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Overview

Now that you have disconnected your digital assistants in fear they may take over the world, let’s dig a bit deeper into the themes from Absolutely Nothing of Any Meaning. 

The play asks a key question: despite the fact most of us believe in climate change, what prevents wide scale climate action? Climate psychology may explain some of this: see the "seven dragons of climate inaction" which include overwhelm and fear of changing the status quo. Another hidden barrier to action is the wealth of misinformation that prevents public discussion of climate impacts. Many big corporations, like fossil fuel companies or other types of extractive industries can attempt to influence political decision-making on climate and public opinion on these issues. 

This episode, like others in the series, explores how communities experience and react to climate change impacts, sometimes in irrational ways, and how bigger socio-political systems influence their lives, opinions and choices. 

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Opening the Discussion

Whether you are hosting a private or public event, consider allowing the audience a few moments to reflect on what they have heard and to quietly organize their thoughts before beginning a discussion. You could provide a general prompt to support their thinking:

• What are three words to describe your impressions of the play? 
• What insights did it provide (in relation to climate change)? 
• What parts surprised you or moved you? 

Consider spending a few minutes discussing some of the responses to these questions before transitioning to the discussion prompts below. 

(Note - we have a comprehensive guide on Hosting a Listening Party with lots more suggestions - click here).

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Discussion Prompts

• What are some of the things stopping the characters in the play from taking action on climate?
• In what ways have you acted on climate? Do you feel your actions are enough? If you think you should be doing more, what stops you?
• Do you feel anxiety about climate change? What are some self-care practices you undertake that help you deal with feelings of anxiety?
• In the play, a fictionalized Amazon intervenes to prevent the couple from noticing and acting on a climate emergency, and instead uses the situation to its benefit by encouraging the couple to make purchases. In what ways do you think some corporations have attempted to benefit from the climate crisis? How do they perpetuate it? 
• Think about your favourite brands or products. What are their stances on environmental issues? How can consumers hold corporations accountable for climate action? 

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Resources

To learn more about this issue, check out these resources below:

• The Psychology of Climate Change explores the evidence for our changing environment and suggests that there are significant cognitive biases in how we think about, and act on climate change. Buy this book here or borrow it from your public library.
• Climate & Mind is a great online resource to explore the relationship between climate change and human behavior. 
• Climate Change and Other Small Talk series creator and playwright Sunny Drake recommends the “Heated” newsletter. See their take on Big Oil and climate misinformation. 
• InfluenceMap maintains the world’s leading database of corporate and industry association lobbying of climate policy around the globe. Check them out here!
• The Guardian wrote a great piece about the “deceptive advertising” of oil companies. 

Check out our Take Action page for additional resources. 

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Take Action

Want to do more? Consider donating to these climate organizations or supporting their campaigns. 

• Wilderness Committee
• Dogwood BC
• 350.org

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