Environment, degrowth and happiness: Serena Dandini’s review of Latouche’s book

Serena Dandini (photo by Gianmarco Chieregato).

S.Are we finally running for cover? Who knows … I still don’t know if the latest shocking atmospheric phenomena that have hit the whole world without sparing our beautiful Italy they have begun to crack that wall of indifference towards the climate issue.

There are still those who enjoy mocking Greta Thunberg, calling him “Gretina”thus hoping to exorcise a reality that is now too evident to continue burying one’s head in the sand.

We are frightened by reproaches like children discovered with their hands in jam but the politics that should guide us and above all look forward to ensuring a future for our children is slow and slave to a propaganda that exploits other themes to grab the votes in the short term.

As I write this, I still don’t know who will have won the election. But it doesn’t matter why in the programs of each side the fight against climate change is – with a few pale exceptions – totally ignored. Yet we can no longer pretend nothing has happened.

Climate change, the four risks that Europe will have to face

Do-it-yourself degrowth

We laughed sarcastically when philosophers and scientists advised us to contain our consumerist voracity by implementing a reasoned “degrowth” to stem the slope, and now we stare in amazement at the stratospheric bills that undermine industries and families.

Now we gladly accept to lower temperatures and limit the use of washing machines for a late do-it-yourself decreaseinvoking the advent of alternative energies as new deities capable of saving us from impending disaster.

“Frugal abundance as an art of living. Happiness, gastronomy and degrowth “by Serge Latouche (Bollati Boringhieri)

It is never too late to change course and demand certain and urgent answers from politics, but even our personal efforts, although they seem like a useless drop in the ocean, can make a difference.

As the French economist reminds us Serge Latouche in his new essay Frugal abundance as an art of living. Happiness, gastronomy and degrowth (Bollati Boringhieri).

It is not too late

The author, like an unheard if not derided Cassandra, had warned us that the moment of collapse was upon us and that our very existence was turning into “consumerism and consumption of time, work and money”.

But it is still possible to rediscover the meaning of our life on Earth and with it happiness that every human being has always pursued for his time travel.

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Well-being is measured today with other valuesfirst of all the harmony with the environment and with the people we love: an ancient recipe that is more relevant than ever.

All the articles by Serena Dandini.

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