Wikipedia

Ecophobia

Ecophobia is the fear of, or an ethical undervaluing of the natural environment that can result in, cataclysmic environmental change. The term was coined, as author Simon C. Estok has revealed in his book The Ecophobia Hypothesis,[1] by George F. Will in a September 18, 1988 Chicago Sun-Times article entitled "The Politics of Ecophobia." Will, cited by Estok, defines it as "the fear that the planet is increasingly inhospitable."[1]  

People are taking to the streets to protest how their governments are handling the climate crisis and encouraging them to act before it is deemed to be too late.

Overview

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To date, Estok has done the most work defining and expanding the concept of ecophobia. He explains that "The ecophobic condition exists on a spectrum and can embody fear, contempt, indifference, or lack of mindfulness (or some combination of these) toward the natural environment. While its genetic origins have functioned, in part, to preserve our species (for instance, the fight or flight response), the ecophobic condition has also greatly serviced growth economies and ideological interests. Often a product of behaviours serviceable in the past but destructive in the present, it is also sometimes a product of the perceived requirements of our seemingly exponential growth. . . . Ecophobia exists globally on both macro and micro levels, and its manifestation is at times directly apparent and obvious but is also often deeply obscured by the clutter of habit and ignorance".[2]

Environmental educator David Sobel uses the term somewhat differently, describing instead the fear of the environmental effects of human actions – ranging anywhere from oil spills to deforestation.[3] Sobel described it as "a helpless sense of dread about the future."[3][4] A study with 10-to-12-year-olds found 82% of the children expressed fear, sadness, and anger about environmental problems.[5][6]

The neologism was used by Simon C. Estok, David Sobel,[7][8][9] and Roger Scruton.[10][11]

Ecophobia and COVID-19

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The University of Cambridge tells it readers that the COVID-19 pandemic has brought to life and exacerbated many conditions and differences between people. Estok draws direct links between ecophobia and COVID-19, explaining, among other things, that "Pandemics are always environmental events, the current one being a direct result of closer human/nonhuman animal contacts—itself a result of diminishing food sources and increasing populations. Given these facts, and given the fact that ecophobia is central to the environmental crises we have created, theoretical, personal, and political discussions about ecophobia and COVID-19 are very timely."[12]

Ecophobia and theater

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Turkish folk theater dramatizes ecophobia by showing fear, anxiety, and threat of the natural world, with traditional plays often showing dominance of the natural world.[13]

Many eco-critics and academic writers have noticed Shakespeare's representations of ecophobia in nature in plays like Othello and King Lear, among others: "The play markets this dramatic ecophobia to an audience very familiar with grain shortages, bad harvests, cold weather, and profound storms. It was a time of unprecedented exploration, perhaps in part owing to the poor harvests and lack of local fish, and the world was getting smaller."[14] Critics also point out the ecophobia induced by monsters in Shakespeare's plays: "The plays' obsession with monsters jiggles orders, hierarchies, values, rules, and forms defining nature."[15]

Ecophobia and The Green New Deal

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The Green New Deal is a broad topic scope that defines a group of policies that aim to address the problems the planet faces, with the most recent example being legislation introduced in the United States House of Representatives by Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez.[16] The phenomenon surrounding ecophobia has actually made it more difficult to pass legislation such as this, because voters allow their fear to impact how they vote. This in turn leads to a lack of legislation that addresses climate change policy[citation needed].

Political statements made by former president Donald Trump have been cited as an example of sociopolitical effects of ecophobia, and especially how it can impact opinions on climate change. Critics have argued that rhetoric inspired by ecophobia can limit open discussion about climate change policy and Green New Deal legislation[citation needed].

See also

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References

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  1. ^ a b C., Estok, Simon (2020). The ecophobia hypothesis. Routledge. ISBN 978-0-367-61664-9. OCLC 1240730301.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  2. ^ C., Estok, Simon (2020). The ecophobia hypothesis. Routledge. ISBN 978-0-367-61664-9. OCLC 1240730301.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  3. ^ a b Finnegan, William (7 April 2020). "Homeschooling during coronavirus: five ways to teach children about climate change". The Conversation. Retrieved 2020-08-10.
  4. ^ "Ecophobia: What Is It, and Why Is It on the Rise?". alive. 2017-11-01. Retrieved 2020-08-10.
  5. ^ Strife, Susan Jean (January 2012). "Children's Environmental Concerns: Expressing Ecophobia". The Journal of Environmental Education. 43 (1): 37–54. doi:10.1080/00958964.2011.602131. ISSN 0095-8964. S2CID 143525132.
  6. ^ McKnight, Diane M (August 2010). "Overcoming "ecophobia": fostering environmental empathy through narrative in children's science literature". Frontiers in Ecology and the Environment. 8 (6): e10–e15. doi:10.1890/100041. ISSN 1540-9295.
  7. ^ Finnegan, William (7 April 2020). "Homeschooling during coronavirus: five ways to teach children about climate change". The Conversation. Retrieved 2020-11-19.
  8. ^ "In the Digital Age, How to Get Students Excited About Going Outdoors". KQED. 26 August 2013. Retrieved 2020-11-19.
  9. ^ Dewan, Shaila (2007-04-08). "Can Man Improve on Nature's Fishbowl? (Published 2007)". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 2020-11-19.
  10. ^ "What is oikophobia or ecophobia? What has that got to do with COVID-19 or coronavirus pandemic?". www.timesnownews.com. 27 March 2020. Retrieved 2020-11-19.
  11. ^ "Unified Architectural Theory: Chapter 5". ArchDaily. 2014-06-08. Retrieved 2020-11-19.
  12. ^ Estok, Simon C. (2021). "Ecophobia and Covid-19". International Journal of Fear Studies. 3 (2): 90–99.
  13. ^ Akıllı, Sinan (2021). Turkish Ecocriticism: From Neolithic to Contemporary Timescapes. NY: Lexington Books.
  14. ^ Estok, Simon (2011). Literatures, Cultures, and the Environment : Dramatizing Environmental Fear: King Lear's Unpredictable Natural Spaces and Domestic Places. NY: Palgrave Macmillan. ISBN 978-0-230-11874-4.
  15. ^ Estok, S.C. (2011). Monstrosity in Othello and Pericles: Race, Gender, and Ecophobia In: Ecocriticism and Shakespeare. Literatures, Cultures, and the Environment. Palgrave Macmillan, New York.
  16. ^ "The Green New Deal Explained". Investopedia. Retrieved 2022-05-30.

Further reading

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  • Sobel, David (2013). Beyond ecophobia : reclaiming the heart in nature education. Great Barrington, MA: Orion Society. ISBN 978-1-935713-04-3. OCLC 858126725.
  • Estok, Simon (2018). The ecophobia hypothesis. New York London: Routledge. ISBN 978-1-351-38493-3. OCLC 1042329729.
  • Susan Jean Strife. Children's Environmental Concerns: Expressing Ecophobia. The Journal of Environmental Education. Volume 43, Issue 1, 2012.
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