Chapter 1: The Weight of Plastic Pollution

Every year, approximately 14 million tons of plastic waste make their way into our oceans. Microplastics have infiltrated our atmosphere, the air we inhale, and the food we consume, with traces even found within the human body. Meanwhile, as we enjoy a meal of beef and soy, around 5 square kilometers of the Amazon rainforest are razed to accommodate this production.

In seeking terms that more accurately reflect the root causes of our environmental crises, I found that concepts like cognitive dissonance and derealization encapsulated the situation best.

The global economic and technological frameworks are transforming Earth into a singular interconnected entity, fulfilling the ambition of modernity’s technological aspirations. However, this unification is achieved through a form of totalitarian violence, which commodifies natural processes, reducing the planet to mere resources for production. This results in a drastic transformation of a once-habitable world into a nonsensical fiction.

The supposed coherence of these global networks becomes absurd when faced with the increasing traumas inflicted upon our planet. Indigenous communities in South America must feel the disarray as the Amazon, a vital ecosystem for regulating the Earth's climate, is sacrificed for beef and soy production.

The SARS-CoV-2 pandemic serves as a stark reminder of the consequences of wildlife exploitation, human encroachment, and intensive livestock farming. With over 500 million confirmed cases and around 15 million deaths globally (according to WHO estimates), the pandemic's origins trace back to a blend of these factors in China.

Despite being part of a global pandemic warning network, China neglected essential protocols for reporting and quarantine, leading to widespread infection and severe disruptions in global supply chains. Countries were forced into increasingly authoritarian measures, struggling to manage surging infection rates. Even now, China continues to implement strict lockdowns, resulting in panic buying and food shortages for its citizens.

The current system we inhabit has made life increasingly precarious, turning our homes into fortresses.

This global totalization driven by techno-scientific materialism is built on ongoing apocalyptic events: deforestation, loss of biodiversity, environmental degradation, desertification, food production crises, global warming, extreme weather, and mass displacements. Each of these challenges obscures the true consequences of our actions, as we cling to a narrative that promises progress while leading us toward inevitable collapse.

The prevailing narrative suggests a future of mastery and progress, yet we continue to deny the reality of our self-destructive trajectory. Techno-scientific materialism has insidiously colonized our vision of the future, presenting a linear progression that blinds us to alternative possibilities.

How do we break free from this bleak outlook? Firstly, we must reject the linear historical narrative that techno-scientific materialism offers. Secondly, we must recognize that the future is manifesting now: the apocalypses are unfolding all around us, and the narratives of progress are mere delusions. Thirdly, we should abandon the totalizing future narrative that restricts our view of potential alternatives, allowing us to embrace a multitude of possible futures. Lastly, we must shift the paradigm from extinction to evolution—the evolution of human consciousness.

This evolution is crucial to overcoming the cognitive dissonance brought about by the adverse changes we face on Earth and in our societies. It requires a reversal of the moral decay that has led to the objectification of life and our impersonal relationships with one another and the planet. We must empower ourselves to shape the future and foster a diverse range of narratives that honor the planet's integrity. By doing so, we can transform our collective outlook and work towards restoring and advancing the full spectrum of human consciousness.

Chapter 2: The Absurd Fiction of Our Reality

In this video, titled "CHAPTER 04 METAMORPHOSIS | [#04] VANITY FAIR THE PURSUIT (13-08-2024)," we delve deeper into the themes of transformation and the absurdities we face in our modern world, illustrating the urgent need for a shift in consciousness and action.