Staying with the Trouble - Donna Haraway [chapter two part-digest]

 In chapter two of Staying with the Trouble, Haraway writes that human life being seen as ‘greater than’ (everything else) is no longer a viable way of thinking. “Seriously unthinkable: not available to think with” (Haraway 2016 pp.30). A prominent theme within this book, and Haraway’s writing as a whole is that the individualist viewpoint has run its course and is no longer an appropriate or responsible way to think and perceive the world.

Moreover, within this chapter, Haraway goes into a little detail on the terms that can be used to describe this current epoch; Anthropocene, Capitalocene, and Chthulucene. The latter being of Haraway’s own design, and the one which she believes to be the most pertinent. I shall however, for now, explore the first two.

On the Anthropocene, the most widely used of the three, Haraway outlines the term first arising in the 80s, picking up traction in the 2000s, and by 2008 being used universally to describe the era of globalisation which has surpassed the Holocene. We find ourselves on very thin ice here, whilst trying desperately not to slip into climate nihilism as Haraway references her findings as to why renewables are seen as the last resort in the eyes of energy businesses; where there is melting ice, there is money. However, in an uplifting twist, Haraway writes of a complex systems engineer, Brad Werner, and his address to the American Geophysical Union in 2012 which can be summed up by saying that “our entire economic paradigm is a threat to ecological stability” This, in turn, can be surmised with a call to ‘revolt’ –a demand to think. It matters what we use to think with, but “how to matter and not just want to matter?” (Haraway 2016 pp.47).

The Capitalocene. Here Haraway begins by arguing that “the Anthropos did not do this fracking things and he should not name this double-death-loving-epoch.” Haraway is essentially detailing that because of the age old trope that mankind is the most navel gazing, narcissistic creature of all, of course we would name this current era after ourselves. It is important to distinguish here that Haraway (2016 pp.49) is not just arguing her objections to the term, but also to the Anthropocene as a “tool, story or epoch to think with”. She describes that the ‘Anthropocene’ is not invested in ongoingness, it is mankind obsessed, it is exceptionalist, and speaks of utilitarian individualism, it excludes other forms of history, it is almost impossible to revolt within, the sciences within the term do not meld well together, and finally, it is elitist, excluding swathes of classes, cultures and people. The Anthropocene culture “saps our capacity imaging and caring for other worlds (…) and those we need to bring into being in alliance with other critters, for still possible recuperating pasts, presents and futures.” (Haraway 2016 pp.50) If a poor reading of this text was undertaken, there could be an argument here for Haraway trying to excuse humans of the climate catastrophe, however, to take that away from this text is ridiculous. Haraway is saying that yes; we have provoked this, but if we are to believe in ongoingness and are truly sincere in our desire to revolt, change our thinking and repair; then we need to include other creatures in the dialogue.

The Capitalocene is a much more pertinent example and description of our current world as “a dark bewitched commitment to the Lure of Progress (lashing) us to endless infernal alternatives, as if we had no other ways to reworld, reimagine, relive and reconnect with each other, in multispecies well-being” (Haraway 2016 pp.50-51). This does not excuse us, nor does it constrict us, we must revolt and wash ourselves of our layers of learned behaviours and habits - we must forget what we know about our world, these things called Modernization and Progress, and remain in the idea that “another world is not only urgently needed, it is possible” (Haraway 2016 pp.51).

 

In my next blog post I will look into Haraway’s invention of the Chthulucene and more on her ‘making kin’ narrative.