working with WashPIRG: Save the Orcas was both an enlightening and insightful experience. Since this type of work was something I’ve never really done, it was great to learn what works and what doesn’t. The entire StO campaign was just getting started, and while that may explain some of the disorganization that my group experienced, it was nevertheless a point of frustration. Furthermore, I felt that the project that we were given to do wasn’t “enough.” I guess I didn’t really know what I expected, but given the topics that we discussed, I began to feel a sort of obligation to make real change during the class. I questioned all of my own choices and how I could not only change myself but my environment. Although the social media campaign did achieve the goal of promoting StO’s platforms and disseminating information, I felt like it didn’t do enough. Perhaps I envisioned this action project as my own immortality project, and doing what we did felt somewhat “incomplete,” which in a way felt like I wasn’t able to cement my legacy. Nevertheless, I felt that I was able to navigate some of the important themes that we had discussed all quarter in the action project.

Protesters at a Global Climate Strike protest –Image Credit: 2019 Getty Images

How to Save the World: Individualism to Community

Posted on by
Reply

My biggest takeaways from the course The Political Ecology of Death in the Anthropocene mainly came from our lively and engaging class discussions. One of the main, most pivotal thoughts that often came to the forefront of my mind during this class, was how the fear of death in Western society often provokes the cultural worldview of individualism. Therefore, my final synthesis paper explored this thought and the ramifications of it particularly relating to the Anthropocene.

This thought connected to the course content in multiple ways. One was through the contemplative practices. As stated in my previous blog post, I struggled to connect with the contemplative practices through this course, as I often found myself distracted by the productive cycle of the Western education system. However, this made me question how inextricably hard it is for participants in the capitalist system to be comfortable with the notion of ‘doing nothing’. This is linked to Terror Management Theory, as doing nothing, or sitting with your own mind for a second is contradictory to the productivity cycle of a worldview dominated by individualism. As most in the US, have this worldview, either as a choice or an indirect indoctrination by the institutions built upon it, when we do not conform to the capitalist system, we feel closer to death.

So, what is the solution? How do we live? The action project in this class allowed me to appreciate the idea of community. As someone who has not participated in a group project since secondary school, I forgot about the value of social connection within a classroom. In our increasingly isolated society, community is rare but increasingly more important. The fear of death is something inextricably linked with human behaviour, but by finding immortality projects within community action rather than individual prosperity, there can be a shift in cultural narratives. In Active Hope, this is spoken about regarding shifting the notion of power from being a dominating force to a collaborative one. Individualism in our society causes so much destruction, it can be linked to the mental health crisis, the ecological crisis and may even be the downfall of our civilisation. However, with a shift in our cultural worldview, from individual to community, this may be the shift we need in order to save humanity.

A John Berger quote, in a ‘meme’ format that I think beautifully describes how lonely our society can become when it is dictated by individualism, how social connection is craved, and how this relates to the fear of death.

Image source

Preparedness vs Readiness

Posted on by
Reply

Contemplating death has historically been a depressing activity associated with the finality of life. It’s difficult to think about death, while simultaneously holding onto the idea that we are still full of life. To create a healthy relationship with death, it’s important to understand the difference between being prepared and being ready to die. 

Preparing involves organizing your life so that those you care about can continue to live without you: getting assets in order, planning events following your passing, thinking about a future without you. Being ready is different, and it’s doubtful anyone is ever ready. There is always a life left to live. 

Understanding that you are going to die, and making preparations for it does not mean that you have nothing left to give the world – the opposite is true. Being prepared opens up the space for action where death anxiety would normally reside. Watching Albatross was the catalyst for my comparison of readiness versus preparedness. I’ve always been horrified by the rate at which we produce plastics, which was why I chose the Beyond Plastics group to work with for our action project.

Our group partnered with Zero Waste Washington – an organization that works to make trash obsolete. From this project, I learned the most from my group mates. Our task was to create a social media presence for a bill, but none of us had the skills needed for such a project. However, we were able to lean on each other to fill the holes in our abilities. Our finished product wasn’t perfect, but it was significantly better than what we would have accomplished individually. I learned that even if you don’t have the tools, a group can still create something great by supporting each other. If we are going to succeed in bettering the Earth, we have to come together, accept that we are not ready for death, and combine our strengths to find the solutions that will benefit us.

From this class, I have understood what it means to prepare for death, but more importantly, what it means to be ready to live. There are obstacles facing us, but when we come together and accept that we aren’t done living, that we aren’t ready to give up on helping the planet, we can find the answers to the problems before us, and leave the Earth a better place when our time eventually comes.

An albatross from the film Albatross to remind us what we have done, but more importantly, what we can do

Final Blog Post: Solving the collective action problem

Posted on by
Reply

Collaboration Is a Key Skill. So Why Aren't We Teaching It?

My paper is about solving the collective-action problem that inhibits humanity from creating sustainable communities. I highlight five major key points.

  1. We must understand the insecurities created by fear of death.
  • Worm at the core gives examples of how insecurities lead to violent tendencies and self-destructive behavior
  1. TDM is essential for creating strong communities that are necessary for fostering sustainable habits
  • Worm at the core gives solid evidence that explains individuals with strong bonds are more likely to collaborate.
  • Strong communities mean that individual values and goals become group goals
  • People are more likely to live selflessly, this means giving back to the community in a sustainable way. Recycling, Reusing, etc
  1. We need to cultivate a culture that promotes sustainability
  • Cultures are a set of informal rules and norms, often times they are more influential 
  • Culture can spread awareness
  1. Sacrifice is needed for change
  • Self-sacrifice must be ingrained in a sustainable culture
  • Litfin mentions that a sustained cycle of life and death must involve sacrafice
  • The planets life-force functions on the earths organisms taking but also being able to give back
  • For example, planting three trees after cutting down three trees
  1. Solving the collective action problem
  • The tipping point (motivating the moderate voter)
  • Pressuring key legislature
  • Organizing a movement
  • Public accountability
  • Incentivizing the public

 

Although I don’t mention it very much in the paper, my project, beyond plastics, is about creating legislation that incentivizes people to recycle, reuse and reduce. It’s also very important to note that the legislation Beyond Plastics is trying to pass is intended to be the groundwork for future sustainable practices. But I think the most important part of the project is getting people to collaborate. To answer the question of solving the collective action problem, we can look at our group projects. The assignment is structured where individual goals are aligned with group goals, thus incentivizing individuals to work together toward a common goal. This is a selective incentive that is critical to understanding my paper. The paper is structured as follows, understanding how we can optimize individuals into a group activity and optimize groups efficiently and get more people involved in the group. 

My conclusion is this: Our deaths have meaning through our actions and the sacrifices we make. Our histories are built upon the collective contributions of every individual who has ever lived. Group action is crucial to progress, but individual action is the first step.

Creating My Own “Skin” In This Weird Game

Posted on by
Reply

A bird house hung on a tree in the quad

For years now, I’ve felt disconnected from the world around me. The hyper-individualization of the climate crisis led to internalized guilt, shame, and frustration, which manifested into defensive, nihilistic-like apathy. I knew composting one cup wouldn’t change the rate at which the oceans were heating, so why bother? I didn’t feel like I had agency, and more than that, I felt I didn’t have “skin in the game.” This is a concept taken from Britt Wray’s book, “Generation Dread” which has continued to resonate with me. I kept questioning: if we don’t feel that we have “skin” in the game, what inspires us to dream of and fight for a better future? 

Two deer eating grass I spotted on a drive.

Among many other lessons, this course taught me that while we may not be able to stop death, we do have agency and with it, the power to create our own “skin.” We have pathways towards managing death anxiety (TMT), we have resources to help us move forward (“Active Hope”), and most impactful (and cliche) of all, we have each other to help solve this problem. We inherited the sins of our progenitors, and while it’s unfair, we have to be the ones to fix them. I won’t lie that this is a daunting task, but it is powerful to realize that we are an agentic collective. While my action project felt disjointed, limiting, and generally not generative, it did help me recognize that despite a lot of outward apathy, all of my peers were dreaming of a better future, we were just worried our hopes would lead to disappointment. Moreover, the group project reminded me of group agency (our ability to do something together, even if it felt semi insignificant) and our shared purpose.

An owl in the tree spotted on my daily walk.

It’s also powerful to recognize that I have individual agency, that doesn’t detract from, but strengthens collective action. This was most inspired by systems thinking, which has allowed me to develop a greater understanding of the world’s complex integration systems and the importance of purpose. I have realized that to be part of collective solutions, I have to create my own purpose first. So, I began that process this quarter. I spent time everyday creating my own “skin” by taking photos of things that reminded me of why I had an incentive to continue fighting, hoping, and dreaming of a better future, which has been incredibly empowering. For the first time, I not only feel connected to the world, but able to do something to ensure its future – both by myself and collectively. 

Systems Thinking, Death, and Love

Posted on by
Reply

This class helped me put my actions within a larger context and taught me that death allows me to love the world more deeply. I was part of the Save the Orcas action project where my group and I created Instagram posts for their campaign. Although spending time with my group members and working together towards a common task was fun, I feel that my work did not substantially help the orcas. Even so, as activists, it’s important to celebrate the intermediate steps whenever we feel like we haven’t advanced our goals enough (Mary & Johnstone 223). While I did not feel like I helped orcas, this project taught me how to present information in consumable small bites and how to communicate in a visual manner. In this modern world where information flows at a rapid rate, to catch people’s attention I will need to communicate in an attractive and digestible manner. The result of my action project is not the end point but fits into my larger conservation journey.

One of the quotes that resonated with me the most is in In Praise of Mortality, Barrows and Macy say, “with only a short time remaining to the cities we have built… there is no other act but loving this world more deeply” (10). In the context of death, everything I have and everyone I love will be gone one day. It is because I know that painful time will come that I want to treasure and love them more deeply while I still have the time to. I don’t want to take anything for granted anymore and will treasure what I do have rather than continuously pursue something more. In the context of the Anthropocene where there is geological, atmospheric, and political disorder, perhaps this is exactly the time where I need to love the most. Because it is love that makes me treasure the falling cities at all. Love helps me look through the disorder and reminds me why I am fighting to better the world because I love this world so much in the first place. I will face death with love. I will face the incoming Anthropocene with love.

In the zombie apocalyptic video game “The Last of Us”, the two main characters admire a herd of giraffes that now roam within the fallen city. Journey’s End by Orioto.

 

Death Anxiety as a Barrier to Climate Action

Posted on by
Reply

Death acceptance is a valuable tool for building a more sustainable future. If humans overcome death anxiety, prioritizing natural systems and far out goals for the future become easier. This is because environmental movements often deal with long time frames and forward-thinking. Terror Management Theory suggests that humans intrinsically avoid death reminders. How can we think about climate change without envisioning a world in which we don’t exist? Thinking critically about sustainability means thinking beyond our own lifespans. 

In daily life, humans don’t often choose to think outside of our 100 years. Even though, geologically, 100 years is practically insignificant, our lifespan feels long and monumental. To think beyond 100 years is to perceive mortality. Humans disregard sustainability because it forces them to contemplate their own mortality. To live for the future is to acknowledge that you are acting to benefit a future that does not include you. Sustainability is hard because we don’t want to think about that. 

My experiences during our group’s action project directly counters this fear of mortality. By having conversations with people I normally wouldn’t speak to about death, as interviews for our video project, I opened the conversation to denial of death, personal beliefs, and our collective fears of the idea of not existing one day. What initially seemed like a rough conversation quickly began to ease my uncertainty and helped me form stronger bonds with the people I interviewed. 

While death anxiety may encourage us to limit our thinking in terms of sustainability, conversations about death give us room to process our emotions without falling into the false belief that we’re alone in our thinking. As we learned through Terror Management Theory and in this course, humans seem to internalize fears of death in similar ways. Discussing death directly addresses the elephant in the room. I found that after having a conversation about death, rather than spiraling in my mind, I was less adverse to thinking about large-scale worldly issues, like climate change. 

Death conversations increase humanity’s tolerance to mortality as a whole–a state we must reach to survive. We are mortal beings. Denying this drives us to ignore a future without us. Throughout history people even like to feel like they’re “building a better future” for next generations. To accept death is to open conversations about planet Earth in the coming centuries and prioritize protecting our natural resources for future generations.