ABSTRACT
Few individuals have contributed as much to global care than Arne Næss. As founder of the deep ecology movement, Næss instigated a new form of environmentalism that captured a ‘total view’ of our presence in and of Earth. Leveraging off his penchant for thinking our way through felt experiences, his deep ecology was as charming, sombre, joyful and carefree as was Næss the man. He embraced the contradictions of youthfulness and seriousness, joviality and groundedness, the substantive and esoteric. This pointed us in the direction of a conceptual corporeality, compelling us to love Earth as self. Næss’s deep ecology sought to reconcile the inherent contradictions that dwell within us. With the dire consequences of masculine hegemonisation upon us, the movement still offers us a compelling reminder that we cannot escape the planetary consequences of our lack of care for others and self. Through deep ecology, we are implored to find our individualised Earth-wisdoms. But the movement was no panacea. It was intentionally individualised, skipping over the significance of the gendered question and dispersing the structural consequences of androcentrism in aiming to reconcile anthropocentrism. This ‘gestalt shift’ towards an ‘ontological realism’ moved the environmental metanarrative towards empathy, care and intrinsic value, but sidestepped a frontal critique of masculine hegemonisation as one of the root causes of anthropocentrism. Here, we note the important contributions of deep ecology to Earthcare, while also exposing its limitations.
