Storytelling

From the early Anthropocene to the good or the bad Anthropocene

Datos Bibliográficos

ID4871175
AutoresJan Kunnas (0000-0002-9433-0865, KTH Royal Institute of Technology, autor de correspondencia)
Año2017
Volumen4
Número2
Páginas136-150
Fecha de publicación2017-08-01
Peer ReviewedSí
Open AccessSí
TipoARTICLE
RevistaThe Anthropocene Review (JOURNAL)
Identificadores de la revistaISSN: 2053-0196 • E-ISSN: 2053-020X
EditorialSAGE Publications Inc (PUBLISHER)
DOI10.1177/2053019617725538
OpenAlexW2749528095
IdiomaEN
Citas recibidas13
Referencias citadas65

This paper examines whether the Anthropocene can be a helpful metaphor for holistic understandings of human impacts on the Earth. I argue that for this, splitting the Anthropocene into several consecutive stages would be helpful, and suggest a multistage Anthropocene: the early Anthropocene, the first acceleration phase, the post-1950 Great Acceleration, and finally the good or the bad anthropocene depending on whether humans take decisive action in time that ensures us staying within planetary boundaries. This reframing uses the power of storytelling by presenting a multifaceted picture of human agency in the Anthropocene, provides a deep framing that is positive and supports action, and provides clear signals on the direction in which we are moving. It puts humans back in their rightful place on Earth - as one of many species, although with large power for the good or the bad, and the responsibilities this brings

Action (physics · Agency (philosophy · Anthropocene · Archaeology · Art · Cognitive reframing · Earth system science · Environmental ethics · Framing (construction · Geography · Literature · Metaphor · Narrative · Social science · Sociology · Storytelling · Climate Change Communication and Perception · Global Energy and Sustainability Research · History · Philosophy · Psychology · Social Psychology · Space Science and Extraterrestrial Life · Geology · Oceanography