大象传媒

Breakthrough periods for social movements are usually characterized by significant social unrest, including nonviolent civil disobedience, armed insurrections, strikes, protests, and uprisings of all kinds. Great social movements, by definition, disrupt entrenched interests and those interests do not go away quietly. 鈥� Paul Hawken

Most people know Paul Hawken from his most recent book, , but in 2007  in which he coined the term Blessed Unrest. It鈥檚 about a movement of ragtag organizations and individuals and interests that weren鈥檛 even aware they were a movement but that together, in his view, comprised a nascent grassroots force. The book was ahead of its time, as the world is only just now realizing how much broader (integrated, Green New Dealy) a solution is needed. From the NYT review:

鈥淏lessed Unrest鈥� attempts the next step: to link the environment to issues of social justice and even culture. The death of languages, he writes, is tantamount to a blow against human diversity鈥攄iversity being the engine of a species鈥� biology and, in turn, our ecosystem鈥檚 health. 鈥淔or the developed world,鈥� Hawken writes, 鈥渢here is a choice to be made: to promote economic policies that despoil indigenous lands or to support cultures and the remaining biological sanctuaries.鈥�

The idea of Blessed Unrest has been on my mind more lately as we are experiencing a heightened amount of it here in Canada. It鈥檚 as if a valve has been opened, and the unrest is pouring out across the country (is it a liquid or a gas or a liquified natural gas?), as we grapple with pipelines and reconciliation. Racism and idiocy is everywhere, but at least we are having this conversation. Sample dinnertime conversations across this chill land: Mom, am I a settler?

(dance break: be the Kevin!)

Much was made of this  about attitudes toward Indigenous issues here in Canada, but most of it missed the point. While a majority do oppose the train blockades that have put a minimal dent in the shipment of goods across this large country, there have been much more positive changes since 2013:

Shrinking Proportion of Canadians (55%, down 7 points) Believe Indigenous Peoples Treated Well by Government; Most (75%, up 12 points) Say Feds Should Act Now to Help Raise Quality of Life for Aboriginal Communities

More globally, Blessed Unrest is gaining traction. No less an authority than former U.N. climate chief Christiana Figueres , saying 鈥渃ivil disobedience is not only a moral choice, it is also the most powerful way of shaping world politics.鈥�

What I like about Blessed Unrest is that it鈥檚 holistic鈥攊t doesn鈥檛 look at single issues, but at the system, the interwoven, unironic Kumbayaness of it all. Reconciliation and the climate crisis and inequality are connected, and the idea that groups are co-opting each other is unhelpful at best, and nefarious at worst. (Sidenote: I can鈥檛 wait to get my hands on this book about ).

No one wants their cause (reconciliation, poverty-reduction, inequality, hunger, synchronized swimming) to be swallowed up by the climate crisis, despite the fact that the grave enormity of climate reckoning may indeed gulp relatively more human-scale issues and burp them out like yesterday鈥檚 avocado toast. Blessed Unrest somehow unites these pressing causes instead of suppressing them. We are stronger together. What has gotten into me? (lights incense, puts on tie-dyed shirt she made in grade 9)

鈥淪ustainability, ensuring the future of life on earth, is an infinite game, the endless expression of generosity on behalf of all,鈥� writes Hawken. I like this so much. Let鈥檚 be generous with each other. Let鈥檚 bless this unrest.

This Week

What鈥檚 got you unrested? LMK!

Last Week

There are so many amaaaazzzzziiiinnnnngggg humans doing really cool stuff who read this newsletter and send me notes. I want to highlight all their writing and work, starting this week. 

On the topic of the current Blessed Unrest, Chlo茅 Germain-Th茅rien does smart and beautiful illustrations about what the protests are all about. Check out . Thank you for sharing, Chlo茅!

Stuff

鈥� I鈥檝e long suspected that ride-sharing apps put more cars on the road, but hadn鈥檛 found conclusive research. This  backs me up AND introduces a term that explains perfectly what it is that takes up all that extra carbon: Deadhead Miles鈥攚hen ride-hailing cars move without passengers, while listening to Jerry Garcia.

鈥� My recent Yes! comic is on anchor institutions, which I think can do a lot for climate.

鈥�

And, your regular reminder to:
TELL ME HOW TO MAKE THIS BETTER!

And apparently you can comment on these posts, now. Thank you Substack for this ever-improving platform.

Have a beautiful weekend!

Sarah

P.S. I鈥檓 always curious to know what you think. This is my newsletter for the week of February 28, 2020, published in partnership with 大象传媒 Media. You can sign up to get Minimum Viable Planet newsletter emailed directly to you at .