Bug in the System

In his manifesto against “the nihilism of the present,” the philosopher Todd Dufresne writes, “Let’s target the systems and structures that are killing us and the planet. Let’s target capitalism.” Most literature on climate avoids the problem of capitalism; this book addresses it directly. Dufresne makes the point that mitigating the inevitable effects of the climate emergency means rejecting the grim terms of capitalist realism and reimagining our collective way of life. He situates the root of the problem in our systems of exchange and thinking — in our economics and philosophy.

At the same time, Dufresne insists on shifting the narrative away from individual consumerism. We can do only so much by placing our blue box at the curb or buying more efficient light bulbs: “The trick is to bury us in individual actions, like banning plastic straws, when only collective actions can possibly save us now.” Dufresne argues that we need to stop organizing ourselves around...