Deep Adaptation

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'''Deep Adaptation: A Map for Navigating Climate Tragedy'''<ref>[http://www.lifeworth.com/deepadaptation.pdf The paper in question]</ref> is a paper on [[global warming]] written by [[sociologist]] Jem Bendell. It has gained notorious media attention for being "so depressing it sends people to therapy."<ref>[https://www.vice.com/en_us/article/vbwpdb/the-climate-change-paper-so-depressing-its-sending-people-to-therapy The climate change paper so depressing it's sending people to therapy]</ref> It posits that the effects of climate change may be so extreme as to lead to civilizational collapse within the next decade, and that instead of downplaying this conclusion, we should embrace it. A central theme is the notion of 3 R's: Resilience, Relinquishment, and Restoration. Resilience to keep things we want to keep, Relinquishment of harmful things, and Restoration of approaches and attitudes that [[fossil fuel]]-based civilization eroded such as rewilding ecosystems.

==Science (or lack thereof)==
The paper did not pass [[peer review]], a fact that Bendell proudly advertises,<ref name="they-dont-want-you-to-read">[https://jembendell.com/2018/07/26/the-study-on-collapse-they-thought-you-should-not-read-yet/ The study on collapse they thought you should not read – yet]</ref> and that should instantly send up red flags to anyone [[Pseudoscience|expecting a scientifically rigorous article]]. Indeed, climate [[scientist]] [[Michael Mann]] simply dismissed it as "crap,"<ref>[https://twitter.com/MichaelEMann/status/1103358804178231296 Mann's Twitter 1]</ref> further elaborating that "The concept of "uncontrollable levels of climate change" is both unscientific and nonsensical…"<ref>[https://twitter.com/MichaelEMann/status/1103359140188037126 Mann's Twitter 2]</ref> He also relies on questionable sources for his claims, such as his claim that 5°C was already baked in by the current CO<sub>2</sub> concentration being cited from an unpublished paper by a self-described "systems analyst",<ref>[https://www.science20.com/robert_walker/deep_adaptation_climate_change_paper_just_crap_in_the_words_of_climate Deep Adaptation Is - ‘Crap’ - Climate Scientist Michael Mann - This Is The Paper 'So Depressing It Sends People To Therapy']</ref> which relies on the {{wpl|clathrate gun hypothesis}} that the [[Scientific consensus|scientific community]] has deemed lacking in [[evidence]].<ref>[https://www.usgs.gov/news/gas-hydrate-breakdown-unlikely-cause-massive-greenhouse-gas-release Gas Hydrate Breakdown Unlikely to Cause Massive Greenhouse Gas Release]</ref> Also, for a paper called "Deep Adaptation," he doesn't cite concrete examples of such adaptation, claiming that civilizational collapse is too complicated and unprecedented a problem, even though there are [[Survivalism#Survivalism_in_practice|many real-world case studies]] of societies adapting to resource collapse.<ref>[https://www.resilience.org/stories/2019-04-17/from-oil-crisis-to-energy-revolution-how-nations-once-before-planned-to-kick-the-oil-habit/ From Oil Crisis to Energy Revolution – How Nations Once Before Planned to Kick the Oil Habit]</ref><ref>[https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2017/oct/28/organic-or-starve-can-cubas-new-farming-model-provide-food-security Organic or starve: can Cuba's new farming model provide food security?]</ref>

==Politics==
Because Bendell doesn't propose solutions beyond a vague framework of the 3 R's, the paper has become a [[Deepity|Rorschach inkblot]] that readers interpret differently depending on their [[political]] background. Many people have accused Bendell of encouraging [[denialism]], inaction,<ref name="they-dont-want-you-to-read">[https://jembendell.com/2018/07/26/the-study-on-collapse-they-thought-you-should-not-read-yet/ The study on collapse they thought you should not read – yet]</ref> [[racism]], or [[ecofascism]].<ref>[https://twitter.com/EricHolthaus/status/1137380728558297089 "It's a racist garbage theory that erases the lives of billions of people whose voices for transformational change have been systematically excluded by the climate community for decades. We must do better than that."]</ref> For what it's worth, he supports and has advised [[Labour Party]] leader [[Jeremy Corbyn]],<ref>[https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2018/apr/11/bernie-sanders-jeremy-corbyn-labour-for-the-many For the many: what the Corbyn campaign learned from Bernie Sanders]</ref> is an active participant in [[Extinction Rebellion]],<ref>[https://jembendell.com/2019/10/05/nature-doesnt-do-deals-why-we-rise-on-climate/ Nature Doesn’t Do Deals – why we rise on climate]</ref> and is explicit in identifying [[patriarchy]] and [[capitalism]] as core problems.<ref>[https://jembendell.com/2019/08/14/a-quick-message-to-lefty-intellectuals-about-deep-adaptation/ A quick message to lefty intellectuals about deep adaptation]</ref>

Really, though, he has a retreat in Greece to sell you.<ref>[https://twitter.com/mammuthus/status/1281968685360582661 "Rediscover purpose together in the face of climate change."]</ref> And given that he has defended his own extensive flying habits<ref>[https://www.opendemocracy.net/en/transformation/carry-on-flying-why-activists-should-take-to-skies/ Carry on flying: why activists should take to the skies]</ref> and insists on selling said retreat during a global pandemic in a time when most others have settled on virtual conferencing,<ref>[https://www.kalikalos.com/community/x/deep-adaptation-jem-bendell/ Deep Adaptation Retreat 2020]</ref> "Relinquishment" apparently doesn't apply for [[Hypocrisy|important people like himself.]]

==See also==
* [[Deep ecology]]
* [[Extinction Rebellion]], who treats this as an authoritative source for their activism.
* [[Hard green]]
* [[Guy McPherson]], whom the paper cites as a reference.

==External Links==

* [https://www.opendemocracy.net/en/oureconomy/faulty-science-doomism-and-flawed-conclusions-deep-adaptation/ A thorough debunking of Deep Adaptation's bad science in Open Democracy.]

==References==
{{reflist|2|80%}}

[[Category:Cults]]
[[Category:Environmentalism]]
[[Category:Global warming]]
[[Category:Pseudoscience]]
[[Category:Survivalism]]

Categories: Cults, Environmentalism, Global warming, Pseudoscience, Survivalism