Psychological Roots of the Climate Crisis

Psychological Roots of the Climate Crisis tells the story of a fundamental fight between a caring and an uncaring imagination. It helps us to recognise the uncaring imagination in politics, in culture—for example, in the writings of Ayn Rand—and also in ourselves.

Sally Weintrobe argues that achieving the shift to greater care requires us to stop colluding with Exceptionalism, the rigid psychological mindset largely responsible for the climate crisis. People in this mindset believe that they are entitled to have the lion’s share and that they can ‘rearrange’ reality with magical omnipotent thinking whenever reality limits these felt entitlements.

While this book's subject is grim, its tone is reflective, ironic, light, and at times humorous. It is free of jargon and full of examples from history, culture, literature, poetry, everyday life, and the author’s experience as a psychoanalyst, along with a professional life dedicated to helping people face difficult truths.