THE ECO-ANXIETY CLINIC
A film promoting our crowdfunding campaign for BTINLNTE
Length: 46 seconds
Location: kickstarter
Year: 2018
Length: 46 seconds
Location: kickstarter
Year: 2018
An old woman grew tired of her quarrelsome children and told them to bring her a bundle of sticks. She placed the bundle into the hands of each of them and ordered them to break it into pieces. They tried and were not able to do it. Then, she cut the string that tied the sticks together and gave each child a separate stick. Each stick was easily snapped.
Supported by a playful but arresting promotional video, A+E operated a Kickstarter campaign as a kind of ‘clinic’ for eco-anxiety, in which backers receive varying levels of ‘treatment’ according to their donation amount. This ranged from a personalised A+E prescription to Skype therapy and unique responses to individual symptoms of anxiety.
Taking the metaphor of an eco-clinic to its more literal limits, such a method acknowledges that when we are harming the planet, we are also harming ourselves. Dealing with climate change, we believe, is most productive when the approach is positive, healing and mutually constructive; continual self-flagellation can only instate further denial and pain as a species.