Preps: The Brian Lehrer Show
11:00 Climate Anxiety
And now, a climate story for the week. When people think of climate change, they think of natural disasters, global warming, and flooding. There are also other less discussed impacts, such as the effect it has on people’s mental health. “Eco-anxiety” has been an emerging term studied by psychologists and climate activists. It is the dread people experience from knowing there is impending environmental collapse.
With this in mind, younger generations question the ability to plan for a future, whether to go to school, receive training, or even have children in a world that will continue to look less and less like the one we know today. An unpredictable future causes distress. Psychologists are treating patients to deal with these difficult emotions.
While eco-anxiety is a source of worry, it can also serve as a catalyst to encourage people to participate in environmental activism, and to use those feelings for action rather than despair.
Here to speak with us today is Britt Wray, Human and Planetary Health Fellow at Stanford University and author of the new book Generation Dread, who talks about how climate anxiety can affect people's outlook on the future, such as whether to have children or not. Hi Britt, welcome to WNYC.
1. Britt, you write: “It was either have a kid, and risk being taxed with crushing anxiety for the rest of my life about how our child will deal with a planetary condition that is becoming deadlier and more devoid of natural wonders; or don't have a kid and miss out on something we deeply want to do and all the nourishment kids being into people's lives.” What ultimately pushed you to make a decision?
a. How does climate anxiety affect major life decisions people will have to make?’
2. You mentioned, "a quintessential sentiment of the times is broken record record breaking" in the introduction of you book. Where does it come from? What environmental changes cause people stress?
3. Can you talk about the term "eco-anxiety"? How do you suggest people adapt to a changing world where we as humans only have so much control over climate?
Listeners, have you experienced climate anxiety and if so, how did you cope with it? We want to hear from you. Give us a call at 212-433-WNYC or tweet @brianlehrer. That is 212-433-WNYC. And listeners, how has climate change influenced your major life decisions? Have you decided NOT to have kids because of eco-anxiety? Or maybe you suffer from eco-anxiety but decided to have kids anyway – Give us a call to talk it through, at 212-433-WNYC or tweet @brianlehrer. That is 212-433-WNYC.
4. You described the symptoms of eco-distress as, –quote– "...can impair functioning even if one is far from the front lines-- causing physical symptoms such as sleep disturbance and panic attacks." What are other physical side effects of eco-anxiety?
5. You describe climate change as, "...if nothing drastically changes, the fate of humanity will be like the Slinky pushed off the top stair, with no good structures in place to halt its energetic descent." How do you recommend people deal with feelings of stress, existential dread, grief, and the powerlessness caused by climate change? What techniques do you suggest?
6. You write "…a long history of colonialism is inextricably linked to climate catastrophe, the destruction of indigenous cultures, and planetary harm." Can you talk to us about how colonialism, industrialism, and imperialism overlap when it comes to environmental destruction?
7. Who are the most vulnerable populations whose mental health is most negatively impacted by climate anxiety? What can be done to help them?
8. You write, "...governments are preventing progress towards more livable futures where people stand a chance of adapting." What legislation do you see as most important to curb the emission of greenhouse gasses? Which countries need to be held accountable to these needed changes?
9. How are younger folks more attuned to climate change? How are they disproportionately affected by eco-grief than older generations? A. What are their biggest concerns about the future?
a. Do you think their activism to bring attention to the impending environmental crisis is working?
10. You questioned, "How can you stay present and engaged with an environmental reality that is becoming increasingly difficult to bear, even when perceived through digital mediums that both spike and limit emotional response?" How can people use eco-anxiety to empower themselves into acting for change?
And listeners, you can hear more from Britt Wray in an interview with Anna Sale on the latest podcast episode of Death, Sex, and Money. Find it at deathsexmoney dot org or wherever you get your podcasts.
And we have to leave it here for now. We thank Britt Wray, Human and Planetary Health Fellow at Stanford University and author of the new book Generation Dread, who talked about how climate anxiety can affect people's decisions on whether to have children, or not. Thanks Britt.
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11:05 am How France Indebted Haiti, Twice
Haiti, a small, impoverished country in the Caribbean, has a long and hard history of ups and downs. The focus is often on the country's lack of means. What is rarely discussed, is what led to its socioeconomic status. Little is known about the history of the debt Haiti paid their France enslavers for their freedom, a price they still pay today.
The New York Times published a five-part article about the debit. The loans and payments owed were a significant portion of Haiti's already struggling economy. While neighboring Latin American countries-built schools, roads, and hospitals, unable to pay for them, Haiti was left behind. Citizens today suffer from low education levels, high poverty rates, and limited to no access to necessary resources, such as healthcare.
Here to speak with us today is Catherine Porter, international correspondent for the New York Times, and Selam Gebrekidan, investigative reporter for The New York Times based in London, to discuss their New York Times article, "How a French Bank Captured Haiti." Welcome to WNYC and thank you for joining us on today's show.
1. You stated, "Haiti became the first and only country where the descendants of enslaved people paid the families of their former masters for generations." What is the history of France's colonization of Haiti? What were the conditions set by Charles X for Haiti's liberation from France?
2. About the payment you wrote, "This became known as Haiti’s ‘double deb’ — the ransom and the loan to pay it — a stunning load that boosted the fledgling Parisian international banking system and helped cement Haiti’s path into poverty and underdevelopment." Why did Haiti have to pay for their freedom? How much did they pay France?
3. You wrote, “After Haiti’s other debts were deducted, its government was left with pennies — 6 cents of every $3 collected — to run the country.” How long was it indebted for and how much did they pay to France over the years? How did Haiti make the payments, which were several times greater than the country's net worth?
4. You estimated, "If that money had simply stayed in the Haitian economy and grown at the nation’s actual pace over the last two centuries — rather than being shipped off to France, without any goods or services being provided in return — it would have added a staggering $21 billion to Haiti over time, even accounting for its notorious corruption and waste." Will their economy ever grow to where it should be?
5. How do present day Haitians continue to be impacted by international debt? How did it contribute to the country’s present-day education, infrastructure, and health?
Listeners, have you visited France, and did you ever wonder who helped fund the construction of the much-revered Eiffel Tower? How much do you know about the role of France in Haiti's present-day economy? Did you know about the tumultuous financial relationship between both countries? Do you think France should pay reparations? What should France do to compensate for their depletion of Haiti's economy? We want to hear from you. Give us a call to talk it through, at 212-433-WNYC or tweet @brianlehrer. That is 212-433-WNYC.
6. The article mentions, "First is what the economist Thomas Piketty called the transition from 'brutal colonialism' to 'neocolonialism through debt.'" How did France control Haiti's finances after colonization?
7. In the introduction of the series, you write “France made generations of Haitians pay for their freedom — in cash. How much has remained a mystery, until now.” Some folks took issue with this framing. University of Toronto historian of France, Paul Cohen, describes this moment in history as, 'well-known to historians.’ In what ways do you think your work adds to the canon of those who have been detailing this history for decades?
8. Historian Dr. Keisha N. Blain at Brown University tweeted that she did not believe historians were properly cited. You and your colleagues published a bibliography of sorts titled “The Ransom: A Look Under the Hood,” listing primary and secondary sources. How did you decide who to include in the list of your sources?
9. In “A Look Under the Hood,” you also explain how you calculated the debt that Haiti paid to France and the United States in the 19th and 20th centuries. It gets pretty wonky, but what would you like to say about that process and its challenges?
10. You wrote, "The military occupation lasted 19 years, and was justified as vital to securing American interests in the region and taming Haiti’s chaos." When did America occupy Haiti and how did they contribute to stalling the growth of Haiti's economy?
11. How many other colonizer countries have a similar policy with their freed slaves? How did the terms of the United States differ after the Civil War?
12. What role did Haiti's repayments play in the construction of the Eiffel Tower? How does this change the symbolism of the iconic landmark?
13. What present day banks, royal families, and countries also benefited from Haiti's payments?
14. What is Haiti's own history of tumultuous politics and government? What role did corrupt leaders play?
15. What archives did the NYT use to do research for this article series?
16. You stated, "France has repeatedly downplayed, distorted or buried it." When did France acknowledge Haiti's debt?
And we leave it here for now. We thank Catherine Porter, international correspondent for the New York Times, and Selam Gebrekidan, investigative reporter for The New York Times based in London, who discussed their New York Times article, "How a French Bank Captured Haiti. "Thanks Catherine and Selam.