Yin-Yang of the Environmental Movement
-by Josh Schlossberg, National Coordinator, Eco-Integrity Alliance
You’re probably familiar with the Eastern idea of Yin and Yang. While the concept is quite complex, put way too simply, Yin is being and Yang is doing.
It’s important to note that, neither Yin nor Yan is “superior or considered metaphysically separated and distinct.” In this view, not only are both of equal value, like heads and tails of a coin, they’re flip sides of the exact same thing. Indeed, neither could exist without the other.
Yin-Yang can manifest itself in all spheres of life, but in this case, let’s talk about its role in environmental advocacy or organizing.
Yin is the softer way. An example might be a group hike with no other goal than to take in the beauty and wonder of nature.
Yang is more assertive. Think of a protest where people camp out in the forest to keep logging companies from cutting it down.
Each of us, often based on what is probably a mix of our own innate personality and cultural influences, tends to be drawn towards one pole over the other. Those who lean more sensitive and averse to conflict might not only gravitate towards Yin advocacy, they sometimes look down on or even wish to purge Yang efforts from the movement. “Stop all that nasty, pointless fighting and let’s take a gentler approach to find common ground with who disagree with us.”
Other people, perhaps with thicker skin and more comfortable with (or even drawn to) the struggle, think Yang is the only way. “Your naïve navel-gazing and coming to the table with our far more powerful opposition isn’t going to protect an acre of nature.”
It’s, of course, very likely that not just both Yin and Yang are essential to a successful environmental movement but a balance between the two. Without the Yin of connecting with the natural world and human institutions few people are going to be inspired enough to “speak for the trees” or gain the influence to do so. Without the Yang of calling out and pressuring the entities or ideologies harming ecosystems and wildlife, there won’t be much left to commune with.
Light and Shadow
Yin-Yang goes even deeper. There’s also the psychological notion of light and shadow, which can manifest in both Yin and Yang. Light is the outward aspect, often but not always positive. Shadow, to oversimplify the Jungian concept, is the hidden side, frequently but not universally negative.
Yin’s light is its desire to relate, either with nature or other people to find peaceful equilibrium. Yin can also take action, but it’s usually more like water eroding stone, slowly, softly, and persistently over time.
Yang’s light is its willingness (or even drive) to push through fear, weakness, and discomfort. Yin’s version of action is a mallet smashing that same stone.
To achieve balance, Yin and Yang’s light must be tolerated, encouraged, and even celebrated in our movements, especially by those who prefer one side over the other.
But, as with every object upon which light is cast, a shadow forms.
Yin’s shadow in advocacy and organizing could be a reluctance—even avoidance—to deal with turbulence of any kind. It’s a dropping off in communication instead of speaking one’s viewpoint, admitting confusion, or lack of follow through. It’s whisper campaigns against those inside the movement they don’t click with. It’s an abandonment of a campaign when their energies are needed most (often coupled with blaming others for their own lack of grit).
Perhaps most damaging of all, the Yin shadow can waylay a movement into an eternal shying away from digging up the root of a problem in favor of endlessly—and usually pointlessly—pruning its branches.
Yang’s shadow in advocacy is acting more aggressive than circumstances might call for. This can be verbal or sometimes even—intolerably—physical attacks. It’s a dehumanization of anyone with another point of view as “evil,” followed by a demonization of those individuals, which might lead to overreactions. A “going for the jugular” approach to everyone who puts up the slightest obstacle to their goals, including unnecessary “calling out” of fellow advocates when a private conversation might do.
The Yang shadow, if unchecked, can give bad faith opponents the excuse they need to dismiss the entire movement along with any of its points. It can also scare away Yin advocates repelled by that energy.
Seeking Balance
Perhaps, as with ecosystems, the key to Yin-Yang, light and shadow, in the environmental movement is balance. What mindsets and/or actions can we adopt to try to achieve that balance (keeping in mind that doesn’t mean perfect equanimity at all times, as balance is often a teetering tightrope act)?
First, an advocate might want to figure out which principle they most embody or feel drawn to (or are repulsed by). Then, with each step they choose, be honest with themselves and mindful as to whether they’re acting from their light or shadow (perhaps the hardest thing we can do as humans is admit our own shortcomings). And, also, whether they’re falsely ascribing a shadow to those at the opposite pole.
Say you’re a Yin advocate. As someone likely soft-spoken, you may be triggered by a more vocal member of your movement. It might help to determine whether, overall, that person does more good than harm to the movement. Nine times out of ten, the person who annoys you—despite any real or perceived flaws—is probably an asset. Then consider whether the behavior, as unpleasant as it may be to you, has its role (sometimes the “a-hole” is a necessary advocate, if only to balance the “a-holes” on the opposing side).
But say you truly believe at least some of an individual’s behavior is coming from the Yang shadow. Before shunning them, starting a passive aggressive smear campaign, or tattling to someone in a leadership role to get them removed, here’s a chance to use your Yin light to invite that person to a private “calling in” (rather than a public “calling out”).
If they’re open to dialogue, that’s a good sign they’re willing to listen and maybe even alter some of their behaviors (sometimes Yang doesn’t realize it’s being obnoxious because Yin is too afraid to tell them and other Yangs don’t mind or even notice). If, despite your best efforts, they refuse to consider your concerns, it might be time to summon up your own Yang light to confront the person more directly and firmly.
If you’re Yang, more of the active type, and have an issue with someone in the group who you don’t feel is pulling their weight, do the same thing and ask yourself whether the person is doing more good than harm. Or, in the case of some Yins, of neutral impact and therefore not worth worrying about one way or another. Maybe, in your Yang, you don’t realize the value of this person’s calm presence, which might operate as the movement’s “good cop” to your “bad cop.”
But say the person is so Yin that they are willing not to just give in to opponents but offer compromises that undercut the movement. Instead of confronting someone who might not be able to handle such directness, you might want to use your Yang light by inviting them to engage in some other stronger action to benefit the campaign.
If they agree to take part, that’s a good sign they’re at least open to considering another way. If they balk at such attempts, it might be time to consider using your own Yin light to find someone else who might “assist” them in their tasks to keep them from doing too much harm.
Truth of the matter is our anti-environmental opponents, whether consciously or not (probably not) have mastered the Yin-Yang balance. Industry, government, a lot of media, and a surprising number of “Big Green” NGOs are Yin masters of shunning any information, advocates, or even entire movements that they see as nothing more than obstacles to their delusion agenda of infinite growth.
Since these establishment entities have considerable money and influence behind them, usually they don’t need to overuse Yang to get their way. But, in the case of particularly effective eco advocates, these entities will harness Yang with great force, whether that’s public character assassination (through a complicit media), the threat of activists having to pay corporate or government attorney fees in lawsuits they’ve filed, attempts to cancel funding, or even harassment by law enforcement.
But here’s the weakness of the opponents of the natural world. The compulsion of the mainstream establishment to maintain the status quo at all costs by suppressing any disagreement whatsoever can shift them over into outright authoritarianism.
This dark shadow soon becomes undeniable evidence to anyone who isn’t dishonest and/or brainwashed that the credibility of these institutions has been compromised, perhaps even beyond repair.
After all, how much trust does the general public have in corporations? Government? Media? Even NGOs? The answer is—other than those with financial, personal, or ideological conflicts of interest—almost none.
A Way Forward
So, what this might mean is, if we eco advocates were ever to find our balance of Yin-Yang light, and our opponents keep operating primarily from their Yin-Yang shadow, they will ultimately destroy themselves.
Many believe the U.S. environmental movement has gone, in past decades, from being too heavy on Yang to, in the current day, overbalanced towards Yin. What some say was once obsessed with an angry dehumanization of individuals—rather than the ideologies and structures themselves—inside industry (“evil loggers!”) or agencies (“corrupt bureaucrats!”) is now too focused on collaboration and compromise that only “cuts the baby” in half over and over again until there’s almost nothing left to save. While calmer, more calculated voices were once overlooked by Greens, now the strongest advocates are discouraged, silenced, or even “canceled” for no good reason (there are probably also good reasons to “cancel” some people).
It’s true that our movement also tends to operate from its shadow a lot. Yes, the Yang shadow of angry aggression is still present. But it could be argued that it’s eclipsed by the Yin shadow of cutting deals that allow—or even promote!—extraction, shirking tasks that are difficult or simply uncomfortable, and marginalizing anyone who dares speak up about any of that.
As Jungian psychology teaches us, only by acknowledging our shadow can we learn to work with it.
Defending the natural world is more likely to come from a place of light because, unlike with those defending the delusional status quo of infinite growth, there are few financial or social rewards for achieving success (sacrifices, more often than not). But the shadow can be there too: taking on the mantle of savior (or even victim) or assuming we’re always right, not just in our ideas but the way we engage in our activism (and how we want everyone else to).
Perhaps this quest for Yin-Yang balance and mindfulness of our shadow can help eco advocates more effectively carry out our mission of speaking for the natural world. After all, how can we expect to find a “steady state” between nature and humanity if we can’t even create it in our own movement?