Learning To Die In The Anthropocene Summary

After reading and discussing “Learning to Die in the Anthropocene” I was left class thinking about it a lot. I really enjoyed the reading, but sort of left with the feeling that it was useless. While it clearly did not offer any practical solutions for climate change, I believe it offered an insight that can be incredibly powerful.
Science can tell us climate change is a problem and that x, y, and z will happen if we do not stop doing what we are doing. For the most part, we know this. It is, however, policy that actually makes the changes that will eventually counteract climate change. Climate change policy, in the United States specifically, has not been up to par. I have always wondered why? We have the facts. We know sea levels are rising and climate is changing. We know we are causing it. Why are we not counteracting it? The answer that I concluded is that, despite the facts, people still do not feel directly connected to the issue. …show more content…
The greatest challenge the Anthropocene poses may be to our sense of what it means to be human.” This line reveals to me the fact that Scranton does not just care about the literal effects of climate change anymore. He is focused on civilization in the face of climate change. He will go on to argue that civilization is already dead and whether one agrees with his thoughts or not, Scranton undoubtedly forces one to