80s Quote by Naomi Klein
“Our problem is that the climate crisis hatched in our laps at a moment in history when political and social conditions were uniquely hostile to a problem of this nature and magnitude-that moment being the tail end of the go-go '80s, the blastoff point for the crusade to spread deregulated capitalism around the world. Climate change is a collective problem demanding collective action the likes of which humanity has never actually accomplished. Yet it entered mainstream consciousness in the midst of an ideological war being waged on the very idea of the collective sphere.”
About This Quote
Source Book: This Changes Everything by Naomi Klein, 2014
The climate crisis emerged during a period of deregulated capitalism, making collective action difficult amid ideological resistance.
In simple terms: Capitalism’s rise hindered unified response to climate change.
Key Takeaway
Recognize systemic barriers to environmental cooperation.
Themes
environment
politics
economics
collective action
Mood
urgent
determined
Type
activist
analytical
When to use this quote
- policy reform
- grassroots movements
- international agreements
- public awareness
Key Concepts
systemic inertia
ideological conflict
global governance
Questions to Reflect On
- What collective steps can overcome capitalist resistance?
- How can societies reshape values for ecological urgency?
A Different Perspective
Addressing climate change requires confronting entrenched economic interests.
![“To me, it's more important to take the 60-70% of people who really understand that there's a problem [of climate change] and get some percentage of them active than to try and stamp out the last embers of pre-scientific thought.” quote by Bill McKibben](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/b4d/bill-mckibben-1057_active_to-me-it-s-more-important-to-take-the-60_1820631.jpg)
![“It was a very economically depressed time [the 80s] and because of that, there was a lot of space. Everything was relatively dilapidated, and one could live on a pretty low income. One could live well below the poverty line and not suffer immensely.” quote by Kiki Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/6f7/kiki-smith-10643_80s_it-was-a-very-economically-depressed-tim_26978.jpg)
