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Reviews
A Field Guide to Climate Anxiety: How to Keep Your Cool on a Warming Planet by Sarah Jaquette Ray
babs_jellymuck's review against another edition
5.0
Ok, so there are many aspects of this book that I absolutely love, but for the sake of not rewriting it in the reviews I will focus on some key points that I resonated with.
One was the idea of self care being an act of resistance. I have been told this idea for the longest time, but never in words that I could comfortably get behind. Recognizing that we are all fighting for this cause in our own unique way made me feel like I was shoulder-to-shoulder with an enormous group of people that were previously invisible to me. We are taking shifts, but just like they are going to be there fighting when I am "taking a nap," I will be there fighting so that they can in turn rest. As a visual person, this concept really uplifts me. I have that same sort of ghostly imagery when I think about how I am charging for my artwork. When I think about trying to defend my prices as an isolated individual, I crumble. When I think about the millions of artists whose work I am supporting by not undercutting them, I am formidable.
I also felt a lightbulb turn on when she discusses eco-guilt, empathy and the ties they have to privilege. As an aspiring agnostic, it often doesn't feel like I have a safety net when my thoughts turn to the void. I hate apathy; I understand why it's bad, but sometimes it feels like it has a magnet pull on me. My instinct is always to self-minimize, like it's easier to erase myself or hide than it is to face my fears and own up to the reality of my situation. This idea that perpetuating doom and guilt is harmful to the cause really helps me- it's simple, it doesn't work. The idea that allowing my emotions to take hold over me also doesn't help, and often undermines individuals who are truly struggling and could benefit from compassion instead. Punishing myself for what I have if someone else doesn't have it is not helpful. These objective facts really help me to move on from the "baking phase," as she puts it, and helps me to not feel trivial when I channel those emotions into art or gardening, things that can feel so frivolous in the scheme of things, but make a small and meaningful difference.
I found this all encapsulated in her words, "nudging over nihilism." I once read a card on my boss's desk that read, "Do something every day that scares you." I think about that card all the time. At the time I felt it was too extreme, because I didn't realize how fear was at the root of so many of the decisions I made each day. It was just often wearing the mask if, "laziness." In truth, avoidance behavior stems from coping, which stems from fear. By doing simple things to disrupt patterns of behavior that stem from fear, I have begun to live with more intention. This leads to huge milestones for me in my personal life- big boulders that I would have never thought I could move by lifting small pebbles. I feel that, "nudging over nihilism" works in this same way-- by enacting small acts of desire, we are choosing to turn our thoughts away from the void, and instead visualizing the world we want to manifest for future generations. Hope is not some coin you keep in your pocket for good luck; hope is the product of acting on our desires for a better world.
I'm not sure if I'm making sense so I'll stop my fanatical rant there there and instead urge you to try this book for yourself. It's concise and I feel that we all have something to learn from this.
One was the idea of self care being an act of resistance. I have been told this idea for the longest time, but never in words that I could comfortably get behind. Recognizing that we are all fighting for this cause in our own unique way made me feel like I was shoulder-to-shoulder with an enormous group of people that were previously invisible to me. We are taking shifts, but just like they are going to be there fighting when I am "taking a nap," I will be there fighting so that they can in turn rest. As a visual person, this concept really uplifts me. I have that same sort of ghostly imagery when I think about how I am charging for my artwork. When I think about trying to defend my prices as an isolated individual, I crumble. When I think about the millions of artists whose work I am supporting by not undercutting them, I am formidable.
I also felt a lightbulb turn on when she discusses eco-guilt, empathy and the ties they have to privilege. As an aspiring agnostic, it often doesn't feel like I have a safety net when my thoughts turn to the void. I hate apathy; I understand why it's bad, but sometimes it feels like it has a magnet pull on me. My instinct is always to self-minimize, like it's easier to erase myself or hide than it is to face my fears and own up to the reality of my situation. This idea that perpetuating doom and guilt is harmful to the cause really helps me- it's simple, it doesn't work. The idea that allowing my emotions to take hold over me also doesn't help, and often undermines individuals who are truly struggling and could benefit from compassion instead. Punishing myself for what I have if someone else doesn't have it is not helpful. These objective facts really help me to move on from the "baking phase," as she puts it, and helps me to not feel trivial when I channel those emotions into art or gardening, things that can feel so frivolous in the scheme of things, but make a small and meaningful difference.
I found this all encapsulated in her words, "nudging over nihilism." I once read a card on my boss's desk that read, "Do something every day that scares you." I think about that card all the time. At the time I felt it was too extreme, because I didn't realize how fear was at the root of so many of the decisions I made each day. It was just often wearing the mask if, "laziness." In truth, avoidance behavior stems from coping, which stems from fear. By doing simple things to disrupt patterns of behavior that stem from fear, I have begun to live with more intention. This leads to huge milestones for me in my personal life- big boulders that I would have never thought I could move by lifting small pebbles. I feel that, "nudging over nihilism" works in this same way-- by enacting small acts of desire, we are choosing to turn our thoughts away from the void, and instead visualizing the world we want to manifest for future generations. Hope is not some coin you keep in your pocket for good luck; hope is the product of acting on our desires for a better world.
I'm not sure if I'm making sense so I'll stop my fanatical rant there there and instead urge you to try this book for yourself. It's concise and I feel that we all have something to learn from this.
fedyreading's review against another edition
hopeful
informative
inspiring
reflective
fast-paced
4.5
Good quick read, was helpful in thinking about anxiety and action. I appreciated the references and sources mentioned!
aranav's review against another edition
challenging
dark
hopeful
informative
reflective
fast-paced
2.0
jenna_smuszkiewicz's review against another edition
hopeful
informative
reflective
medium-paced
4.5
I really liked this book. I haven't seen a lot of talk about why environmental talk is so negative and why that is not useful. This didn't give me a lot of practical tips which I wasn't a fan of, but it has changed my perspective.
memezaharamole's review against another edition
informative
inspiring
reflective
slow-paced
4.25
Not just for Gen Z, I think it's important for anyone who has ever felt bogged down by the climate crisis or wishes to understand more on eco guilt with a multi disciplinary viewpoint.