Uncertain Future Forum

In July 2019 Resilience.org hosted Post Carbon Institute’s Uncertain Future Forum—an essay conversation on timely, controversial, under-exposed topics related to humanity’s sustainability predicament.

This Forum’s topic was:

If collapse is imminent, how do we respond?

Whether or not we avoid the worst-case climate scenarios, the collapse of some aspects of modern human society may now be inevitable—and imminent. From unavoidable sea-level rise to the economic and social upheaval driven by the crossing of planetary boundaries and the energy transition, it’s clear there will be no smooth transformation to a bright-green new order. How can we grapple with—and talk about—the reality that our ecological, economic, and social systems are rapidly changing in some frightening ways beyond our control? What should we do in our families, our communities, our nation?

Each day featured a new, original essay from one of four invited contributors: investigative journalist Dahr Jamail, sociologist and community activist Meghan Kallman, poet Taylor Brorby, and renowned indigenous rights advocate Winona LaDuke. The first week featured their responses to the topic; the second week featured their reactions to—and inspirations sparked by—each other’s essays. On the final day, Post Carbon Institute’s Asher Miller wrote a reflection on the essays and the comments that our readers contributed.

Scroll down or click here to read the final essay.

Week 1: Contributors’ responses to the forum topic
- Monday July 15, “Dancing with Grief” by Dahr Jamail
- Tuesday, July 16, “Turning Toward Each Other” by Meghan Kallman
- Wednesday, July 17, “The Disabled Planet” by Taylor Brorby
- Thursday, July 18, “The Seventh Fire” by Winona LaDuke
- Friday, July 19, “Responding to Collapse: Uncertain Future Forum’s First Week” by Daniel Lerch, Editor
Week 2: Contributors’ responses to each other’s essays
- Monday, July 22, “On Listening to the Earth” by Dahr Jamail
- Tuesday, July 23, “Three Practices for a Time of Crisis” by Meghan Kallman
- Wednesday, July 24, “Biting the Hand That’s Fed Me” by Taylor Brorby
- Thursday, July 25, “Find Your Mettle” by Winona LaDuke
- Friday, July 26, “Responding to Collapse: Uncertain Future Forum Wrap-Up” by Asher Miller, Executive Director

Image credits:
(All images are licensed under Creative Commons.)
Main page banner and Daniel Lerch post image: fire vortex (by-nc-nd) Chandler Hummell, via flickr
Dahr Jamail posts image: steel wool (by-nd) Katherine Hodgson, via flickr
Meghan Kallman posts image: control glow (by) darkday, via flickr
Taylor Brorby posts image: steel wool long exposure (by) matthewwu88, via flickr
Winona LaDuke posts image: steel wool snake (by-nc-nd) Muhammad Elarbi, via flickr
Asher Miller post image: playing with fire (by) Paul Morgan, via flickr

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