Maybe that's what we need at Watson: Rage Ti-Ti removal sessions! ;) Instead of those rage rooms where people are breaking glass and throwing axes, we just rip out ti-ti! hah!
Seeing patches of prairie or trees like that live oak destroyed is really difficult. Reading this, I thought about some of my climate- and environmentally-aware therapist colleagues (like here https://www.climatepsychology.us/). I thought about doing some of this work at the point when I was retiring. And one unfortunate side-effect of placing environmental grief and anxiety into a therapy context is making it seem like there's something wrong in us, when it's something wrong in the world around us. We need friends, neighbors, communities with whom we can talk and share our reactions, and advocate. The hardest thing is to feel like you're on your own, nobody else feels that way. At least, I find that to be really hard, which is why I treasure friends who can see what we see (as opposed to your neighbors who want herbicide-generated neat ponds and lawns). It comes back to that Aldo Leopold quote about one of the penalties of an ecological education is that we live alone in a world of wounds. Sorry, Misti; hang in there. Write when you can.
Ooh, I will check out that website! I can definitely see how internalizing environmental grief in that manner could easily be pathologized into something it shouldn't be. I think what's hardest to reconcile is that when you really get to talking to people about this they are often in agreement with you and feel these same things but have never considered any of their other actions or beliefs and how it contributes to the overall issues, including the ones they are upset about. They've never been challenged on it or given any self awareness to it. And even when you do bring it up, defenses abound and change is difficult.
I almost used the Leopold quote again, I've used it at least once somewhere in my writings, but thought best to lean on my own words.
I feel your pain. The clearcutting we've seen this past year - not just in Florida but near major metros expanding to the countryside - disgusts and infuriates me.
Some nameless faceless designer/engineer likely specified “clear and grub,” without even knowing what was there. I’ve dealt with those types professionally, not with land developers specifically but with remediation projects.
What healthy way to channel that rage, the feeling of helplessness in the face of loss... uprooting invasives is great therapy.
Maybe that's what we need at Watson: Rage Ti-Ti removal sessions! ;) Instead of those rage rooms where people are breaking glass and throwing axes, we just rip out ti-ti! hah!
Seeing patches of prairie or trees like that live oak destroyed is really difficult. Reading this, I thought about some of my climate- and environmentally-aware therapist colleagues (like here https://www.climatepsychology.us/). I thought about doing some of this work at the point when I was retiring. And one unfortunate side-effect of placing environmental grief and anxiety into a therapy context is making it seem like there's something wrong in us, when it's something wrong in the world around us. We need friends, neighbors, communities with whom we can talk and share our reactions, and advocate. The hardest thing is to feel like you're on your own, nobody else feels that way. At least, I find that to be really hard, which is why I treasure friends who can see what we see (as opposed to your neighbors who want herbicide-generated neat ponds and lawns). It comes back to that Aldo Leopold quote about one of the penalties of an ecological education is that we live alone in a world of wounds. Sorry, Misti; hang in there. Write when you can.
Ooh, I will check out that website! I can definitely see how internalizing environmental grief in that manner could easily be pathologized into something it shouldn't be. I think what's hardest to reconcile is that when you really get to talking to people about this they are often in agreement with you and feel these same things but have never considered any of their other actions or beliefs and how it contributes to the overall issues, including the ones they are upset about. They've never been challenged on it or given any self awareness to it. And even when you do bring it up, defenses abound and change is difficult.
I almost used the Leopold quote again, I've used it at least once somewhere in my writings, but thought best to lean on my own words.
You might want to read Lisa Sideris' essay here: https://www.researchgate.net/publication/342220485_Grave_Reminders_Grief_and_Vulnerability_in_the_Anthropocene. To me it is really thought-provoking.
That tree! Omg! Nooooooo. Whoever ordered that chopped down is a psychopath.
I feel your pain. The clearcutting we've seen this past year - not just in Florida but near major metros expanding to the countryside - disgusts and infuriates me.
That oak tree… no words.
Some nameless faceless designer/engineer likely specified “clear and grub,” without even knowing what was there. I’ve dealt with those types professionally, not with land developers specifically but with remediation projects.
Hang in there, Misti!