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Overcoming despair and the alienation it produces

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  23 June 2015

F.G. Fisher
F.G. Fisher*
Affiliation:
Graduate School of Environmental Science, Monash University, Clayton, Victoria, 3168
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Abstract

Environmental work deals in the most depressing of statistics — measures of damage to our planet and measures of apparent incapacity to change them. Years working to bring about changes in the way people deal with their environment can be very frustrating and ultimately debilitating. Some aspects of personal frustration and the despair it leads to are examined. The most advanced tools used by environmental scientists such as systems theory are themselves shown to be a source of frustration. A principal source of despair is shown to be frustrated expectations based on faulty world views.

Suggestions toward resolving this outcome of concern are made. They involve personal work toward changing the expectations we have of our tools and the way we deal with reality. Evidence for the efficacy of such suggestions is taken from General System Theory itself. Deep Ecology and interpretations of twentieth century physics.

Type
Research Article
Information
Australian Journal of Environmental Education , Volume 1 , Issue 2 , June 1985 , pp. 16 - 20
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 1985

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