“If you want to build a ship, don’t drum up the men to gather wood, divide the work and give orders.
Instead, teach them to yearn for the vast and endless sea.”
– Antoine de Saint-Exupéry (1948)
What is Dark Optimism?
Dark Optimism is, in part, a way of seeing life which is not afraid of seeking the truth - even when that truth is unpalatable or feels overwhelming. By exploring the unknown we can see it for what it is, rather than what we might fear it to be. Where there is darkness present we face it with an indomitable belief in the potential of humankind.
The Dark Optimism name is a vehicle for the work and ideas of Shaun Chamberlin, which epitomise that perspective. It is unincorporated, and works with a wide range of colleagues and collaborators, specialising in uncovering the underlying fundamentals in the areas we study. This has led our work together to date to focus on energy and the environment, the two crucial areas without which all others are unable to function.
We are unashamedly positive about what kind of a world humanity could create, and unashamedly realistic about how far we are from creating it today.
Out of this viewpoint comes a firm determination to do what we can to create the world we believe everyone wants to live in - one which is peaceful and creative, resilient and exciting, and one in which we all have the opportunity to live a fulfilling life.
Areas of expertise
Climate Change
- The causes of the problem
- The scale of the problem
- Climate feedbacks
Energy Supply and Peak Oil
- Fossil fuel exhaustion rates
- The viability of alternative energy sources
- The viability of demand reduction
Responses to these crises
- The likely impacts
- The likely responses from individuals, companies and Governments if unprepared
- What we as individuals and communities can do to prepare, and to ameliorate our situation
- Philosophical and spiritual perspectives
We believe that
- Climate change and peak oil are two aspects of the same problem. Seen together, they represent the inevitable end of our current way of life. The open question is what we replace it with.
- Other critical challenges such as biodiversity destruction, water and food supply disruption, inequity and economic crisis, to name but a few, must be understood and responded to in light of this 'Peak Climate' emergency. Otherwise these responses will quickly be found to be inappropriate in the rapidly-changing world situation.
- Despite its severity and urgency, 'Peak Climate' is just a symptom. It is a product of the cultural stories and ways of thinking we value, respect and take up. This is the level at which change is both necessary and assured.
- Partnership and collaboration is critical to all our futures. It is debilitating to feel like we have to 'do it all ourselves', but nor should we want to. We need to recognise humanity's common goals and work together to realise them.
- Individual action will be overwhelmed without a wider movement, yet global agreements are useless without individual actions. A key role then is to put the frameworks in place which can take the individual teardrops seemingly lost in an ocean of apathy and combine them into an empowered wave of change.
- On a personal level, and as a society, we need to reconnect ourselves with the understanding that we are part of Nature, and let that perspective transform our actions.
- Dark Optimism's intellectual independence is essential to our work. As a non-profit-making entity we are happy to work with commercial and governmental interests towards common goals, but we will not compromise our integrity.
Our aims are to
- Improve understanding in our areas of expertise among specialists, policymakers, organisations and the general public through clear articles, public speaking, collaboration, research and consultancy.
- Uncover the social, political and spiritual themes underlying perceptions of our global situation.
- Identify the ideas and initiatives best suited to creating the world we wish to live in, and support them in whatever ways are appropriate.
The Dark Optimist is
Shaun Chamberlin
"I read Philosophy at the University of York and went on to work, at various times, as a teacher, a massage therapist and the manager of a learning centre for marginalised groups. Since 2005 I have devoted myself full-time to exploring the challenges facing our global community, and how we can enable a resilient, sustainable and joyful shared future. This site explores the beliefs and ideas that motivate me.
I am the author of The Transition Timeline and have been involved with the Transition Network since its inception. I am also the TEQs Development Director at The Lean Economy Connection,
and a member of both the Steering Group of Transition Town Kingston and the Department of Energy and Climate Change's Personal Carbon Allowances Advisory Group."
– for published articles by Shaun click here.
- for forthcoming public speaking by Shaun click here.
- to email Shaun click here.
Contact us
Email us by clicking here: Dark Optimism