Rebecca Solnit: Hope Is a Discipline – On Being Present and Committing to the Future

In her talk, Rebecca Solnit explores the concept of hope and activism in the face of uncertainty, particularly relating to climate change. She discusses how even so-called “failed” actions can have lasting, transformative impacts, changing the conversation and laying the groundwork for future successes. Drawing on examples like the Dakota Access Pipeline protests and the election of Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, Solnit argues that activism’s indirect consequences can be just as meaningful as direct victories. She delves into the story of Greta Thunberg and how her activism impacted individual choices in Switzerland, emphasizing that the journey itself shapes the path forward. “Walker, there is no road. The road is made by walking,” she quotes Hope Is a Discipline – On Being Present and Committing to the Future poet Antonio Machado, stressing the importance of action even when the outcome is uncertain. Solnit touches upon how shifts in public consciousness are also victories, referring to changes in conversations around jobs and the environment, sparked by the Green New Deal. She encourages embracing uncertainty and “cathedral thinking,” where the foundation is laid without knowing all the details of the eventual outcome. This long-term, incremental perspective is essential for tackling large, complex issues like climate change. Her ultimate message is that inaction is a choice too, one that helps determine future outcomes. “You’re not just accepting a given outcome by doing nothing. You’re participating in deciding what the outcome is,” Solnit says, urging everyone to partake in shaping the future.