The History of Literature 635 Darwin and Cataclysmic Change (with Allen MacDuffie) | My Last Book with Adelle Waldman
Sep 19, 2024
In this engaging discussion, author Allen MacDuffie delves into his new book, exploring how 19th-century writers like George Eliot and H.G. Wells grappled with the upheaval brought about by Darwin's theories and their relevance to today's climate crisis. He emphasizes the psychological struggles in reconciling personal beliefs with scientific truths and the collective action needed to combat environmental challenges. Novelist Adelle Waldman also shares her intriguing choice for the last book she would ever read, adding a personal touch to the conversation.
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Literature's Power
- Identifying science deniers creates a permission structure for self-absolution from further action.
- Literature allows us to imagine beyond our experiences and confront uncomfortable truths about ourselves and history.
The Stakes of Darwin
- Post-Darwin, people questioned the purpose of knowing about a potentially meaningless world.
- Some argued for maintaining the 'fiction' of human purpose for a functional society, despite lacking scientific basis.
Social Darwinism and Empire
- Social Darwinism misinterprets 'survival of the fittest' to justify selfishness and oppression.
- This ideology was used to rationalize imperial violence, falsely equating 'progress' with Western dominance.