Gaia’s sadness

Of collapse and wonder

To accompany the publication of the new edition of his famous essay Vers la sobriété heureuse (“Domaine du possible” collection), Pierre Rabhi has written a short and incisive text that is an intellectual testament to dark times through which we are living.

La Tristesse de Gaïa is another uncompromising denunciation of our contemporary society, which has completely lost its direction, its appreciation for nature and a sense of self-restraint and is geared instead to the enrichment of the few.

At the age of 83, Pierre Rabhi has lost none of his lucidity or acerbity, and remains as awe-struck by the beauty of Gaia as he is indignant by the countless outrages that we visit upon it through our ignorance and greed. His distinctive voice and inimitable style are immediately recognisable the perfectly crafted, lapidary phrases full of good sense and musicality.

And his cause is an insurrection in the name of wisdom, intelligence and beauty as he reiterates his faith in oases communal living arrangements that offer the necessary privacy for each household but also a sharing of experience and the shared use of essential facilities.

We live on the verge of an age where the dominant system that is so resistant to change the classic “business as usual” ethos will give way to a welcome trend in the opposite direction as it becomes overwhelmingly obvious that we need to embrace Mother Earth.