Planet: Critical

Steffi Bednarek, a climate psychotherapist, tackles anxiety born from climate grief. She argues that the mental health crisis reflects deeper societal dysfunction rather than individual failings. The discussion challenges the psychology industry’s focus on symptom-free living, advocating for a broader view of mental health linked to systemic issues. Bednarek highlights the necessity of resilience and empathy, particularly in the context of women's roles and interconnectedness. The episode also calls for communal grieving and mindfulness around death in modern society.

In this discussion, Natasha Lennard, a writer focused on politics and violence, explores the struggle to reshape our world by challenging established certainties like capitalism. She argues that embracing uncertainty is crucial for collective action toward a just future. The conversation delves into redefining crises as opportunities for transformation, critically examining entrenched beliefs in social justice, and the philosophical dance between certainty and doubt. Natasha emphasizes the importance of community, love, and envisioning equitable alternatives to current norms.

Kris De Decker, a passionate journalist and founder of Low Tech Magazine, dives deep into the relationship between technology and sustainability. He tackles the misconceptions surrounding high-tech solutions and how they often undermine genuine progress, advocating instead for low-tech alternatives. The discussion highlights personal responsibility in energy use, the impact of community connections, and the joys of a low-tech lifestyle. Kris emphasizes the importance of local production and meaningful interactions, challenging our reliance on modern technology.

Bayo Akomolafe, a philosopher, writer, and professor, explores the crisis of mastery that plagues our modern world. He dissects the impacts of 'white modernity' and its colonial echoes, urging a reevaluation of what progress means today. Through captivating metaphors, he discusses the importance of minor gestures in challenging systemic issues and how cracks can lead to innovation. Bayo also touches on the themes of belonging, failure, and the transformative power of our collective realities, inviting listeners to dance on the edges of thought and being.

Nate Kinch, a socio-technological ethicist focused on enhancing corporate values, discusses the urgent need for businesses to adopt new ethical frameworks. He emphasizes trust and morality as essential for transforming organizations. The conversation touches on the historical rift between humanity and nature, the integration of science and spirituality, and the complexity of proposing new value systems. Kinch also highlights the importance of emotional truth in decision-making and the role of indigenous wisdom in addressing environmental crises.

The global majority are not responsible for global warming. A tiny percentage of the world's population are in positions of power, making decisions that impact the entire planet. These are the people who own and benefit from the fossil-fuelled means of production. Professor Matt Huber says taking power back from them is a class struggle—and cannot be done without building working class power. Building on arguments from his book, Climate Change as Class War, Matt says that rather than focusing on elite consumption we should target elite production, making material arguments for systems change that the working class can relate to. He also explains what the professional class of environmentalists fail to grasp about working class voters, why capital ignores public infrastructure, and why a Green New Deal is the only way to combat petro-privatisation.Support journalism for a world in crisis. Get full access to Planet: Critical at www.planetcritical.com/subscribe

The carbon cycle is more dangerous than an asteroid.An asteroid killed the dinosaurs but unstable carbon cycles caused the worse mass extinctions in earth’s history—and we are putting carbon dioxide into the air at a rate the earth has never seen before.I’m joined by science journalist Peter Brannen, author of The Ends of the World, to discuss how the carbon cycle has caused five out of the six mass extinction events — with the worst taking 10 million years for the planet to recover. Peter says all the drivers point that we are hurtling towards a sixth mass extinction if we don’t change rapidly change course, an event totally unprecedented in its man-made nature. This is an experiment in planetary systems going horribly wrong. We still have time to stop. If we don’t, the results could change the planet beyond recognition. Planet: Critical is 100% independent and community-powered. If you value it, and have the means, become a paid subscriber today! Get full access to Planet: Critical at www.planetcritical.com/subscribe

A.I. is here—except it isn't. Or is it? A.I. is all over the news all of the time, and nations are scrambling to win the race and become the world leaders in this technology which we're told will change the world. This belief, this myth, is driving policy, investment, hype and conferences. It's the myth that is making A.I., a technology which has consistenly been over-promised and failed to deliver. Yet, nobody is asking if we want the changes we're told A.I. will deliver. The assumption is the future will be artificially intelligent. This means that other critical problems are falling off the agenda which is now dominated by the race towards a hyper-technological future—no matter the costs. Researcher Paul Schütze joins me to explore how these myths are making A.I. into a reality, with no consideration as to whether or not we want that reality. He explains the true cost of this A.I. futurism on the environment, social cohesion, and even our imagination. Planet: Critical is 100% independent and community-powered. If you value it, and have the means, become a paid subscriber today!Books referenced: Rethinking Racial Capitalism Get full access to Planet: Critical at www.planetcritical.com/subscribe

Esther Afolaranmi, a lawyer and humanitarian, discusses the importance of climate reparations, gender equality, and education in climate advocacy. She highlights the need for accountability from industrialists for their role in greenhouse gas emissions. Esther also addresses challenges in upholding international laws, Nigeria's struggles in the oil industry, and the importance of empowering women to address pronatalist attitudes.

Climate change researcher Gianluca Grimalda shares his story of losing his job for refusing to fly back from fieldwork in Papua New Guinea due to his climate activism. He discusses fatalistic beliefs on climate change, challenges faced by coastal communities, mentality of the super-rich, civil disobedience, and promoting unity among climate movements.