The Herman Trend Alert

July 31, 2019

The Coming Sostalgia

Worldwide climate changes have caused a host of new mental conditions that is in his new book Earth Emotions, Philosopher Glenn Albrecht calls "psycho-terratic" diseases (psycho = mental; terratic = Earth). This new category of disease includes eco-anxiety, eco-paralysis, tierratrauma, acute environmental change leading to acute trauma, and global dread, the anticipation of a completely bleak future. Add to that list the most prevalent new psychological disorder, "sostalgia."

What is Sostalgia?

Sostalgia is the feeling of distress or melancholy caused by environmental change. Australian environmental philosopher Glenn Albrecht, created the term because it was "missing from our language."

Recognition for the Category

In 2017, the United Nations acknowledged mental health as a key measurement of the impact of climate change. Now, researchers have documented cases in communities in Appalachia, Africa, China, and Canada.

Albrecht is not Alone

Albrecht is not alone in his thinking. A particular a doctor in Western Australia, George Crisp taken interest in Albrecht's work. He is a member of Doctors for the Environment and has several patients who exhibit climate change-induced anxiety.

The Ideal Society

In his book, Albrecht offers a roadmap for how humans can eliminate negative climate change-induced emotions by creating a society that is in harmony with the natural world. He calls it "the Symbiocene."

Generation Z will lead the Way

Albrecht believes that Generation Z will lead the effort to stop human dominance over the natural world. They have already begun to oppose governments and multinational corporations that don't value the environment. The author points to the example of the actions of the Swedish 15-year-old Greta Thunberg, who started Europe's student climate strikes.

Unfortunately, Sostalgia will be with Is for the Foreseeable Future

Just as the outlook for reversing climate change looks bleak, so does the expectation for reducing the depression associated with these changes. Having talked about the fact that climate change is unlikely to abate, as we have reported in previous Herman Trend Alerts, I believe that humans will adjust to the "New Normal" and eventually, many will acclimate to the changes.

Special thanks to OZY.com for raising our consciousness to this new condition.

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