The Great Simplification with Nate Hagens

Reimagining the Cultural Narrative: Art and Storytelling for Systemic Change with Dougald Hine

Feb 12, 2025

Dougald Hine, a social thinker and co-founder of the Dark Mountain Project, shares insights on the power of storytelling and art in addressing ecological crises. He emphasizes the importance of community and grassroots narratives to foster emotional resilience in challenging times. Hine discusses the concept of ‘engaged surrender’ as a way to navigate uncertainty, urging a re-evaluation of societal values. The conversation also touches on the role of grief in transformation and the need for a collective recovery to tackle modern dilemmas.

01:36:53

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Dougald Hine

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Quick takeaways

The overwhelming flow of information in modernity often leads to confusion, necessitating a reevaluation of narratives to ground our understanding of the ecological crisis.

Storytelling plays a crucial role in fostering connections and resilience among diverse communities, facilitating collaborative responses to the challenges posed by climate change.

Engaged surrender encourages individuals to accept their circumstances while actively participating in community-driven projects that cultivate hope and agency amidst uncertainty.

Deep dives

The Cost of Modernity

Modernity has often resulted in cultural and ecological devastation, a reality brought to light by examining the intertwined fate of energy, the economy, and the environment. For many who experienced the benefits of modernity, the destruction of diverse cultures and natural landscapes was perceived as an acceptable trade-off. However, in the present, there is a growing unease about whether this trade-off was indeed justifiable. This questioning reflects a shift in consciousness about the true costs associated with modern living.

Intro

3min

The Power of Storytelling in the Journey to Adulthood

18min

Navigating Grief in Storytelling and Change

15min

Exploring the Ruins of Modernity: A Humble Return to Earth

4min

Reframing Climate Narratives

25min

Engaged Surrender: Navigating Crisis and Community Resilience

23min

Navigating Adulthood in an Uncertain World

3min

Collective Recovery and Societal Change

5min

(Conversation recorded on November 12th, 2024)

In today’s modern era, the overwhelming flood of information that constantly flows our way can leave us feeling disoriented, lost, and powerless. Even science – our most trusted source of truth – can be taken out of context to fuel division and distort the reality around us. In the midst of this confusion, how can we learn to ground ourselves and find guideposts that can direct our lives and work?

Today, Nate is joined by storyteller and social thinker, Dougald Hine, to explore the importance of narratives in shaping our understanding of the world and how they can help us navigate the complexities of life, especially in the face of ecological crises. Together, they discuss the need for a reframing of conversations around environmental and climate issues, the importance of grassroots responses to systemic crises, and the concept of ‘engaged surrender’ as a way to navigate the challenges of modern life.

How can we foster emotional resilience in the face of ecological overshoot and the death of modernity? What role do art and storytelling play alongside science and data in responding to our collective human predicament? And how can we strengthen our communities and plant the seeds for a different way of life, starting in our own small corners of the world?

About Dougald Hine:

Dougald Hine is a social thinker, writer and speaker. After an early career as a BBC journalist, he went on to co-found the Dark Mountain Project, where he was the director until 2019. He is also the co-author, with Paul Kingsnorth, of Uncivilisation: The Dark Mountain Manifesto, and his latest book is titled, At Work in the Ruins: Finding Our Place in the Time of Science, Climate Change, Pandemics & All the Other Emergencies.

Dougald’s recent projects include Notes From Underground, a ten-part essay series for Bella Caledonia exploring the deep roots of the new climate movements, and The Great Humbling, a podcast he co-hosts with Ed Gillespie. He and Anna Björkman are creating a school called HOME, ‘a gathering place and a learning community for those who are drawn to the work of regrowing a living culture’. His latest writing is published on his Substack, Writing Home.

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