This is the second in my series of reflections on the “c-o-s-m-o-s remedy” proposed in opposition to the “ideology of e-s-c-a-p-e” by Jem Bendell in Deep Adaptation: Navigating the Realities of Climate Chaos (UK/USA 2021).

#1: Reflections on Compassion

In contrast to the habit of Surety or Certainty in e-s-c-a-p-e ideology, which involves thinking ‘I will define you and everything in my experience so that I feel calmer,’ Bendell proposes that Openness wishes ‘I will keep returning to be curious about as much as I can, however unnerving’ (p.146).

What is the openness that Bendell refers to?

According to Psychology Today: “Openness to experience, or simply openness, is a basic personality trait denoting receptivity to new ideas and new experiences. It is one of the five core personality dimensions that drive behavior—known as the five-factor model of personality, or the Big 5. People with high levels of openness are more likely to seek out a variety of experiences, be comfortable with the unfamiliar, and pay attention to their inner feelings more than those who are less open to novelty. They tend to exhibit high levels of curiosity and often enjoy being surprised. People with low levels of openness prefer familiar routines, people, and ideas; they can be perceived as closed-minded.”

In other words, openness is a trait we humans all possess, just in varying degrees. Moreover, we may be more open in one aspect, but less open in another. I’m more open to tolerating and accepting the beliefs of others, but less open to seeking new experiences and trying out new things. Thanks must go to my father who taught us how to relate with all kinds of people. In Guyana’s multiracial/multiethnic society, he had friends who were black, Chinese, East Indian, and Portuguese. Rich and poor alike. The young white British soldiers who dated our aunt, my mother’s youngest sister who lived with us for several years, were also welcome to Father’s house-parties on Sundays with his drinking buddies.

I don’t recall any Amerindian friends. This is not surprising, since few people of the minority indigenous population lived in the capital. During my convent years, I had the opportunity to live with the three Amerindian members of the community.

The City of Los Angeles, where I have been living for the past twenty years, is even more diverse than my birthplace in Georgetown, Guyana. I feel at home here. The apartment complex where I live is also rich in diversity. Unlike my white neighbors, not all the members of my collective white American family are inclusive. They fear losing their privileges as whites and being replaced by the growing non-white population. The ingrained belief of white supremacy does not change over one generation. My openness means little to those who hate me.

Here in the United States, we are also witnessing increased hate and violence towards our LGBTQ+ communities. This year alone, states nationwide have passed more than 75 laws outlawing a wide range of gender-related issues. While I had known three closeted gay men in Guyana, I did not develop close friendships until migrating to Brazil. My first gay Brazilian friend showed me the way to fitting into my new world and helped me to find my first job. Our enduring friendship opened my heart and mind towards the LGBTQ+ members of my collective American family. Who am I to judge and condemn another human being because of their sexual orientation or gender identity?

I am alarmed at the mounting antagonism among far-right conservatives against changing societal norms and values: anti-Critical Race Theory (CRT), anti-immigrant, anti-intellectual freedom, anti-LGBTQ+, anti-reproductive rights, anti-sex education, anti-social reform, anti-voting rights, anti-WOKE, and whatever. These anti-movements detract from what matters most during Earth’s climate and ecological crises.

A little bit more openness towards the Other can go a long way in bridging the chasm between our divergent beliefs. After all, the destructive forces of Nature care nothing about our gender, ideology, political affiliation, religion, skin color, or whatever else we deem important to our self-identity. Daryl Davis, an African American has shown us what is possible.