Freedom
and
Survival

Humanity faces numerous interconnected crises that threaten the existence of all life on the planet, and ordinary citizens must develop their ability to respond at scale. This site features a collection of writings meant to generate discussion about what this full-scale response looks like and how to develop it.

My name is Aaron Karp, and I’m committed to building a movement that can bring about a sustainable society. The climate crisis, the sixth mass extinction we’re experiencing, the threat of nuclear war, and many other issues demand that we quickly build an understanding of how a sustainable society would operate. But this is half the battle. The resulting vision will only be realized if we also develop the collective power to overcome corporate dominance and culture, which stand in the way. As I’ve learned more about these issues, it has become clear that only a thoroughly democratic society—in which the public can participate in making the economic and political decisions that shape our fate—has a chance to be a sustainable one. I also believe that we as activists too often neglect the intellectual foundations of our movement, and the essays here aim to highlight the ideas and analysis that lay the groundwork for large-scale social change.

Ordinary citizens are not yet free enough to bring about a society that operates within ecological limits. To survive, we must gain the freedom to shape our own fate.