1. The Lens
Before policy or protest, before carbon or crisis—there were stories. Stories about who we are, why we’re here, and how we relate to the world around us. These cultural myths sit beneath perception, scripting what feels normal, inevitable, sacred, or disposable.
They don’t merely inform our response to climate change. They frame the very idea of response.
2. Old Frames, New Fires
- Dominion vs. Kinship: In some traditions, nature is something to conquer—an inert backdrop for human drama. In others, nature is family, alive and relational.
- Progress Mythologies: “Growth is good.” “More is better.” “Technology will save us.” These assumptions drive extractive momentum and tech-savior fantasies alike.
- The Hero’s Journey: Our favorite stories center the chosen individual overcoming odds. But climate response is not a solo arc—it’s collective choreography.
- The Apocalypse Script: For some, collapse has become a new comfort: if the end is certain, why fight for the middle?
3. How Narratives Move Us
We act in line with the stories we believe. And stories work by stealth:
- They filter what feels “realistic.”
- They shape whose voices matter.
- They define what counts as “nature,” “progress,” and even “hope.”
Consider: Is a pipeline a threat or a lifeline? Is wilderness sacred or unused land? Is climate justice reparative or radical?
4. Cultural Rewriting
Climate response requires more than new facts. It demands new fables:
- From human supremacy to earth humility
- From linear progress to circular continuity
- From rescue fantasy to reciprocal participation
Artists, storytellers, teachers, elders, and wisdom-holders become essential guides—not just to change behavior, but to change belonging. When culture shifts, possibility expands.
5. Invitation
- What myths are you living inside?
- Who taught you what nature is?
- What do your stories say about your role in the world?
Change the story…
and the system follows.