Extinction Rebellion: thinking the unthinkable. Café Psychologique, 25 February

The climate crisis is upon us and Extinction Rebellion are at the forefront of pressing all of us to respond. However, the challenges are as much psychological as practical. Extinction Rebellion seems to require us to switch our thinking to emergency mode while life seems to carry on as normal. This is psychologically very difficult to do.

We also have now seen evidence of Extinction Rebellion being regarded as extremist by the government and police, and we might be tempted to see their actions and demands as extreme ourselves. However, perhaps we all need to embrace or at least redefine extremism in this context.

There is a particular problem in helping young children engage with the climate crisis. They need to understand it and yet simply terrifying them is unconstructive and inappropriate. So schools, parents and granparents all need to think about how to help them engage and even lead climate protests without making them feel hopeless and helpless. We also need to prepare them for life in a world which may change beyond our present recognition.

Perhaps the most tricky psychological issue is whether hope is helpful or hinders in relation to the climate crisis. Is hope necessary to spur us to action, or does it make us complacent and forgetful of the extreme challenge of what we face and its catastrophic consequence.

Prime Minister Johnson disparagingly labelled Extinction Rebellion protesters ‘uncooperative crusties’. Our conversation at Café Psychologique will be introduced by self-identified Cooperative Crusty, Bill Phelps, on Tuesday 25 February 8.00 pm to 9.45 pm in Seven Arts, Chapel Allerton, Leeds. The Café costs £4 on the door.

There is a poster to download here:
Café Psychologique Feb Mar Apr 2020

You can read how the Café works here:
Café Psychologique Rules