Metacrisis Journey Day 2: What Is the Metacrisis?
So: What IS the Metacrisis?
Some people use the term Polycrisis, which Lawrence, M., Janzwood, S., & Homer-Dixon, T defined as “the causal entanglement of crises in multiple global systems in ways that significantly degrade humanity’s prospects”.¹
But these crises are more than just “entangled” — they originate and grow as the emergent shadow of the unsustainable patterns of action we enact on the planet. As such, any approach to tackling the surface issues represented by this collection of crises is not only complex but inherently can’t fix the underlying problem, only mitigate its circumstances. For these reason, I find Schmactenberger’s use of “Metacrisis” compelling.
Just as there are different terms, so too there are numerous ways of trying to identify the core components of the Metacrisis. In preparing for this 6 month Journey, I’ve been using GPT-4o to help me explore this topic (more on this later), and through those conversations am currently working with this set of 8 facets (the names are alliterative and evocative to serve as a mnemonic and as part of a Mantra / Sutra process I’ll describe on another day):
Extinction Edge — These are threats that could lead to human extinction or permanently curtail humanity’s potential. Examples include nuclear war, unchecked artificial intelligence, and catastrophic climate change. The existential risks are amplified by the interconnections between technology, environment, and global politics.
Fragile Web — This facet involves the inherent vulnerabilities in our global systems — economic, political, environmental, and technological. As these systems become more interconnected, they also become more susceptible to cascading failures, where a disruption in one area can trigger a chain reaction of crises across multiple domains.
Truth Tornado — This refers to the breakdown of shared understanding and trust in knowledge systems. Misinformation, disinformation, the erosion of expertise, and the polarization of discourse contribute to this crisis, making it difficult for societies to agree on facts or to make collective decisions.
Soul Split — This facet involves the fragmentation of cultural narratives and identities, leading to a loss of meaning, purpose, and connection among individuals and communities. The increase in mental health issues, social isolation, and the decline of community bonds are in part symptomatic of this broader cultural and psychological unraveling.
Earth Erosion — The ecological aspect of the metacrisis includes environmental degradation, biodiversity loss, and climate change. These issues destabilize the natural systems upon which all life depends. The ecological crisis is exacerbated by human activities that disrupt the planet’s ecosystems at a global scale.
Power Pyramid — Growing inequality, both within and between countries, is another critical element of the metacrisis. The concentration of wealth and power in the hands of a few, coupled with the disenfranchisement of large populations, fuels social unrest, destabilizes political systems, and hinders collective action to address global challenges.
Tech Tsunami — Advances in technology, particularly in artificial intelligence, biotechnology, and digital surveillance, pose both opportunities and risks. The rapid pace of technological change outstrips the capacity of social, legal, and ethical systems to keep up, leading to unintended consequences and new forms of control and exploitation.
Leadership Lapse — Many of the world’s governance systems are not equipped to handle the complexity of the metacrisis. These systems often operate in silos, are slow to adapt, and are prone to corruption, inefficiency, and short-term thinking. This governance deficit makes it difficult to coordinate global responses to interconnected crises.
I’ll likely refine these as I proceed, but have found contemplation of these 8 facets fruitful so far. They are helping shape my readings, my definition of the “Problemspace” I’m exploring, and work on identifying both the surface elements and underlying factors they often share and are built upon.
How would you differentiate and define the facets of the Metacrisis? I’d welcome your input as I get rolling on my research.
¹ Lawrence, M., Janzwood, S., & Homer-Dixon, T. (2022). What is a global polycrisis? And how is it different from a systemic risk? (No. Discussion Paper 2022–4. Version 2.0). Cascade Institute. Retrieved from Cascade Institute website: https://cascadeinstitute.org/technical-paper/what-is-a-global-polycrisis/