The role of narratives of care in sustainable consumption

Narratives are stories that give meaning to the world around us, shape our relationships, and structure our reality. Narratives shape the dynamics within social-ecological systems as these can alter individual consumption patterns, and aggregate economic outcomes. A dominant narrative that assumes a selfish and utilitarian human nature, has shaped economic outcomes in which exploitative activities and an unsustainable relationship with the planet are seen as “natural” or “given”. This narrative is reinforced and reinforces a consumerist culture, in which we prioritize individual interests, ignoring the harm imposed on a broader context. In this consumerist culture, sustainable consumption is often seen under the frame of self-sacrifice and loss, as it sometimes requires giving up personal benefits that are appealing to our “selfish nature”. Narratives in which humanity’s “selfish nature” does not allow us to act on sustainability challenges, are not only paralyzing but incomplete, as humanity is also capable of altruism, cooperation, and care. In this theoretical paper, we establish a dialogue among the Complex Adaptive Systems theory, Narrative Psychology, Narrative therapy, and the Ethics of Care, to foster narratives that can help visualize and act toward sustainable consumption. We propose that tools from narrative therapy, such as externalizing the problem and finding unique outcomes, can aid in the transformation towards narratives that acknowledge our capacity for care. Through these tools, it is possible to develop an alternative story, in which we are also capable of cooperating with other humans and more-than-humans to reshape the dynamics within social-ecological systems towards sustainability. This alternative story releases us from the paralyzing idea of our inherent unsustainability and can help us navigate the tensions emerging from sustainable consumption by framing it under the idea of care rather than self-sacrifice.