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Hey. Lauren here. Dropping in like I have no idea how to ride this wave (because I don’t!) but I sure as hell am trying. It’s been a long time since I’ve written. This entire year, to be honest, has been quiet in terms of creative inspiration. That’s alright. That’s the reality for me right now, but I’m consciously making an effort to embrace the little bouts of motivation when they come. Today, I wanted to explore the idea of collective transformation and community because this is resonating with not only my class discussions but also with the way I want to approach this wave of my academic journey.

Collective Transformation - what does that even mean? To break it down into its simplest form, collective transformation (to me) means to embrace change and take action as part of a community. You have the benefit of absorbing the passion, motivation, and intention of like-minded people when you align with a mission, so even when your personal motivation levels are low and you are confused about what you alone can do next, you can turn to your community and take direction.

What is another way to embark on a journey of change? Individual action. This is a much more independent, self-motivated train of action, in which the individual examines their own life and attempts to make changes based on individual beliefs/values/ethics. While powerful, this can often be a very isolating way to tackle change - especially big ones. I’ve noticed that a lot of what I’ve focused on with TGB the last few years has been individual action - things that you and you alone can do to reduce your impact on the environment. The underlying goal was always to encourage greater change through individual action (through the ripple effect), but I’m slowly realizing there is a more powerful way to frame our thoughts and source our sense of motivation. We are humans, after all, and biologically built to seek and build connections.

Like I said, I realize this is something I’ve been focusing on with The Greenest Blue over the last few years. PERSONAL action. INDIVIDUAL beliefs. And while I still wholeheartedly believe that mindset shifts can and do come about on an individual basis, and that our individual actions can inspire and motivate others around us, I am also starting to actually internalize the idea that collective action holds so much more weight.

It is OKAY and even HIGHLY RECOMMENDED to lean on your community for support, for guidance, and for direction when you are lost.

In the world of academia that I’m in right now, I’m realizing it’s going to be so much easier to get through the ups and downs with peers to both lean on and share struggles with. And there are going to be a lot of ups and downs. So community isn’t only important for initiating effective change in conservation…it’s important for our mental health and our sense of belonging.

the rise of individualism

When did the thoughts of individualism first ignite? When did independence become so valued by society? Let’s take it back in time.

Individualism was a major theme of the enlightenment. Meaning “man is endowed with certain rights and liberties.” WOMEN TOO HELLO.

Ok. But how does that translate to modern society? Individualist cultures are awash in the Western world. They emphasize independence and uniqueness as cultural values. They conceive of people as self-directed and autonomous. Individualistic societies want their children to be more independent, and they value free expression. Statistical models have reached the conclusion that individualism has risen 12% since 1960. Why? There is an increase in socio-economic development, which leads to higher income, more education, urbanization, and a general shift toward white-collar jobs. An increase in these factors are shown to create a more individualistic attitude. Sounds like capitalism to me.

Collectivist cultures see people as embedded in a broader social context and as connected with others. They emphasize interconnectedness, family relationships, and social conformity. They focus on group goals and what is best for the community. They see beyond the individual’s needs to the greater good. I don’t know about you, but to me, that sounds like a recipe for really effective conservation action.

what’s the deal with the U.S.?

So here’s the deal…we (my fellow Americans) are living in a very individualistic nation. And I’ve long been applauding individual action as the way to go. Like I said, this IS important and can do wonders for your mindset and self-esteem. But what if we dove deeper than that and started to get more involved in the community groups that already exist? We all have individual gifts and talents to donate, and when we come together, we’re more powerful than ever.

This train of thought gained even more momentum while I was listening to an episode of one of my favorite podcasts, Green Dreamer, about purity politics in compromised times. Kamea (the host) and her guest Dr. Alexis Shotwell discussed how our individualistic pursuits and our cultural ideas of responsibility lead us to feel guilty when our personal actions don’t solve the big complicated problems we are facing. We are being asked, whether directly or indirectly, to hold impossible standards of perfection. No matter how much we strive for this, we’re likely to fail on our own, because we don’t see the changes on a bigger level. So we feel like failures - some of us may even stop caring. A bunch of sad, dejected people wandering around forlornly isn’t helpful for the planet. So what’s more effective? Joining hands.

community action and mental health

I also want to note that this conversation is somewhat confusing for me when I approach it from a mental health standpoint. Everything I’ve been absorbing from my spiritual work over the last few years has been emphasizing my ability to thrive on my own, completely independently of anyone else. Everything I need is inside of me. I still love this thought, and I’m trying to find a way to integrate this with my revised view on community action. Perhaps being a part of a community enhances our individual completeness. Elevates it. Takes it to the next level. Maybe we can still be content with being our own individual, but recognize all the good that comes from being with others, too. They don’t need to be exclusive. And perhaps setting our boundaries and values at the individual level can help us to thrive more fully at the collective level.

So when it comes to conservation action, then, what’s the perfect blend? Understand your values. Understand your passion. Figure out how you’d like to get invovled. And then see what work is being done in that field in your neighborhood, and get involved. Even if it’s simple. Even if you’re an introvert and it’s hard because sometimes you’d rather sit at your computer and write about your ponderings than go out and do shit (I KNOW, sis, ME TOO).

I know it’s been a while, and there is absolutely an aching void in me that I used to fill with writing that I now fill with…overthinking. I’m working on NOT doing that. So maybe the next time my mind starts whirling, I’ll sit my ass right back down here and say hello :)

Loz
Photos are taken by me and my friends, and are a random collection of my favorites from the past several months.