We call our current project “Cartesian Eco-FemDarkanism.” On one hand, the title takes a lighthearted jab at academic thought and discourse, which are usually referred to by one “ism” or another. On the other hand, the title reflects a number of the project’s themes. “Cartesian” represents our effort to recognize cultural assumptions about nature and humanity’s relationship to it, which often rest on a human-versus-nature dualism. One such assumption is related to the philosopher Rene Descartes’s attempt at declaring a first principle: “I think; therefore, I am.” This precept ushered an era of ethical separation of human beings from the rest of the natural world based on the superior value of human rationality. Yet, trees don’t think; therefore, they aren’t.

“Eco” is straightforward. At its most basic, the project’s message is that we are nature. Our experiences in nature teach us about ourselves, about our necessary connections to nature, and about how to balance intense human concepts like life, beauty, chaos, and death. “Fem” is an homage to eco-feminism from which we draw a number of important foundational principles: an emphasis on relational thinking, a concept of care, and a radical sense of equality. “Darkanism” is the element we bring to the project. It is better experienced than explained, but it is reflected in the imagery on this site and in the mood of the show.

And that is just the title. We also have a vision for the project’s broader goal to change the way people are educated publicly. While retaining many of the hallmarks of a traditional lecture, we also rely on stunning photography and video, massive visual composition, poetry, and music from our personal experience. We hope to challenge the notions that media are best when they serve as easy outlets for anger, fear, and aggression, and that American entertainment is somehow incompatible with education and collaborative public discourse.

Ultimately, we think this project represents a new persuasion: a way to encourage people to (re)consider and (re)envision their (inter)actions, not just with the natural world, but with the social and cultural worlds as well.

For another perspective on the title and a measure of the project’s personal impact, try this: Mark Ruzicka – CEFD Unmasked.

To get a student perspective on our project, click here.