The Core
What's the Anthropocene? Set up and start lifelong learning.
So you want to start a program of lifelong learning for the sake of being a good human in the Anthropocene? How to go about that?
Here’s a first cut plan. If, in the long run, there will evolve a “curriculum” with a Core and — expanding out from there — spokes or paths, what is that Core?
Here are four possible things:
What is “the Anthropocene” anyway?
How can I set up a system for myself as an autodidact (= self-learner)?
What should I start learning, actual content?
What journaling practice might help?
What is the Anthropocene?
You know how when you get your head buried in something, you myopically can assume the rest of the world must know all about it? This all-consuming (for you), all-important Thing? And then you find out they really don’t know.
And why should they?!
That happened to me in the past week with “the Anthropocene,” as Thing. Sure, people have heard of climate change, probably they know a bit about biodiversity loss, undoubtedly they’re aware of the evils of waste and pollution. It makes sense that humans, as a species, have had an increasingly large impact on planetary systems as we’ve grown in population, technology, globalization, land use. But it turns out there are plenty of people who’ve never heard of “the Anthropocene,” this new geological era named after our species.
인정. Acknowledged. Totally understandable.
And yet, I’ll stake a claim that more people should know. If you’re part of the human species, even a 1 in 8 billion tiny part, it’s about you. If you live in a developed country, your impact is manifold (many thousandfold). No guilt. It’s a simple matter of acknowledging reality. 인정. That’s Korean (“in-jong”) for “acknowledged, 10-4, roger that.”
The first step in building Core competency for humans who want to be good people in the Anthropocene is, simply, to get a basic sense of what’s involved.
Because we’re talking, literally, the whole planet and human activities everywhere, we need some means for radical simplification. (Since it’s equally the case that any scheme of simplification will be radically over-simplified, it will also have to be revisable at any point.) For my own use, I came up with a four-part division that captures my perspective and priorities. I call my ad hoc divisions A1, A2, A3, A4 for short.
A1 is for big megatrends that, in effect, define the Anthropocene as a long term, historical phenomenon. Megatrends are the hockey-stick shaped exponential graphs that track human population growth, energy use, economic growth, climate change, biodiversity loss, landform transitions, and so on. A1 is all about large scale changes over time.
A2 is for “places and cases” at large or small scale to do with land and water use. Humans now occupy, control, or impact the vast extent of planetary surface on both land and sea. Agriculture, forests, parks & reserves, urban and suburban spaces, oceans, waterways — as places where humans extract or harvest resources and build and live in developed communities, and where wild non-human creatures still inhabit and roam their own spaces, which now desperately require protection and conservation — these are the spatially oriented topics of A2.
A3 is for the human economy, broadly understood, ideally to become circular. What are the day-to-day processes humans use for resource extraction, manufacturing, distribution, consumption, and waste? How can they be better? Is technology the answer? Most of what we actually do as a species, that impacts the environment, revolves around our “economy,” literally the “laws of management of the household” (oikos, nomos). Improving material human welfare sustainably amidst increasingly vast and complex interactions with the planet is the set of topics for A3.
A4 is the less material side of human activity, the other side of the coin of A3. What philosophical, cultural, ethical, political, artistic resources are there, including from human history, to draw upon as we try, as a species, to understand and re-orient in an overwhelming new human-driven era? One inquiry concerns whether or not, and how, ancient wisdom traditions — philosophical or religious — might provide insight and guidance. Another concern is uniquely modern, on PPE topics: philosophy, political thought, economic thought. How can we better “think what we are doing” (Arendt) to be good humans in the Anthropocene?
To grasp the basics of the Anthropocene starts with A1 and a brief, general survey of selected topics or case studies in A2, A3, and A4.
For A1, people who like data and empirical evidence will appreciate the big, historical megatrends presented at websites like Our World in Data. I recommend every human have a look at that website, or something equivalent, to get a sense of how the Anthropocene might be measured, and what ongoing concerns are most visible in an aggregated macro sense.
A2 and A3 are best approached piecemeal, according to location and interest. For A2, spatial usage, unless you live near an ocean or major river or sea (in which case, pick that), start with a country of interest, or your own or a favorite state or province in the US or other geographically large nation. Pick out one or two major issues affecting that place. Attend to local news. Look at maps!
For A3, human economy, pick an industry: food; clothing or textiles; agriculture or gardening; building technologies; transportation; urban planning; energy. Or pick one of the SDGs (Sustainable Development Goals). What human processes or markets grab your attention? Are they linear (“take, make, waste”), or moving circular? In your layperson estimation, with limited knowledge, are they just? Or unjust?
A4, the non-material side of human activity, is tricky. It may be the most important of all. Try asking two questions:
Who has the most wisdom for how to live a good human life? It could be “for all times” or it could be “in our present confusion.” Where have they written or communicated their wisdom? What do they pay most attention to? What principles do they offer for a well-navigated life?
Which human institutions or systems currently face great challenges and are directly involved in coping with contemporary issues? For example, here at Pose Ponder, lately, I’ve been concerned with whether and how democracy as a political institution, will be able to cope with the Anthropocene.
Which of the four areas: A1, A2, A3, A4 feels most compelling to pursue further?
Or would you prefer a different framing? Draw a picture of “the Anthropocene” as you see it personally right now — just whatever you know, or can guess about it — as a challenge for yourself and your family, friends, colleagues, and community? Now divvy up what you drew into a short list of categories. Which parts of the picture are most detailed and vivid? What might you like to tackle?
If you could paint a different picture, for the future, what would that look like?
How to set up for lifelong learning?
Next for the learning part. It’s unlikely, given the scientific, technological, and technical aspects, that any single human person has innate knowledge or wisdom up to the task of figuring out “how to be a good human” as such. That means learning will be involved. Before deciding what to learn, there’s the matter of setting yourself up for success, to make learning possible and productive, over the long term. How will you remember things? Figure out how learning one thing leads to learning the next thing? Who to read or listen to, who to talk to, who to do things with? How to put new knowledge into practice?
These are not trivial questions. You will (and should) struggle with them.
In any case, you’ll need a system. Luckily, getting a basic workable system together to start is not hard.
I suggest the following.
Start with a journal. Write by hand or in an app. I do both. I have a paper journal, and I scribble on my iPad, and I use an app called Diarly, which holds both my electronic scribbles and typed entries. Whatever method you choose, it’s important you like it aesthetically. It appeals to you. You’re delighted to pick it up, or turn it on, and just write. Your journal is for your eyes only.
Second, you need a place to keep notes for what you learn from others. I suggest using some sort of PKM (personal knowledge management) platform, if you’re serious about a lifelong learning effort. There are simple notes apps, but the more information you collect, the more you’ll struggle to keep it organized and useful, and the more you’ll appreciate more sophisticated tools. There are plenty of PKM options out there, and plenty of criteria to apply when choosing. Don’t overthink it. If you need a few pointers, reach out.
Probably you’ll need a task or project manager. I keep mine separate from my PKM because, for me, this app contains a lot of ephemeral stuff, information I use day to day and week to week, but that I could easily throw away at any point and not be incapacitated for than a month. I don’t want everyday details overwhelming the content I keep permanently in my notes. You probably already have a planner or to-do list. Just start with that.
The last item is optional and depends on your personality and background. People who like a data approach to knowing and understanding may want to use a spreadsheet or other app that keeps records, with strictly itemized fields. Some PKMs offer this functionality. Otherwise, use a spreadsheet (Excel, Google) or a platform like Airtable or SmartSuite. However, unless you already use spreadsheets to track things like reading or writing, or you’re a data analyst by trade (in which case you already know your tools), I would wait on setting up any kind of data-y (database) repository until you know clearly what you need — or if you really need a data approach in the first place.
There are other considerations, like tools to “capture” information and to creatively produce content of your own, whether in writing or another format — i.e. tools for input and output. We’ll save those for another day. You probably already have some favorites that you use already.
What to start learning?
Once you have a basic idea of the Anthropocene and a few potential angles to explore, and you have a basic set-up to keep track of things, start! Dive in. There’s no other way, really. Down the road are all kinds of nuances, from creating a more intentional content scope to processing information and keeping notes, to working up a full blown techne (a framework of knowledge and practice), to putting knowledge into use. For now, the only really important thing is to start.
For most people, there are two easy options.
Take an online course.
Start reading.
For the course route, pick a topic that grabs you and look through “Friday resources” here on Pose Ponder, or look to another favorite newsletter or publication, or ask on Reddit, or Google it. Find a short, high quality online course. Coursera (or edX) are good options with a lot of choices.
If you choose to read, decide on your best format. Will you read (primarily) online articles, including Wikipedia and other reference information, or books? In either case, read recommendations and reviews, experienced and qualified authors, and (for articles) trustworthy sites, channels, or publications. Make a note of people (authors, writers, podcasters, video producers) you come to respect. Look for them across platforms. See who they read and cite, and who is influenced by them. Don’t waste time on content that is too technical or confusing or — conversely — too emotional, politicized, catastrophic, or overloaded with unconstructive complaint.
If you’re stuck or uncertain, I’d be happy to help you suss out what might be worthwhile, or to help do a little research to find a good direction.
In any case, drop a comment about what you’ll learn next.
Weekly Journal
Finally, break out your new journal and write weekly. (I journal on Sunday mornings early.) Here are four prompts. Write on any one or all four of them, at least a sentence or two.
The goal is big picture orientation and — not to put it too finely — nothing less, ultimately, than the cultivation of virtue. We’re trying to be good humans.
Why do I care about issue ____, and what might it look like to be a good (better) human with respect to it?
What’s one thing I learned this week that struck me? (It can come from any direction, not necessarily intentional learning. Pay attention to serendipity.)
How can I make my learning system better?
What habits might I cultivate? What’s one small change I could make that would catalyze ongoing self-improvement, or modify my environment, to learn better or act (do) better?
That’s plenty for now!
Want more on lifelong learning for the Anthropocene? Watch this space, and feel free to comment or reach out.
