A planet in distress needs positive stories of collective human action, Harvard professor Martin Puchner argues in his DLD Circular conversation with author Andrew Keen.
In his book Literature for a Changing Planet, Puchner examines the deep connection between human storytelling and our view of nature over through the ages.
Disaster stories go back thousands of years, as Puchner explains in his DLD talk. What we now need to do, he argues, is tell more encouraging stories that can inspire collective action to tackle issues like climate change.
“Almost all stories from world history are stories of an individual hero”, Puchner notes. “But it’s very clear that no hero will save us.” Instead, he says, we need “stories of collective agency. And it’s striking how few of those there are.”
When you’re done watching make sure to read our interview with Martin Puchner as well.
