Resources
Together, these short videos garnered 10,000 new views a day the first 15 days they were on Youtube. They offer an historical and ecological foundation for understanding our predicament, how we got here, and what is now irreversible and unstoppable. After viewing these videos and/or “Ten Inevitables: Post Doom, No Gloom“, make sure to see the supportive and “pastoral” videos, HERE.
Hopium Detox & Recovery
Accepting & Trusting Unstoppable Collapse
HOPIUM: (1) A comforting vision of the future that requires breaking the laws of physics, biology, or ecology. (2) Addiction to impossible hopes. (3) Irrational or unwarranted optimism that promises short-term pain relief but delivers disappointment and despair when reality inevitably bites.
Hopium is uniquely seductive and destructive as it blinds us to experiencing reality as it really is. There may be no more consequential betrayal of the future than our collective denial of the already unfolding and unstoppable nature of biospheric and civilizational collapse.
Ten Inevitables: Post Doom, No Gloom
“All You Can Eat Buffet”
This in-depth (synthesis/culmination) two-hour program (six 20-min sections) outlines where we are, how we got here, what is inevitable, what is still possible, and (importantly!) practical insights and tools for staying grounded and grateful to be alive even in increasingly crazy-making times.
See Youtube description box for outline and key references / resources. Two shorter versions also available: 10 Inevitables: Appetizer (33 min) and 10 Inevitables: Mid-size meal (49 min)
Living in the Time of Dying
Facing the truth of the climate crisis
From the film’s website: “Why is acceptance of overshoot, abrupt climate change, and the inevitability of collapse vital for living meaningfully and vibrantly? How did we get here and what attitudes and actions make sense now? Michael Shaw explores these questions through interviews featuring: Author of ‘Deep Adaptation’, Professor Jem Bendell; Dharma teacher and author of ‘Facing Extinction’, Catherine Ingram; Journalist and author of ‘The End of Ice’, Dhar Jamail; and Elder, teacher, author, and Citizen of the Chiricahua Apache Nation, Stan Rushworth.”
New Serenity Prayer: Emotional Support for Climate Anxiety and Environmental Dread
This 25-minute video was created to help people experience as little suffering as possible, now and in the near-term future, by providing a clear and compelling guide for “accepting what we cannot change, changing the things we can, and having the wisdom to know the difference.” This short video is a basic primer on how to stay sane, sober, heartful, and on-purpose in contracting, crazy-making times. It is also now the main introduction to this “post-doom” website and resources related to climate change, ecological overshoot, true vs. faux sustainability, and how to discern what to accept and what to passionately engage in.
Facing Adversity: Choosing Earth, Choosing Life
This moving documentary explores the speed, depth and magnitude of our growing planetary crisis, and the opportunity to meet this crisis consciously. The film begins with a visual exploration of adversity trends facing humanity (climate change, economic growth, inequity, etc) and offers a whole systems perspective and a deeper inquiry into what is being called forth from humanity. Learning to work with this paradox — an unfolding global crisis and the opportunity to awaken to and care for the well being of all of life — is the work ahead. Stories of impact and resilience are woven throughout. The film includes: Duane Elgin, Victoria Santos, Jack Kornfield, Joanna Macy, Nate Hagens, Beena Sharma, Lynne Twist and more. Watch it here.
Post-doom Living: Beyond Hope and Fear
These three visually rich multi-media videos, created and narrated by Michael Dowd, are a “crash course” in understanding the Big Picture of our global predicament — how we got in this mess, what is inevitable or likely now, and how to live fully and love the life you live in contracting and crazy-making times.
The first video, Beyond Hope and Fear: Clarity, Compassion, Courageous Love-in-Action is a 23-minute Zoom sermon that Michael first delivered in September 2021 and has delivered several times since. It is a perfect complement to his 25-minute “New Serenity Prayer: Emotional Support for Climate Anxiety and Environmental Dread” video and his blog post, “Overshoot: Where We Stand Now“.
The second video, Sustainability 101: Indigenuity Is Not Optional, is a 70-minute exploration of the fundamental differences between genuine sustainability (indigenous ingenuity) and faux, or delusional, “sustainability”. The three main sections deal with: (A) the nature of symbolic language and why true sustainability requires being “faithful” to both future generations and to our biophysical creator, sustainer, and end (the biosphere); (B) the evolutionary and ecological purpose of myth and the religious necessity of science; and (C) using Christianity as a case study, Dowd shows how any religious or philosophical tradition can become more pro-future by interpreting its core concepts in an ecocentric (life-centered) way.
The third video, The Big Picture: Clarity, Compassion, and Love-in-Action, is an 80-minute program focusing on (A) key differences between sustainable cultures and unsustainable civilizations, (B) why progress can never be everlasting, (C) the nature of abrupt climate change, (D) what is inevitable (98-99% certain) and what is still possible and deeply soul-nourishing, (E) who, what, and where we really are, and (F) practical tools and exercises for living meaningfully and courageously in contracting and challenging times.
RECOMMENDATION: Given the visually rich and multi-disciplinary nature of the information packed into these three programs, watching at normal speed and without multi-tasking (rather than merely listening or skimming) is advised.
Beyond Hope & Fear: Clarity, Compassion, Courageous Love-in-Action
• Who we are • What keeps us stuck • The path of meaning and freedom
Sustainability 101: Indigenuity Is Not Optional
• Why naming reality matters • Fidelity to time & nature? • Ecocentric reframing
The Big Picture: Clarity, Compassion, Love-in-Action
• Where we are • What lies ahead • Practical tools for Thriving in Hard Times
Audio Playlists
Post-doom readings – Hundreds of hours of freely available audiobooks and essays. To learn about these authors and subjects, see HERE. To listen, the audio playlists are on Soundcloud HERE.
Those wanting the convenience of having their audio files on a thumb-drive can see here.
SOUNDCLOUD PLAYLISTS: (A) All “Grace Limits / Deep Sustainability / Deep Adaptation” playlists, (B) Post-Doom Soul Nourishment, (C) Collapsosaurus Rex (D) Erik Michaels – Problems, Predicaments, and Technology (E) Jem Bendell & Deep Adaptation (F) Bodhi Paul Chefurka, (G) Barbara Cecil & Dahr Jamail, (H) William R. Catton, Jr, (I) RIP Homo colossus, (J) William Ophuls, (K) John Michael Greer, (L) Richard Heinberg, (M) Tim Watkins, (N) Edward (Teddy) Goldsmith, (O) Robert Hunziker (P) Britt Wray (Q) Vicki Robin, (R) John Halstead, (S) Richard Adrian Reese, (T) Paul Kingsnorth, Dougald Hine, and Dark Mountain Project, (U) Damaris Zehner, (V) Erik Lindberg, (W) William E. Rees, (X) Adam Sacks, (Y) Ugo Bardi, (Z) Meteorologist Nick Humphrey, (AA) Max Wilbert (BB) Adam Sacks, (CC) Walter Youngquist, (DD) Why technology won’t save us or the environment, and, (EE) Dowd & Barlow’s two 2009-2016 podcasts: “America’s Evolutionary Evangelists” and “Inspiring Naturalism“, and Dowd’s two 2011-2015 podcasts: “Evolving Faith” and “The Future Is Calling Us to Greatness“.
Latest tracks can be found below.
Pro-Future Grace Limits / Deep Sustainability readings at TheGreatStory.org (most audio files now on Soundcloud)
Michael Dowd’s Main Programs: SLIDES in several formats — Click HERE
BEST VIDEOS: Reality 101 (What’s Real, What’s Important)
1. Ten Inevitables: Post Doom, No Gloom: “All You Can Eat Buffet” (2 hrs: six 20-min segments)
2. Main Drivers of Collapse, Ecocide, and Likely NTHE (55 min) – See Youtube description box
3. Hopium Detox and Recovery: Accepting and Trusting Unstoppable Collapse (56 min)
4. Collapse in a Nutshell: Understanding Our Predicament (33 min) – See Youtube description box
5. Overshoot in a Nutshell: Understanding Our Predicament (31 min) – See Youtube description box
BEST AUDIO / TEXT Intros to “Post Doom, No Gloom”
1. Collapsosaurus Rex (Audio / Text) — Wonderful humor here, too!
2. John Michael Greer — Un-trivializing Evolution, History, and Progress (Text / Audio / Audio)
3. Catherine Ingram — Facing Extinction (Audio / Text)
4. Jem Bendell — Deep Adaptation: A Map for Navigating Climate Tragedy (Audio / Text)
5. How Then Shall We Live? — Dahr Jamail and Barbara Cecil (Audio / Text: start at bottom)
6. Paul Chefurka’s “Best Hits” from Approaching the Limits (Audio / Text)
BEST VIDEOS for Coping and Adapting to Reality
1. New Serenity Prayer: Emotional Support for Climate Anxiety & Environmental Dread (2021: 25 min)
2. Beyond Hope and Fear: Clarity, Compassion, Courageous Love-in-Action (2021: 23 min)
3. Post Gloom: Deeply Adapting to Reality (2020: 62 min)
Historical Insights and Lessons re Collapse
1. Sid Smith: How to Enjoy the End of the World (2022: series of short educational videos)
2. John Michael Greer: Stages of Collapse (Audio / See description box for text links)
2. Dmitry Orlov: Social Collapse Best Practices (2009: 1:28 – Video presentation with Q&A)
3. Wikipedia entry on “Societal Collapse” and the “Let’s Talk Collapse” wiki (below)
4. Collapse and Ecocide as Religious Failure (2022: 44-min) — Michael Dowd
Let’s Talk Collapse
Courses, Seminars, Key Resources
Surviving the Future: Conversations for Our Time – Vermont’s Sterling College offers this always-available online program. Conversations, courses and welcoming community from every continent making sense of these troubled times together. Featuring the likes of Shaun Chamberlin, Vandana Shiva, Jason Hickel, Kate Raworth, Nate Hagens and David Abram. Offered on a ‘pay what feels right’ basis.
A Dictionary for the Future and How to Survive It – The late David Fleming’s unique inter-linked holistic dictionary leads readers through an astonishing exploration of fields as diverse as culture, history, science, art, logic, ethics, myth, economics, and anthropology, all unfolding a basis for satisfying, culturally-rich lives well lived through the collapse Fleming foresaw. Now available completely free in custom online format.
Earth and Humanity: Myth and Reality – Nate Hagens (2021: 2:52) – An update to the state of humanity and our interactions with the natural world…”a no holds barred listing of 33 cultural myths that are leading us astray, contrasted with our biophysical reality.”
Reality 101 – Video series (also easily accessible HERE) by Nate Hagens and The Institute for the Study of Energy and Our Future (4.5 hours) the fundamentals of the human predicament.
Restoration and Reciprocity – Robin Wall Kimmerer (2021: 1 hr program, 25 min Q&A)
Awakening from the Meaning Crisis – John Vervaeke – (50 hour-long dynamic lectures) Notes and transcripts here. Also here.
Good Grief Network – 10-steps for personal resilience and empowerment in a changing climate: This 10-step program helps individuals and communities build resilience by creating spaces where people can lean into their painful feelings about the state of the world and reorient their lives toward meaningful action. “Must see/hear” post-doom with LaUra Schmidt and Aimee Lewis-Reau (Video / Audio)
The Work that Reconnects Network – Tools and trainings grounded in the work of Joanna Macy – The Work that Reconnects helps people discover and experience their innate connections with each other and the self-healing powers of the web of life, transforming despair and overwhelm into inspired, collaborative action. “Must see or hear” post-doom convo, “To Collapse Well” (Video / Audio)
Warriors for the Human Spirit, with Margaret J. (Meg) Wheatley – “When We See Clearly, We Can Act Wisely: Lessons Learned from Warriors for the Human Spirit – June 2021 Seminar Series Recordings & Additional Resources” (Password: OpenAccess) / 2022 Warriors Training / “Must see or hear” post-doom convo between Meg Wheatley and Terry Patten (Video / Audio)
Living Resilience Resources (curated by Dean Spillane-Walker) – An excellent collection of annotated text, video, and audio resources related to ecological overshoot, abrupt climate change, collapse, resilience, adaptation, and related subjects. Highly recommended!
Documentaries
Living in the Time of Dying (2020: 53 min)
Once You Know (2020: 1:44) Preview screener (password: “Collapse”)
There’s No Tomorrow: Energy and Limits to Growth: (2012: 35 min)
Bright Green Lies: Clean Energy Has a Dirty Secret (2021: 1:11) Discussion
Grid Down Power Up (2022: 56 min)
Planet of the Humans: Jeff Gibbs, Ozzie Zehner, Michael Moore: (2020: 1:40) Discussion / Response to critics
What a Way to Go: Life at the End of Empire (2011: 2:05)
Facing Adversity: Choosing Earth, Choosing Life (2021: 70 min)
BBC: Global Dimming, Aerosol Masking Effect (2007: 49 min)
The Age of Stupid (2009: 1:29)
End CIV – Resist or Die (2011: 1:15)
Pumped Dry: The Global Crisis of Vanishing Groundwater (2018: 1:04)
Surviving Progress (2011: 1:22) Narrated by Ronald Wright, author of A Short History of Progress
Four Horsemen (2012: 1:39)
Growing Pains: The Ecological Cost of an Insatiable Economy (2019: 48 min)
The Crisis of Civilization – Full Length Documentary (2012: 1:17)
Where Are We Going – Nate Hagens (2018: 1:18)
Blind Spot – Peak Oil and the Coming Global Crisis (2008 – 1:26)
Disobedience (2016 Full Movie: 41 min)
Final Warning Limits to Growth (2015: 42 min)
Call of Life: Facing the Mass Extinction (2010: 1:20)
The Cross of the Moment – by Jacob Freydont-Attie (2015: 1:24)
Climate Change Film: If You Love Your Children (2014: 22 min)
Collapse (2009: 1:21) Michael Rupert’s story and insider perspectives (also here)
Accelerated Crash Course – Chris Martenson (2014: 56 min)
Living in the Future’s Past (2018: 1:23) Jeff Bridges and Nate Hagens
Pumped Dry: The Global Crisis of Vanishing Groundwater – USA TODAY (2018: 1:04)
Abandoned — SW Detroit Hospital (2018: 11 min)
If You Love Your Children – award-winning short film on climate change (2014: 22 min)
*** Reddit Collapse (r/collapse) Collaborative Playlist (300+ videos… Some great stuff here!!)***
Abrupt Climate Mayhem (Tipping Points)
HBO “The Newsroom” EPA Segments (2014: 8-min) Start here!
Mazz Alone – Ken Avidor (2019: 23-min)
Abrupt, Irreversible Climate Change – Guy McPherson (2022: 19 min) and Paths to Extinction (2021: 1 hr)
Abrupt Climate Change: The World Tour – Robert Hunziker (2020 – 1 hr)
Ongoing Abrupt Climate Change and Consequences – Meteorologist Nick Humphrey (2019: 27 min)
Biosphere and Climate Emergency – Dr. Peter Carter AGU (2021: 36 min)
Overshoot: On the Virtues of Self-delusion—or maybe not! – Dr. William Rees for CACOR (2021: 1hr + Q&A)
Abrupt Climate System Change Mayhem – Paul Beckwith for CACOR (2021: 1 hr) More, including COP26 (1hr)
Living in the Time of Dying – Dahr Jamail, Jem Bendell, Catherine Ingram, Stan Rushworth (2020: 53 min)
Unstoppable Collapse: How to Avoid the Worst – Michael Dowd (2021: 70 min)
Lectures and Interviews
Collapse in a Nutshell: Understanding Our Predicament – Michael Dowd (2021: 33 min)
Overshoot in a Nutshell: Understanding Our Predicament – Michael Dowd (2021: 31 min)
Living in the Time of Dying – Michael Shaw (Revised in 2022: 53 min)
Collapse: The Only Realistic Scenario – Arthur Keller (2019: 29 min)
Humanity: The Final Chapter – Dr. B. Sidney Smith (2018: 1:26)
How to Enjoy the End of the World – Dr. B. Sidney Smith (2019: 1 hr)
Ecological Consciousness, a keynote address for a Children Now symposium – Dr. B. Sidney Smith (2021: 23 min)
Why do societies collapse? – Jared Diamond’s 2003 TED talk (3 million views as of Feb 2022)
Restoration and Reciprocity – Robin Wall Kimmerer (2021: 1 hr program, 25 min Q&A)
Overshoot: On the Virtues of Self-delusion—or maybe not! – Dr. William Rees for CACOR (2021: 1hr plus Q&A)
Biosphere and Climate Emergency – Dr. Peter Carter AGU (2021: 36 min)
Energy Dead-Ends: Green Lies, Climate Change and Chaotic Transitions – Andrew Nikiforuk (2021: 1:19)
Anxiety from climate change isn’t going away. Here’s how you can manage it – NPR Life Kit (2021: 17 min)
A Short History of Progress – 2004 CBC Massey Lectures (AUDIO), by Ronald Wright (Five 54-min episodes)
Earth and Humanity: Myth and Reality – Nate Hagens (2021: 2:52)
2020-2030 — Navigating a Path Between Fantasy and Doom – Nate Hagens (2020: 35 min presentation, 35 min Q&A)
The Human Predicament – Nate Hagens (2019)
The Collapse of Civilization and the New World – Richard Grannon (2021: 1:44)
Arithmetic, Population, And Energy – Albert Bartlett (2002: 1:14)
Why Societies Collapse And What it Means for Us – Joseph A. Tainter (2010: 1:33)
Unfixable: Welcome to the New Abnormal – Chris Martenson (2011: 1:12)
Energy, Money and Technology – From the Lens of the Superorganism – Nate Hagens (2018: 1:20)
Blindspots & Superheroes: Living within Limits – Nate Hagens (2017: 1:22)
Global Warming: Its Impact on Our Planet, Our Home – Dr. Richard Gammon (2019: 1:07)
Why Everything Will Collapse (2017: 15 min)
Revealing the Naked Emperor – Paris, 2° & Carbon Budgets – Kevin Anderson (2018: 1:36)
Post Carbon Institute – many excellent videos
Podcasts
Center for Action and Contemplation (Richard Rohr)
Collapse Chronicles (Sam Mitchell)
Crazy Town (Post Carbon Institute)
Humpty Dumpty Tribe (“Hambone Littletail”: Sam Mitchell)
Indigenous Podcasts (also, here, here, and here)
Living Resilience (Dean Spillane-Walker)
Nature Bats Last (Guy McPherson) also here and here
Planet: Critical (Rachel Donald)
Poetry of Predicament (Dean Spillane-Walker)
Resistance Radio (Derrick Jensen)
The Great Simplification (Nate Hagens)
Embracing Individual & Collective Mortality
Meaningful, Science-based Views of Impermanence and Death – Inspiring video, audio, and text resources and rituals related to understanding mortality and death from an evidential, religious naturalist perspective, created by Connie Barlow and Michael Dowd.