Sep 07 2011
Frances Moore Lappé Urges Activists To Change Mental Frames, Develop an “Ecomind”
With the increased intensity of hurricanes this season – a predicted outcome of global warming, the future of our planet looks grim. For those of us who embrace environmental justice, driving hybrid cars, recycling as fervently as possible, shopping for locally produced foods, or even working actively through political organizations, times are discouraging. We’re past the tipping point on global warming we’re told, and now is the time to not only stop fossil-fuel consumption, but also adapt to our changing climate. But Frances Moore Lappé, acclaimed author of the best-selling Diet for a Small Planet, says in her latest book EcoMind, “central to our ability to solve a problem is how we perceive the challenge, how we frame it— that “seeing” determines our capacity for doing, and certainly for effective doing.” The award-winning thinker and philosopher takes on the seven most common frames for viewing the world that she says “trap” us into being less effective activists. Among the “thought traps” are using phrases like “economic growth and consumerism is bad for the planet,” that “the earth is running out of resources,” that “human beings are selfish and greedy and we have to overcome our human nature to save the planet,” etc. Frances Moore Lappé challenges the frames and language we use to offer positive solutions that can help us develop what she calls an “EcoMind.”
GUEST: Frances Moore Lappé is the author of EcoMind: Changing the Way We Think, to Create the World We Want (Nation Books, 2011) and 17 other books including the best-selling Diet for a Small Planet which sold 3 million copies. She is the co-founder of three national organizations that explore the roots of hunger, poverty and environmental crises, as well as solutions now emerging worldwide through what she calls Living Democracy. With her daughter Anna Lappé, she co-directs the Small Planet Institute based in Cambridge, Massachusetts.
Frances Moore Lappé will be discussing her book Ecomind on Wednesday September 7th at 7 pm at All Saints Church in Pasadena, 132 North Euclid Avenue, Pasadena, CA 91101.
3 Responses to “Frances Moore Lappé Urges Activists To Change Mental Frames, Develop an “Ecomind””
wonderful interview!
I got quite a bit out of this interview. I saw a lot of parallels between this framing technique and cognitive behavioral therapy, which is a framework that psychologists use to help people address psychological disorders the same way as the author is addressing solving social and environmental problems.
I would encourage anyone who found this interview interesting to do some research into that paradigm, since the psychological discourse on it is very developed and provides a lot of useful exercises and techniques for encouraging positive and rational approaches to problem-solving. Even though they’re focused on behavioral disorders, much of it is very easily applicable to effective activism. David D. Burns writes some really good books on the subject.
Thank you for the interview with Dr. Lappe. Can you please post the quote from Susan Osborn, referenced in Lappe’s book that you read on “Sonali’s Subversive Thought for the Day” ?? I am a teacher and I would like to forward that to others. I listened to the interview but couldn’t find it.