Our Ecological Wisdom Research Institute Cooperative (hereinafter referred to as Saengjiyeon) is overflowing with independence, so we always publish more articles than we read. The book 『Imagine Degrowth』 was one of them, and I stocked it with enthusiasm because it was the first book with ‘degrowth’ as the keyword. I’ve had this book for just under a year, and I’m finally reading it as I write and produce the next book on degrowth.
In recent years, several translated books on degrowth have appeared (『Less is More』, 『Degrowth』, 『The Future is Degrowth』), signaling a trend. However, in reality, before the publication of 『Dictionary of Degrowth Concepts (Melko, 2018)』, there were almost no books on degrowth in Korea, except for some translations by Serge Latouche. That’s why 『Dictionary of Degrowth Concepts』 is a special book: you can feel the vastness of the broad plateau where dozens of authors connect the various possibilities of degrowth with 52 keywords. As we read this book together with Saengjiyeon for the first time, teacher Shin Seung-cheol said, “One day we should write a book like this together.” I remember what I did. And when I picked up the book that made that dream come true, I felt full of new emotions. Furthermore, remembering that three years ago, the authors of the 『Dictionary of Degrowth Concepts』 led the creation of a Barcelona-based degrowth university, the power and possibility of the ‘here and now’ lives in delay in discussing the establishment of a university university for ecological transition, I will look at it with pleasure.
The strength of this book is its diversity. Diversity seems to be the key to the potential of degrowth. Words like degrowth, land reform, alternative currency, social finance, Defense and Ritual, agriculture, technology, cooperatives, education, spirituality and circular community are weaving the warp and woof together. My head got hot as I read about alternative economic structures and social strategies for degrowth, and after reading stories about degrowth in everyday life and imagining various things, I returned to spirituality and reverently closed the book to a moment and I closed my eyes. There is much I would like to add to each author’s writing, but today I would like to talk about this diversity itself.
On the other side of diversity, we tell the story with the remaining regrets. I worried that the twenty-one different articles covering everything from economics to society to the future and spirituality might read half-heartedly. Whenever we talk about degrowth, feelings of frustration and desperation inevitably arise, but these feelings have a reason. This is because I have high expectations and desires for clear and clear projects, roadmaps, scenarios and strategies for degrowth. It’s frustrating that people misunderstand degrowth by saying, “Let’s take off our pants and get back to nature,” and it’s frustrating that they throw it around like it’s a magic word, but are helpless when asked, “So what do you want to do?” what to do with degrowth?” do. What is urgent for us is a clear, systematic and realistic alternative. No one will shake their head at this question. However, there is a more important issue. I will be able to solve the problem when I have little time?
There is one sentence in the book that held my attention the longest. “Time is not important. Only life is important (288, quoted from the film The Fifth Element (Luc Besson)).” Degrowth is a word that reminds us that the process is as important as the purpose. After realizing the climate crisis, the 1.5 degree hourglass that has been embedded in our minds seems to make us easily depressed and anxious. Therefore, many of us who call for degrowth live busy and anxiously replace our lives, as if they are affecting them. Five years ago, while I was reading the 『Dictionary of Degrowth Concepts』, 1.5 degrees was 7 years away. And as we enter the new year, we hear the news that it’s 1.5 degrees. Even if the Earth is judged terminal, we live today and wait for tomorrow. In the context of the urgency of the climate crisis, isn’t it true that only life matters?
It’s important to be aware of where I am and where we are and to feel a sense of space. Master Shin Seung-cheol wrote in the preface: “Furthermore, degrowth is not yet a reality but a potential state, and we can only access it if we use our imagination to the fullest (4)”. Let’s face it. We haven’t talked enough yet. I couldn’t imagine or draw anything beyond the slogan “get rid of it, get out of it.” And this is no reason to despair. I like Donna Haraway’s quote: “Stories are more powerful than ideology.” It is not that we do not know the importance of theory and discourse, but in order for them to enter us and become part of us, they must have a structure of translation or interpretation called history.
There’s no need to rush. If you follow the news relating to degrowth, you see signs everywhere that it is maturing from abstract discourse to the level of concrete strategies and movements. About half a century ago, in the 1970s, various criticisms of the limits to growth were dismissed as nonsense at the time, but have now become established facts and maxims to which we must pay attention. Of course, it appears we still have a long way to go to make potential degrowth a reality. And that path is not one that can be walked alone. As degrowth stories emerge en masse and their networks gradually become intertwined and increasingly dense, solutions will increase and perspectives, strategies, visions, scenarios and roadmaps for degrowth will be possible. It’s already like this. Now that the story has begun, it may not be long before an ideology forms.
Finally, I would like to talk about the process of writing the book. In the preface, teacher Shin Seung-cheol wrote a tribute to the authors (members, researchers and members): “The authors do not hesitate to leap beyond the limits of the times, in which they had no choice but to express themselves through the structure of the story dreamlike of ‘a certain time, a certain place, each of us’, to courageously take risks, imagine a different identity and talk about a new transitional society (5).” My eyes continue to linger on the last sentence about not hesitating. If I had received a preface like this I couldn’t help but be moved.
In fact, there was an opportunity to do so in the book “Signs of Degrowth in 2030,” which is the sequel to this book. However, when the teacher died last year, the book also got lost in the storm and found itself in trouble. Given the purpose of the book, which presents degrowth as a trend for 2024, it had to come out before the end of the year, but if things go as planned, such is life. To welcome the new year, an editor and designer volunteered among the writers, and with a new mindset, we created a title and summary and set sail. If you think about it, the very process of moving towards degrowth is like a degrowth journey. On this journey “time is not important. Because the phrase “Only life matters” resonates so much with me. The next book review will be of the new book, 『Degrowth (tentative title, forthcoming)』. We ask for your interest and expectations.
*This article will be published in Ecological Wisdom Research Institute media.
#Episode #Time #important #life #matters
