Envisioning Biocentrism in the Great Derangement: Climate Change and the Unthinkable

Abstract

For several decades, ecological concerns have been addressed in several academic political, and social forums and the rounds of discussions seem irresolute in arriving at a conclusive decision about curbing environmental degradation. Literary expressions have echoed geo-political, socio-economic, religious and cultural concerns to raise consciousness on a plethora of aspects related to interconnectivities framed and formed. In this context, the relationship of artists, and litterateurs to the environment is significant in that it calls for reconsiderations, reflections and responses that posit the need for connectivity to collectively address pertinent issues. This paper argues that Amitav Ghosh, in The Great Derangement: Climate Change and the Unthinkable (2016) advocates a biocentric vision of the universe and he interrogates the efficacy of political, social and economic policies framed globally that have been neither eco-friendly nor triggered the environmental cause, and these predict the Anthropocene. Moreover, the role of writers is insubstantial to contribute to the protection of the environment. While pointing out to this grave lacuna within academia, he also calls for a substantive move to address not only this shortcoming but also garner the efforts of leaders, policy makers, businessmen and scientists. The endeavour should be to dive into the nadir of the factors that accelerate the rate at which the destruction of the environment is taking place for fear that the proposition may be deferred. Keywords: biocentric, anthropocene, environmental degradation, skepticism, connectivity, lacuna