June 27, 2013

Episode 174: Mary Pipher’s The Green Boat

37 minutes

Mary Pipher is an American clinical psychologist and author, most recently of The Green Boat, which was published by Riverhead Books in June 2013. The Green Boat is a ground-breaking examination of everyday life, exploring how to conquer our fears about the major environmental issues that confound us and transform them into a positive force in our lives. Tune in to this week’s episode of The Farm Report for a fascinating discussion about fear, hope, failure and success in terms of environmental activism and political action. Civic engagement has many faces, and Mary Pipher gives listeners an idea of where to best put their energy to help protect the environment and keep their communities feeling positive. Thanks to our sponsor, Cain Vineyard & Winery. Thanks to Jerome LOL for today’s break music.

“One thing I talk about is a difference between actionable intelligence and distractable intelligence. If you’re a consumer of [media], you can have so much information. Most of that information just makes you feel bad and stressed and powerless. On the other hand, there’s a difference type of information that gives you a really good sense of what to do tomorrow morning when you wake up. That’s the kind of information I like to give people.” [15:00]

“I have no idea if we can stop global climate change. What I do know, is that if we act, and especially if we act together, we will feel better. Because the mind functions best when it acts as if there is hope…We have a natural resilient response that we can mobilize.” [17:00]

“If you want to see how this world works – try to change it.” [24:10]

— Mary Pipher on The Farm Report

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