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About this project
A Graphic Novel About the Misunderstandings of Degrowth
Show list of needs
Material
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Minimum | Optimum |
|---|---|---|
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printing costs
for 500 books
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£ 2,001 | |
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postage international
to send approx. 100 - 150 books
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£ 1,001 | |
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printing costs
rewards extras
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£ 125 | |
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printing costs
for 500 more books / 1000 in total!
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£ 667 | |
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postage international
to send approx 100 - 150 books
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£ 1,001 | |
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postage international
to send 10 x donation package a 9 books / 5kg
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£ 417 | |
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postage international
to send 50 x donation package a 2 books
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£ 500 |
Infrastructure
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Minimum | Optimum |
|---|---|---|
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ISBN number
acquire International Standard Book Number
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£ 83 | |
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website hosting free download
costs for one year
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£ 208 | |
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costs post office box for two years
(legal reasons / not to reveal my private address in imprint)
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£ 42 | |
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7% fees
(Goteo, bank transfers, paypal)
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£ 292 | |
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7% fees
(Goteo, bank transfers, paypal)
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£ 175 |
Task
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Minimum | Optimum |
|---|---|---|
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income
preparing prints / mailing
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£ 625 | |
| Total | £ 4,377 | £ 7,137 |
Necessary
Supplemental
General information
Economics and how we run our societies lie at the heart of humanity’s life-threatening socio-ecological crisis.
Frustration with the injustices of our current economic system is reaching a fever pitch, and its obsession with growth at all costs is incompatible with the limits of our planet. This may seem clear to you, yet when ideas about changing the system away from endless growth are (if at all) discussed in the news and media, they immediately get ridiculed as utopian, attacked as authoritarian, or dismissed as both. Disinformation about this popular alternative, "Degrowth," is often deliberately spread and can lead to many misunderstandings.
‘Who Is Afraid of Degrowth’ explains why they are wrong yet so persistent. It aims to make the debate about degrowth and economics accessible to climate activists, teachers, students, workers, parents, and anyone else who isn’t a classical economist but wants to help stop climate collapse. The comic contains quotes from a wide range of experts, woven into an engaging narrative that will guide you through this complex topic.
‘Who Is Afraid of Degrowth’ is a deep dive that invites you to explore and join this crucial debate about economics, ecology, democracy, human rights, technology, and our future.
You will learn about the history and interconnectedness of the many problems humanity has to solve to have a chance at a livable future, and why what is often left out of public discourse matters! Each quote is accompanied by its source to empower you to further investigate and provide you with a handy resource to rely on in your own conversations about degrowth and economics.
There is a lot at stake in leaving economics to economists alone.
Ultimately, what may stop the necessary transformations to stop climate collapse are unquestioned (economic) beliefs that we’ve been told are as true as natural laws yet have not been around for more than a century. These ingrained ideologies also add fuel to the rise of the global far-right and explain why some growth-obsessed tech-bro billionaires seem to intentionally want to set the planet on fire. And if you agree that tech-bro billionaires are accelerating the climate crisis because they believe it will help them create the AI "god" necessary to become immortal and escape to Mars sounds like an acceptable plot for a comic book but definitely not reality, then this book is for you.
We cannot fight this cruel absurdity without understanding the myths and misunderstandings that fuel the fire.
‘Who Is Afraid of Degrowth’ will be released as a PDF to download for free (208 pages, including sources as links).
Still, by contributing to this crowdfunding, you will help me print 500 beautiful softcover copies of ‘Who Is Afraid of Degrowth’ (172 pages) that will hopefully help spread conversations about degrowth much further than the digital copies alone ever could. Plus, you can get one for yourself and/or your community.
Main features and goals of the crowdfunding campaign
- to print 500 copies of 'Who Is Afraid of Degrowth’ a graphic novel (172 pages) about the misunderstandings of degrowth that will also be published as a digital download for free.
Why this is important
Climate activists used to only have to fight against disinformation and denial from the fossil fuel industry, but it turns out that former tech-bro climate heroes might have been the fossil fuel industry’s allies all along. “Allies” who have lately exerted a greater and greater destructive influence on the public debate. Recently, an influential tech billionaire wrote a Techno-Optimist Manifesto in which he praises an Italian fascist as his patron saint and hints at a racist conspiracy theory as he states, “Our enemy is deceleration, de-growth, depopulation.” In light of the power, reach, and influence these people have, fair discussions of degrowth in the media and politics are still hard to come by. The graphic novel hopes to improve our chances in the public discourse by making these ideas more accessible to all people.
Degrowth is not only possible and necessary; it entails all kinds of good stuff you probably haven’t heard about.
It is also, despite all claims to the contrary, something that cannot be done to people but can only be truly achieved by a mass movement of the people, by the people, and for the people, together.
‘Who Is Afraid of Degrowth’ offers a new way to learn about degrowth and join the most important debate of our time:
What kind of societies and economies will hold life precious and not threaten to extinguish it? And how will we make them happen?
Céline Keller is a queer artist from Germany whose work seeks to promote social, climate, and ecological justice. You can find out more about her and download the other two free climate comics at celinekeller.com
‘Who Is Afraid of Degrowth’ was made possible with support from Prof. Julia Steinberger plus the writings of more than 100 experts from whom Céline learned during her research and whose quotes were used to build the story.
Social commitment
Educational
This project makes an important and complex debate about economics and our collective future accessible to non-experts for free. By supporting this project, you will enable me to promote degrowth by donating printed copies of the graphic novel to people and projects that can further the conversation about degrowth and will help me keep making free comics to inspire climate activism and organising.
Shared materials
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Who Is Afraid of Degrowth? graphic novel
Please share and download the free graphic novel here:CC - Attribution - NonCommercial - NoDerivs
Creative Commons License with attribution, that does not allow commercial use nor derivative works
Sustainable Development Goals
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Quality Education
Obtaining a quality education is the foundation to improving people’s lives and sustainable development.
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Reduced Inequalities
To reduce inequalities, policies should be universal in principle, paying attention to the needs of disadvantaged and marginalized populations.
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Climate Action
Climate change is a global challenge that affects everyone, everywhere.