Turning the Apocalypse into Hope

What is Apocalypse Fatigue?

Apocalypse fatigue is a concept coined by psychologist and economist Per Espen Sptokes, which describes the feeling of exhaustion, helplessness and discouragement that many people experience when exposed to stories and content about catastrophes and crises such as climate change, social injustice, war and inequality. This fatigue can cause people to become emotionally disconnected and reduce their willingness and ability to do something about it, that is, to take meaningful action in response to these problems.

Click on each icon to discover the apocalypse fatigue associated with each narrative.

Constant exposure to news about natural disasters, species extinction and ecosystem decline can make people feel afraid and overwhelmed by the magnitude of the problem and, consequently, believe that there is nothing that can be done about it.

Constant exposure to news about social injustice, such as femicides, police violence and the rise of extreme poverty, can cause a sense of fear and helplessness in people, making them feel that their actions will not have a significant impact.

With continued coverage of armed conflict and war, people may feel discouraged and fearful. This can lead to emotional disconnection and a decrease in support for causes that seek to promote peace.

Identify the Apocalypse Fatigue around You.

Reflect on these open questions within your organization, community or activist team.

• Watch and listen carefully to the news on the most recognized national TV channels in your country throughout the week.

• Identify at least three news items that can lead you and your activist audience to apocalypse fatigue.

• Match each news item with sensations and feelings of fatigue and its possible effects on people.

What is Hope-Based Communication?

The hope-based communication is a social justice strategy that anyone can use. It is connected to five narrative changes that are based on neuroscience and psychology. It was designed by communications expert and human rights advocate Thomas Coombes to fight apocalypse fatigue, leading to change the attitudes and behaviors we want to see in the world through communications. Organizations and social justice movements have historically focused their communication efforts on calling out those forces we fear and oppose. This leads us to reinforce them even more, despite our best intentions.

The hope-based communication is a transformative commitment that invites us to increase awareness about the actions we take to achieve the world we dream of by highlighting the common values ​​that unite us as social movements. In this way, we transcend the call-out culture and manage to convey to our audiences the certainty that change is possible and inspire them with the desire to join the collective effort to achieve it.

Click on each title to see examples of hope-based communications.

Trans People Rights Campaign.

A campaign that focuses on messages of gratitude from people close to and relatives of the population with experiences of a trans life, highlighting the values ​​and what they have learned by supporting their processes.

Sexual and Reproductive Rights Campaign.

A campaign that shows the stories of women who today live a happy and full adult life without children, because at some point they had access to abortion, or women who had children when they were ready for it in their life story.

Migration Campaign. 

A campaign that highlights the values, dreams and joys that migrants have in common with any local person, to show how, despite cultural differences, there is more in common.

Which of the following is an example of a hope-based communication to address the issue of deforestation? Select the correct answer.

Why Work on Hope-Based Narratives?

Neuroscience has the answer. The neuroscientific community talks about the “downstairs” and “upstairs” model of the brain. It is known that the amygdala, responsible for our responses to fear, is located in the downstairs brain, while empathy, reflection and rational thought go through the prefrontal cortex, the upstairs brain area. But what does this mean?

We invite you to click on each icon to discover what happens in our brains when they are overexposed to communication based on call-outs vs. hope-based communication based on hope:

Calling-out excessively:
survival brain

Apathy: We stop being outraged

Fear: Activates individual interest

Our rational thinking is turned off

Paralysis that prevents action

Threat, danger and stress

Apocalypse fatigue

Hope-Based Communication:
evolved superior brain.

Identify possibilities

Ability to find solutions

Empathy

Trust

Compassion

We can identify that calling-out excessively paralyzes us when confronted with injustices and social problems, whereas hope-based communication activates us to achieve the changes we want. It is important then to recognize how we are communicating the causes of our social organization, with fear that prevents us from seeking solutions? Or with hope that activates empathy to act with other people?

Reflect on this open question in your organization, community, or activist team:

How could you apply hope-based communications in a campaign to address a local or global issue in your community?