By Jem Bennell, Strategist & educator on social change, focused on Deep Adaptation to societal breakdown
Around the world, people are dramatically changing their lives to prioritise creativity and social contribution. They are worrying less about their career, financial security, or the latest trends. They are helping those in need, growing food, making music, campaigning for change and exploring self and spirituality. Why is this shift occurring? Because they have rejected the dominant view of reality and no longer expect elites or officers of the establishment to solve the worsening problems in society. After decades of greed, hypocrisy, lies, corruption and inefficient policies, they are no longer waiting for any elites to rescue anyone, let alone the planet. But they are no longer upset, numb or despairing. They are living life more fully, according to what they value. It is precisely because these people regard modern societies to be breaking down, that they are living more freely. They need neither an underground bunker nor a fairytale of a better tomorrow as they are living for love, truth and beauty today. Who are they? I call them doomsters. Jem Bendell self-identifies as one of them. Perhaps you are too? In this short interview, Jem will draw upon his book 'Breaking Together', to give some examples of the many forms of doomster life, around the world, what psychology tells us about this phenomenon, and the extent to which we might become a force for positive social change in an era of societal collapse. He will also explain why officers and wannabes of the establishment now fear us enough to misrepresent, censor, and even criminalise us.
