Rationality comes with learning – about logic, biases, and fallacies. This might mean taking an online course, reading books on cognitive sciences, or engaging in debates.

On the other hand, for readers who are unfamiliar with the finer points of economics or finance – such as myself – there are some huge claims it’s hard to know what to do with. Apparently, the world’s current monetary systems “are not only hastening the collapse of both natural and human systems, but are known to be on the verge of collapse by some senior officials”. There are many ways of responding to climate chaos that could be shaped, in part, by our personal and collective trauma. Any action that is partly motivated, consciously or not, by a need to quell difficult emotions might be partly influenced by unhealed trauma. The most obvious instances of that are when people choose to dismiss climate change altogether, using the vast array of illogical or irrelevant statements available for that. “The climate has always changed” or “people are always screaming about Armageddon” are the type of statements you may have heard. Even the apparently more sophisticated critiques, such as citing the importance of sunspots or water vapour, can be seen as emotional avoidance when the science for those views falls apart on closer scrutiny. But none of us are free of collective trauma or immune to avoidant patterns, including those of us who believe ourselves to be dedicated to action on climate change. I know that my incessant research analysis, writing, educating and advocacy over the last six years has sometimes been an addictive behaviour to channel my anxious energy into something. Some fulltime activists might also be driven by emotional pain aversion. Being aware of trauma puts a question mark on the famous climate activist phrase “the antidote to despair is action.” Perhaps it’s not. Instead, the antidote to despair might be healing oneself and others from collective trauma, finding more equanimity, and therefore making wiser choices over future actions. The recent rise of authoritarian sentiments and even violent ideation amongst exasperated Western environmentalists might also be an indicator of unresolved trauma influencing them. What we can do to help each other not react from our trauma, is something I will turn to in a moment. But first, it is important to consider how the dominant agenda on climate change, including the whole UNFCCC process, is influenced by this collective trauma. Breaking Together encourages us to think about collapse in ways that are profound, possibility-expanding and startlingly original. Bendell’s “post-doom” perspective has the potential to change individual lives, upend organisational strategies and give birth to whole new social movements.Dan: Can you explain the relationship between any of the ecolibertarian actions you mentioned, and the premise of social liberty? How many of these actions could be seen as anti-authoritarian?

Community Education: Empowers individuals with knowledge to critically engage with systems of authority and navigate societal and ecological change. Our individual ability to perceive medium-term change is further hindered by the dramatic changes that occur all the time in our personal lives. If you lose your job, or get a better-paying job in a new city, or are involved in a serious accident and become disabled, or find God, or stop drinking, or become a parent, or lose a parent, these events all function as “noisy fluctuations”. Restoring the Commons: This is a strong ecolibertarian principle, advocating for shared community resources and stewardship of natural assets. Psychological Readiness: By focusing on the interpersonal, psychological aspects of collapse readiness, we can help individuals navigate the changes they might wish to make in their lives and work.Community Education: Empowering community members with knowledge and skills to navigate societal and ecological changes. This includes sharing knowledge about environmental issues, resilience planning, and local history and culture. Green, Matthew (10 April 2019). "Extinction Rebellion: Inside the new climate resistance". Financial Times Magazine.