Learning to Die: Wisdom in the Age of Climate Crisis

by Robert Bringhurst, Jan Zwicky

In this powerful little book, two leading intellectuals illuminate the truth about where our environmental crisis is taking us. Writing from an island on Canada's Northwest coast, Robert Bringhurst and Jan Zwicky weigh in on the death of the planet versus the death of the individual. For Zwicky, awareness and humility are the foundation of the equanimity with which Socrates faced his death: he makes a good model when facing the death of the planet, as well as facing our own immortality. Bringhurst urges readers to tune their minds to the wild. The wild has healed the world before, and it is the only thing that stands any chance of healing the world now - though it is unlikely to save Homo sapiens in the process.

Genres: Nonfiction, Philosophy, Climate Change, Environment, Essays, Canada, Science

103 pages, Paperback

First published October 6, 2018

About the author

Robert Bringhurst is a Canadian poet, typographer and author. He is the author of The Elements of Typographic Style – a reference book of typefaces, glyphs and the visual and geometric arrangement of type. He has also translated works of epic poetry from Haida mythology into English.

He lives on Quadra Island, near Campbell River, British Columbia (approximately 170 km northwest of Vancouver).

Reviews

[Paige · Rating 1 out of 5]

This is the worst piece of writing I have ever read on the climate crisis!!! So fatalistic, so Eurocentric, so xenophobic, ahhh I hated it so much!!!

I don't even know where to start! At one point it talks about how "tribes" and "corporations" are both over consuming... first of all, what are these monolithic 'tribes' the authors are referring to? Also...just, no??? And this quote "China and India used to export wisdom. Now they export carbon monoxide, sulphur dioxide, nitrogen oxide, along with substantial amounts of self-righteousness and political hysteria". Is this real life?? The authors also condemn overpopulation which has been shown time and time again to NOT be the real problem and is a big fat dog whistle. How do you write a book about climate change and only use the world capitalism once?? It exclusively focuses on what individuals can do (TURN DOWN THE THERMOSTAT??) and makes no mention of the structural issues that have led us to our current moment. Omg! I am very mad!! Read Hope in the Dark by Rebecca Solnit instead!

[Psalm · Rating 3 out of 5]

The discourse on climate change is over-encumbered with appeals to our political and collective moral identities. No offense to Zwicky and Bringhurst: I look forward to younger voices populating this space in the decades to come. Future folk'll want to know every reason and feeling that drove us here. They'll wonder about how we turned to face the collapse of our civilization and our own deaths and we should tell them in the most personal terms possible. In that sense, this is a compassionate artifact, even in its pessimism. This text is broken into three essays. The first is Robert's essay on what the Wild is. Jan's essay is about Socrates and virtue. The third piece is a collaborative critique of the Epstein-friendly philosopher Steve Pinker. I appreciate aspects of the first two essays and the subtle and thoughtful anti-civ message they carry. Some of it is a bit grandiose, but I'm not one to judge that, personally. The assault on Pinker was a pleasant surprise. It's very short. Not worth 20 bucks! Best case scenario is you found a copy in an old buried coffee can and it's the year 2125.

[Rhys · Rating 3 out of 5]

From two of Canada's preeminent poet-scholars.

"Letting the facts form a poem in your mind is an exercise in a certain kind of thinking: letting something happen instead of forcing it to happen, and simultaneously letting yourself be enlarged. Letting the facts form a poem in your mind is a way to practice thinking like an ecosystem, thinking like a planet, thinking like a world. "

I particularly enjoyed the critique of Stephen Pinker's saccharine Enlightenment Now.

[Scott Lupo · Rating 4 out of 5]

Quick read of a thoughtful book about having grace in the face of our mortality. Specifically, our demise as a result of climate crises. How do we have moral courage? How do we die with grace? Taking inspiration from the ancient Greeks, the author walks through the process of acceptance and action. I especially liked this passage: "We know that awareness of the good does genuinely compel many of us some of the time. And it appears to compel a few of us, like Socrates, all of the time. But it doesn't seem to compel most of us most of the time. This may simply be a brute fact about the species." It most certainly does. The last chapter criticizes Steven Pinker's views that things will be alright, always look at optimistic views instead of the pessimistic. It is too little, too late and it is time to come to terms with what we have done to ourselves.

[Jordan Landerman · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a relatively short book consisting of three essays: The first is by Robert Bringhurst concerning the nature of "the wild." The second is by Jan Zwicky, about Socrates' death. The third is a co-authored afterword dedicated to refuting Steven Pinker's book "Enlightenment Now: The Case For Reason, Science, Humanism, and Progress."

In summary, a thoughtful and poetic book about grace in the face calamity. Some critiques I have are that it focused heavily on actions that every-day individuals can take to mitigate the effects of climate change. Some 100 companies are responsible for approximately 71% of global emissions. The book makes no mention of the structural issues due to capitalism that led us to where we are now.

[Simon · Rating 5 out of 5]

Bold stance on our societal future : "How to accept and face the end" that contrasts beautifully with the more recurrent narative, but far from less necessary, of "where we went wrong and where to act" that we usually see from works on climate/societal crisis. This book also reads itself as a charm, short and packed with meaningful thinking.

[Leif · Rating 4 out of 5]

I came to this book not knowing entirely what I was in for - hopefully, not another nihilist tract ala Roy Scranton, whose seductive destructions are trouble - but with good knowledge of Bringhurst and Zwicky from their respective plural careers: typography, poetry, philosophy; philosophy, poetry. And then - what did I get? A collaborative treatise in three parts.

Robert Bringhurst brings to the thought of species collapse a dedication to re-wilding conceptions of human interactions with each other and with ecologies. Or, more accurately, he reinstates the precisely liminal space of the edge of the wild as a place where living can happen - where survival flourishes, not just for humans but all living things. He is confrontational and uncompromising, delving into contemporary references only to make quick scores, and delving deep into an anthropological philosophy of nature to ground his thinking. And lastly, he ends with a double strike: a call to disobedience of the civil, cultural, and biological kinds - to side with marginal cultures against those of the "unsustainable mainstream" - and a recollection of a Haida proverb: Asi tlagaay xhan dii qinggasang, or The ground might see me. This forms an ultimate moral reference - pay attention to the ground underneath your feet. As Bringhurst writes,

Doing so won't enable you to save the world, but you might just manage to save your self-respect. And that is something.

Jan Zwicky, in turn, shapes a careful thought from the death of Socrates to the principles for good living, reinforced by an awareness of the ecological collapse that living poorly and dying poorly are bringing to the world. Her itemization of the suite of Socratic virtues include the following:
- knowing what's what: awareness coupled with humility regarding what one knows
- courage
- self-control
- justice
- contemplative practice
- compassion.
From this list of interlocking virtues, it is understandable that Zwicky's virtuous person finds themselves grounded but drifting in loss at the "old, old puzzle, weakness of the will," which is what she attributes to the failure of organizations of people to address collective problems. Unlike Bringhurst, who at least poses a collective however dysfunction, Zwicky's precepts strike more true to individuals (and are thus clearer wisdom about death) but move farther from attending to the organizations, collectives, and people who are living very nicely by destroying the capacity of all others to attend to the world. Nevertheless, the essay is clear, accessible, and even beautiful.

Finally, the two together shape an afterword dedicated to refuting the pernicious pseudo-philosophical creep of Steven Pinker's latest bromides on bullshit. By examining the studies that he misquotes and by being sympathetic to the philosophical tradition he claims to represent, but that he grossly fails to understand, they strive to see past whatever personal failings that Pinker may possess to strike more clearly at the deepest destruction that his kind of technocratic neglect portends.

At the end of the day, this is a short book, but one steeped in wisdom. It may not give you what you want, but it is good, helpful thinking, and that is today in short supply.

[Esmee Setzke · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5 ⭐️

[Bert]

I was disappointed with this book. While it contains an excellent summary of some aspects of Greek Philosophy, the summary of the "science" of climate change illustrates the authors' ignorance of the debate within the scientific community regarding the corruption of the scientific methodology in this field of study. They simply accept as proven that the world as we know it is ending soon. They have nothing new to contribute on the issue of how to face death, other than to remind us that we should be courageous and humble in the face of pending doom. Even the simplest person can come to this conclusion without any knowledge of Greek philosophy. This illustrates the bankruptcy of modern philosophy, when left to secularists who seem afraid to widen their analysis to seek information from theologians on the subject. The several pages devoted to criticize Steven Pinker puzzles me. While Pinker, who is a rationalist optimist, as opposed to Brighurst/Zwicky who are rational pessimists in the face the the "climate crisis," only proves that Pinker suffers from the same deficiency that they do! For those who wish to be reminded of the fundamental virtues of a moral existence, as taught by the Greeks, then please have a look at this book, especially part two. Again, many individuals who have never read Greek philosophy know these things well and are aware of a whole lot more than secularist speculative philosophers.

[Håkan · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book has two parts: One written by a poet on the nature of the wild, and one on practicing Socrates virtues when facing death. The first part was not so interesting. I was sceptical about the second parts but it was actually very good. In a low key tone it asks the question how Socrates could face death without fear or anxiety, and why it is relevant now. It does not give any hope of avoiding the coming climate catastrophe, and does not encourage optimism, but it does suggest how to face death without fear. I would recommend anyone to read the second part. Additionally the book contains an afterword that is a critique of the technopositivist arguments on why and how to address the climate problem (or not).

[Emma · Rating 5 out of 5]

An absolutely essential and thought-provoking read. I am a bit shaken but humbled and grateful for my life. This book is not for those who wish to live in denial or in the shadow of truth. This book is for those willing to question aspects of themselves and greater humanity and the world on multiple levels. I would recommend this book to everyone if not for the fact that I fear not all are ready or willing to put the mental energy into it that is required. Nonetheless, if you’re reading this review, take the time to sit with this book and let it pour all over you.

[Zoë · Rating 5 out of 5]

This should be required reading.

[Keith Taylor · Rating 3 out of 5]

I got this little book (and it's not easy getting a University of Regina Press book in Michigan) because I try to keep up with Robert Bringhurst, but I found his contributions the least interesting. The first essay was probably an essential organizing of ideas, but none of the ideas felt particularly new. The general impression -- if we don't succeed in killing ourselves in the near future, we'll get it in the end anyway. And the last chapter which they did together -- it is mostly a refutation of Steven Pinker, or even of a review of his book, and that seems a creation of a straw man. Does anyone really take Pinker that seriously? I certainly haven't felt the need to, and I have read a couple of his books.

But the essay by Zwicky was very interesting. What she is trying to do in "A Ship from Delos" is construct an ethic for an age of cultural and environmental collapse. She knows that individual action cannot do anything, yet she tries to find a way to invest it with some kind of meaning. This is an interesting discussion and deserves a lot of attention, even by people who are already thinking along these lines.

[Denisse Descamps · Rating 1 out of 5]

Doesn’t actually discuss the wisdom in the age of climate crisis at all outside of the individual. The book does not adequately describe how capitalism is the driving force behind climate change, but rather discusses why individual self-control (I kid you not, word for word: “wearing old clothes, letting those clothes air-dry, and wearing a sweater instead of turning up a thermostat”) is what needs to fundamentally change in order to achieve ecologic balance. Mentions only once the systematic forms of oppression that are creating the climate crisis in the first place, and definitely does not describe it in depth - especially for a book that is meant to discuss what we can do moving forward in the age of climate crisis. I was very excited about this book but I am left extremely disappointed.

[James · Rating 2 out of 5]

I kept thinking about Antsy McClain's song "We're All Going to Die" as I began this book. And of course we are going to die along with McClain but more importantly, as Bringhurst/Zwicky tell us, we are all going to die as a species.

But that, too, is obvious. In some ways, I wish that I hadn't read this book. Not that I disagree and not that I am bothered by the death of humans as a species. But I don't feel that I gained much from the reading. I did find the discussion on Plato and Socrates interesting but mostly I found the book bland. Not boring, simply uninteresting.

Probably many could learn much from this little volume but such people would not read it and, more probably, refuse to read anyway, anything. And for those who face that end-time, books will be of no value.

[Allan · Rating 2 out of 5]

I need to start off this review by saying that I absolutely love Robert Bringhurst. I have nearly everything he has published, outside of his works on typography. I love his poetry, I love his work on mythology, I love his writing on nature. I think he is one of the best thinkers we have right now and his work is very important in the times we are living in.

That said, I was greatly disappointed in this book. I don't have the energy or desire to delve too deeply but will say that I feel like the title is misleading. I don't feel like I gained any wisdom about dying or how to deal with the climate crisis. I actually feel like these subjects were hardly touched on.

The last of the three sections that make up this short book was spent on deriding another book that the authors disagree with. While I am all for arguing ideas, and like the authors I think I would have disagreed with many of the points made in the book they were referencing, it doesn't seem appropriate to spend a third of a book about death and climate change talking about another authors work.

I can't even bring myself to write a better review of this and for that I apologize. I was just way too underwhelmed.

[Jack McClelland · Rating 3 out of 5]

A short and poetic attempt to tackle the enormous catastrophe of our impending climate collapse. In terms of books on "climate change", this feels like more of a starting point than a stopping point, with some nice bits of humanism and philosophy mixed in.

Coming from two leading "poet-scholars", as the inside fold describes the authors, this book is a bit disappointing. With those lofty titles, it feels like more could be expected than this slim 90-page treatise of sorts.

In other words, the authors strike me as doing the bare minimum from a place of immense fortune and privilege.

[Melissa · Rating 4 out of 5]

So much of the discussion about climate change revolves around hope and our sparkling future prospects that I was excited by the prospect of an honest realist take on climate crisis. That aspect did not disappoint, but I feel this dense little book could have been longer because some points felt shallowly explored. Otherwise a fun little realist read that managed to avoid doom and gloom. The pessimist in me enjoyed this greatly.

[Carol · Rating 3 out of 5]

Really enjoyed, if enjoy can be a word to describe this deep subject matter, the first section as relating to us humans as not being the centre of it all. Made me moved enough to stop putting my love of all things planet on the back burner and really feel being in nature.

Thank you Robert and Jan for sharing these very important thoughts.

[James · Rating 4 out of 5]

Three short philosophical essays about how people should live amidst climate catastrophe and the coming extinction. Their answers are steeped in classical philosophy and regard what it means to be a good person (the ultimate question of philosophy) in any age. For those of a philosophical bent, this book has a lot to offer.

[Jbondandrews · Rating 2 out of 5]

Not sure how to write a review of this book. I may come back to it. For the moment I will say that the authors spent too many pages on the author Steven Pinker. More could have said about wisdom in the age of climate crisis. As it was the wisdom imparted seemed rather sparse and while Socrates has his place, wisdom could have been imparted from better sources.

[Frank Karioris · Rating 4 out of 5]

Read at congress, as I was learning to live; recommended, as of course, by Jonathan. Without answers, the book is itself an answer.

[Flungoutofspace (Chris) · Rating 3 out of 5]

First essay was great.

[Nazareth · Rating 3 out of 5]

It was informative, but from a very technical place. While I enjoyed it...it’s hard to say that I actually LIKED it. It definitely reads like differences between states of minds.

[Annsofie Jonsson · Rating 4 out of 5]

An important read, just read it.

[Jason · Rating 4 out of 5]

Mostly interesting narrative, a bit meandering.

[Rob Black · Rating 5 out of 5]

Simple, thoughtful. Enjoyed the pinkerton reveal at the end 😎

[Meg Birch · Rating 5 out of 5]

Challenging, thoughtful, graceful, difficult thinking.

[Savannah Rose · Rating 3 out of 5]

It was okay idk some points so woke and real others like what r u even SAYIBG rn

[David · Rating 2 out of 5]

Weirdly xenophobic and negative in terms of humanity. Plants are cool though