Inhaltsverzeichnis
"We are the climate" - 3 things I have learned
Jonathan Safran Foer's book "We Are the Climate" was published in late 2019 and has been a household name ever since. I was personally deeply touched by the book. But instead of writing a conventional review, I'd like to share three things the book taught me: about communication, the will to change, and the complexity of our minds.
About the book
Jonathan Safran Foer creates it with his book “We are the climate" (ISBN: 978-3-462-05321-0)" breaks down a topic as complex as climate change without simply reciting facts. He approaches the topic through personal stories and historical anecdotes. This allows him to captivate readers without making them feel accused. His proposed solution, consuming animal products only once a day (at the main meal), is concrete, practical, and doesn't demand too much of anyone—yet it is extremely effective.
The book has also been released as an audio book, narrated by Christoph Maria Herbst.
About my encounter with the book
Last fall, a friend told me, with great enthusiasm, about a new audiobook she was listening to. It was called "We Are the Climate" by Jonathan Safran Foer. The author's name meant a lot to me. As a teenager, I had devoured the novel "Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close" and was thrilled by Foer's writing style His 2009 book "Eating Animals" also changed my perspective on things. Therefore, I was immediately hooked when my friend recommended his latest book to me. I decided to read the book first as a Audiobook because it was available to me for free on Apple Music. The book came with me everywhere: on bus rides, walks, train rides, and on the way to and from university. In my opinion, Christoph Maria Herbst's narration is a perfect fit, so I highly recommend the audiobook. However, because I later realized I wanted to reread some excerpts and facts, I also bought the physical version of the book.
About the things I learned
1. Doing something for the environment is so difficult for us because we cannot fully understand climate change
Right at the beginning of the book, Foer attempts to get to the bottom of why so few people seem to be interested in the current situation our planet is in. One reason is the topic itself: The weather is boring. It's not a topic that people enjoy spending hours watching documentaries, articles, or reports on. In addition, climate change is so intangible. We are only gradually beginning to feel the effects of the climate crisis. In many areas, it doesn't even affect us at all because we are a privileged Western world live in a world where resources seem to be “endlessly” available.
Then there is Sense of responsibility of man: “I alone can’t make a difference anyway,” “Politics is responsible for that,” “I’m fine, why should I change anything?”, “I’ve lived like this my whole life, I can’t suddenly change my habits,” “The generation before me is to blame,” “The new generation is to blame.”...
All of these things contribute to the fact that people are not sufficiently dedicated to climate change (or are they willing or able to?). Fortunately, there are individuals who are intensively engaging with the issue and want to encourage others to do more, or even do something, for our environment. In general, however, humans are more of a creature of habit, a sloth.
By addressing the question, how come Because most people are so hard to get excited about saving the climate, I have gained a greater understanding of why people act the way they do. It has shown me how complex the human mind is and how important it is to approach people with different approaches. a Way is not always the correct Away. For people to understand what climate change really is and that it really exists, patience and creativity are needed. & a certain degree of leniency.
2. People need concrete instructions
People are more often than one would think aware of their own hypocrisy The problem is that contradictory thoughts and actions that are contrary to inner beliefs can lead to cognitive dissonance To resolve these resulting internal contradictions, people have two options: changing their own behavior or reevaluating their actual beliefs. Because it is more difficult to change behaviors and habits, people tend to change their own thoughts and beliefs. Views are argued away, downplayed, or even repressed. This results in statements like those mentioned in the first point. This is a good way to avoid actually changing anything or adapting their own behavior.
What can help, however, is concrete impulses for action Many people wish for step-by-step instructions (also in other areas of life). Getting them is not possible in most cases, as nice as the idea would be :D . But if there are concrete things that can be implemented step by step in one's everyday life, then many people are not so averse to changing their behavior. The important thing is that the person not immediately overwhelmed feels and is given the feeling that every change, no matter how small, is a step in the right direction.
To a certain extent, Foer also does this in his book. He appeals to people to avoid animal products, at least for breakfast. Yet he also admits to occasionally eating a burger or consuming other animal products. He argues that it's important to develop a basic understanding and awareness of climate change. Every piece of meat not bought, every time the car is left at home, every flight taken less is a a contribution to environmental protection and has value in itself.
3.Facts & Numbers are forgotten – stories remain in the mind
Facts and figures about climate change or the dangers of factory farming always amaze me when I hear them. Unfortunately, they are usually forgotten a short time later. Even though I sometimes feel like I'm the only one who forgets these things, I know that's not the case. In general, we humans can remember things better when they're linked to an emotion And that is precisely the problem with dry facts and figures. Besides emotions, Pictures important for our brain. The sentence "30 football fields of rainforest are cleared every minute" is much more memorable for us than the actual size (214,200 square meters).
After listening to or reading Foer's book "We Are the Climate," I noticed that stories, conversations, and anecdotes from human history stuck in my mind. As mentioned above, I bought the book specifically to be able to look up certain facts and figures, because I didn't remember them.
So we should remember that we like to speak in images and emotions when communicating with other people. When we want something to stick. When we want to move other people. Of course, there's much more involved if you want to convince people of something or captivate them. And including facts and figures is also important, not just for your own credibility. But Stories and other narratives are a good start to attract attention, empathy and interest.
Even if “We Are the Climate” doesn't come close to “Eating Animals” for me personally, the book taught me a whole series of things, broadened my horizons regarding the climate and current climate issues, and showed me once again the complexity of the human mind.
If you would like to learn more about mindfulness, healthy eating, sustainability or family and pregnancy, Check out more exciting blog articles on these topics here.
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