How to escape our collective paralysis in ‘these uncertain times’
Summary
Journalist Natasha Lennard explores how the phrase “these uncertain times” became common during the Covid pandemic and highlights that some strong beliefs or “certainties” still shape society today. In her new book, she discusses how certain accepted ideas—about issues like borders, gender, and technology—limit action and how social movements in history have challenged such fixed ideas.Key Facts
- The phrase “these uncertain times” became widely used during the Covid pandemic starting in 2020.
- Society faces many problems like pandemics, political shifts, inequality, climate change, and technology risks.
- Lennard’s book uses the philosopher Ludwig Wittgenstein’s work to question what is considered “certain.”
- Some ideas, such as strict border controls and fixed gender definitions, remain strongly accepted by many.
- These “certainties” influence how people understand social and political challenges.
- Lennard references past movements like Occupy Wall Street and the 2020 George Floyd protests as examples of challenging accepted ideas.
- She encourages people to rethink what is accepted as “certain” to overcome feelings of helplessness.
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