The Active Acceptance Handbook
Preparing for Hard Times. Stepping up. Not Giving Up.
What is Active Acceptance?
There is no doubt that we occupy an unprecedented period in human history. It seems we moderns no longer recognize that we are part of an integrated natural world. We’ve come to believe instead that we exist above and somehow outside of nature. Technology has run amuck, further separating us from our natural being. Global population has reached its highest point ever. The industrial agricultural practices that feed humanity are threatened, in danger of outright collapse. The rising extraction costs of vital-to-civilization natural resources threaten to sink our fossil fuel dependent technological society. Pollution is pervasive — our air, waters and soils are poisoned. Human-caused climate change with its storms, floods and droughts is wreaking havoc across the globe. A sixth mass extinction is underway, this one caused by us. The economic disparity between the wealthy and the rest of us has never been greater. Geopolitical adventurism and authoritarianism is on the rise everywhere. And so forth … the list is depressingly long.
It’s perfectly understandable to think that doing anything about any of these issues is impossible, a daunting, demoralizing task. The inclination to throw up our hands in surrender is strong, almost overwhelming. Why not get what enjoyment we still can out of life and let the future take care of itself? Do we really have the agency to make any difference?
Those of us living in the mid to-late-twenty-first century and later will be the first to face tumultuous changes and the most powerful existential threat to humanity since the Toba volcanic eruption 74,000 years ago.
There is a high probability that the future will be largely non-technological, and that there will be far fewer of us
It is also likely true that we will not be able to resolve or reverse any of the swarm of predicaments that face us.
But we can begin to prepare to deal with the outcomes that will surely follow.
Yes, we are very likely — almost certainly — in for a very difficult, even catastrophic future. Many of us alive right now — and certainly our children and grandchildren — will most likely experience earthshaking changes. But we are not without agency. Though it may feel like we are insignificant, and that any effort we might make is too little, too late, there are things we can and should be doing to insure that future generations have the best possible opportunity to survive. It is our ethical duty to make this effort, even though it will be challenging in the extreme, and a successful outcome is far from guaranteed.
Here then, is a framework for Active Acceptance, a set of guidelines that will aid in navigating the upcoming dramatic ecological and societal challenges with clarity, purpose, and resilience. Unlike passive resignation or unfounded optimism, active acceptance begins with an honest acknowledgment of our current metacrisis, ranging as it does from ecological overshoot to systemic collapse — and moves toward meaningful action. Passive resignation says, “It’s too late, so why try?” Active Acceptance says, ‘The future is uncertain, but we prepare regardless.” This Handbook emphasizes personal and cultural transformation, practical preparation, and ethical responsibility as pathways to adapt and thrive in an unsure future. There will be many debates — some quite heated — concerning various aspects of this Handbook. This is not a bad thing. The guidelines presented herein are starting points, and will require much input from many perspectives.
Part 1 — The Principles of Active Acceptance
To begin, let us enumerate some of the basic principles that underly our project.
Reality Without Resignation — Perhaps the most important notion before us is the realization that acceptance of ecological and societal limits doesn’t mean giving up. It’s a starting point for informed, purposeful engagement.
The Power of Small — When considered in its entirety, the sheer scope and magnitude of what we face is immense. To think that a system-wide change is possible is to entertain a fantasy. We must begin small. Change begins in small groups and communities, where trust and cooperation flourish. By facing adversity together, individuals will forge powerful bonds. Once established, these units can model resilience and cultural renewal.
Cultural Evolution — As a species, we must learn a new way of thinking, and this will entail a transformation of our cultural values. It is essential that human behavior aligns with ecological realities. We will need to create a new mythos, new stories, rituals and shared values — key tools for this shift.
Resilience Through Simplicity — We will almost certainly face a resource-constrained future. In order to prepare ourselves and our communities, we will need to shift our societal focus, with sufficiency, local solutions, and low-energy living as the highest priorities.
Ethical Responsibility — We should realize that it is highly likely that we will pass through a period of much suffering and pain. It is our ethical responsibility to not only face the future with courage, but to lessen suffering to the extent possible. We should address any possible societal collapse or disruption with compassion and fairness, ensuring that we minimize harm and prioritize care for vulnerable populations.
These principles are foundational to Active Acceptance, but without an action plan they are mere rhetoric. We need specific objectives in order to get there.
Part 2 — Getting to Active Acceptance
We face an existential global predicament. In the face of what looms ahead the temptation is great to go on permanent vacation, to enjoy what we can while we can, or to build bunkers and retreat. We must muster all of our courage and resist this urge. Hiding out, giving up, or doing nothing is not an acceptable response. But what should we do? Everyone must contribute as they can. There are many ways to combat the coming difficult times. The following is a partial list of actions that will help. There are many more.
Awareness and Education — Knowing what we face is key. Begin by learning all you can about ecological overshoot, resource depletion, and systemic fragility. Information about all of this is abundant. Communities should assemble reliable and trustworthy information banks, libraries of necessary information. But knowing for yourself is not enough. We must share knowledge and insights with others, especially those in our core communities.
Building Resilience — We must re-learn self-reliance, certainly as individuals, but most especially at the community-level. To this end, it will be vital that we develop practical survival skills, like permaculture, food preservation, water management, and basic healthcare. Many indigenous communities already know much about these topics, so we should look to them. We should also consciously involve ourselves in community building, strengthening community ties through mutual aid and local cooperation.
Counter-Memes for Cultural Shift — For many centuries we have been in the grip of simplistic, destructive memes, e.g., ‘progress,’ ‘growth,’ ‘consumption,’ etc. These and many other harmful and self-serving cultural narratives have been instrumental in leading us away from our deep connection with nature. We must make challenging these memes a top priority. Destructive narratives promoting perpetual growth and consumption-based economies are particularly harmful. We must develop a series of counter-memes promoting values of sufficiency, interdependence, and adaptability, and disseminate them every way possible, but especially through storytelling, art, and media.
Preserving Knowledge — Nowhere has humankind’s ascent been more impressive than in its compilation of knowledge. To be sure, the use to which we put this knowledge has been short-sighted and may, in fact, be our final undoing. But even so, there is much that we have learned which may be useful to our long-term survival. We should begin NOW to create decentralized archives of ecological, cultural, and technological wisdom. We should also revive and teach traditional skills suited to a low-energy future.
Mitigating Suffering — The likelihood is great that there will be enormous suffering ahead. Billions will perish, and society will be utterly transformed. Now is the time to begin working on developing trauma-informed approaches to community care which advocate for equitable resource distribution and prioritize aid to the most vulnerable.
Psychological Preparedness — Getting to Active Acceptance will require a philosophical and attitudinal sea change — a psychological process. Collectively and individually, we will need to cultivate mental resilience. Normalizing discussions about fear, uncertainty, and collapse are important first steps and will be invaluable in grounding us and reorienting our mental frameworks. Our reactions to the possibility of a civilizational existential crisis range from denial and anger to bargaining and depression. Eventually we will get to acceptance. Many today are trending toward collapse nihilism (a belief that nothing matters) and apocalypse fatigue (emotional exhaustion from doom-laden news). We should remember that grief is a natural part of adapting to a changing world. We should also remember that grief does not necessitate inaction. We should explore other philosophical frameworks to build resilience. Stoicism focuses on controlling what is within one’s power and letting go of what isn’t. Buddhist non-attachment offers a means of navigating impermanence without resorting to despair. Logotherapy helps us find meaning in suffering and cultivates endurance through purpose.
Action Through Federation — Community-building and action-together are absolutely vital to humanity’s long-term survival. To this end, we will organize ourselves into small, autonomous groups. Federations — the Iroquois confederacy is a good example — will allow us to maintain the strength inherent in small groups while encouraging cooperation and communications over larger areas. Federated communities, working together, can balance overarching principles, like ‘do no harm,’ with local needs and solutions.
Realizing these objectives will take a diversified toolbox.
Part 3 — Tools for Implementation
Considering that our situation is unprecedented in human history, we can hardly expect to have ready-at-hand tools to implement the sweeping transformation necessary. We will need to devise systems and practices to guide us.
Community Building — We must develop flexible general guidelines for organizing mutual aid networks and small-group campaigns, recognizing that situations and circumstances will vary widely across the globe.
Resource Library — As the transformation of society begins to occur, chaos and disorder will reign. One of our biggest challenges will be maintaining communications between emergent communities so that the wide dissemination of curated materials on sustainable living, cultural transformation, and resilience are available everywhere.
Storytelling Templates — Crafting counter-memes and narratives of survival are necessary to overcoming the harmful and destructive narratives that have enabled and prolonged the metacrisis. We will create new cultural ‘tools’, such as oral traditions, poetic and musical forms, rituals and the like, which will allow us to transmit the new values and mores necessary to sustainable survival.
Self-Care Practices — Life will be difficult. Building resilience and not falling into despair will be challenging. To this end we must develop exercises for mental and emotional well-being and make them a part of our everyday lives. We must also attend to our physical bodies, so learning about basic medical procedures, eating a healthy diet, and keeping physically fit will be important.
With a plan, objectives and goals and tools in hand, what do we hope to accomplish?
Part 4 — A Vision for the Future
It is important to remember that Active Acceptance isn’t about fixing everything or avoiding hardship. It’s about living with purpose and integrity in the face of challenges. By embracing this mindset, we can:
Preserve the best of human knowledge and culture.
Build resilient, compassionate communities.
Leave a legacy of wisdom and care for future generations.
Stepping Up, Not Giving Up
Active Acceptance calls us to face the future with open eyes, steady hands, and courageous hearts. It asks us to act not from fear or despair, but from love — for each other, for the Earth, and for the generations to come.
No one person can do all of the things outlined in this handbook. Survival will be the work of many hands, the concentration of many minds, the courage of many hearts. In our small communities we will find our strength, dignity and purpose.
The road ahead is sure to be uncertain and even dangerous, but none of us has to walk it alone. By embracing Active Acceptance, we give future generations the best chance to endure — not through hope alone, but through action.
What small step can you take today toward Active Acceptance?