

Facing the Climate Crisis and Human Mortality (w/ Eiren Caffall) | The Chris Hedges Report
May 21, 2025
Eiren Caffall, an author known for her poignant works on loss and nature, joins Chris Hedges to tackle the harsh realities of the climate crisis. She discusses the emotional toll of ecological collapse and how it parallels her own struggles with polycystic kidney disease. They dive into societal denial about climate change and the importance of preserving personal and cultural narratives in the face of grief. Caffall emphasizes the interconnectedness of personal mortality and the planet’s fragility, underscoring the need for collective empathy and action.
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Familial Illness Shapes Climate Grief
- Erin Caffall's family suffers from polycystic kidney disease that shaped her understanding of mortality and loss.
- Her personal experience with fragility deeply informed her views on climate grief and eco-collapse.
Climate Denial as Anosognosia
- Denial of climate reality is similar to anosognosia, where one cannot recognize illness.
- Emotional overwhelm pushes people further from reality rather than conscious denial.
Hope Through Pragmatic Acceptance
- Erin's father lived longest among siblings with transplants and dialysis through pragmatic acceptance and joy.
- He balanced confronting illness with finding pleasures like reading and hunting.