Who Is Afraid of Degrowth?

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Finished 13 / 03 / 2024
Funded!
Received
€ 18.936
Minimum
€ 5.250
Optimum
€ 8.560
480 Co-financiers
  • Contributing € 10

    Just send love for the free graphic novel

    > 42 Co-financiers
  • Contributing € 20

    Send love for the free graphic novel + get 6 postcards

    3 WIAOD postcards
    3 Ursula Le Guin postcards

    > 06 Co-financiers
  • Contributing € 35

    Who Is Afraid of Degrowth? graphic novel

    1 soft cover copy
    172 pages
    17cm x 24 cm

    > 201 Co-financiers
  • Contributing € 40

    Who Is Afraid of Degrowth? graphic novel / signed

    Get the first edition signed by the artist.
    1 soft cover copy
    172 pages
    17cm x 24 cm

    > 145 Co-financiers
  • Contributing € 50

    Who Is Afraid of Degrowth? graphic novel / signed + 6 postcards

    Get the first edition signed by the artist.
    1 soft cover copy
    172 pages
    17cm x 24 cm
    +
    3 WIAOD postcards
    3 Ursula Le Guin postcards

    > 55 Co-financiers
  • Contributing € 100

    The big fan package!

    Get the first edition signed by the artist.
    1 soft cover copy
    172 pages
    17cm x 24 cm
    +
    your favorite double spread from the graphic novel printed and signed (2x DinA4)
    and a personal Thank you note
    +
    3 WIAOD postcards
    3 Ursula Le Guin postcards

    > 18 Co-financiers

About this project

A Graphic Novel About the Misunderstandings of Degrowth

Needs Material Minimum Optimum
printing costs
for 500 books
€ 2.400
postage international
to send approx. 100 - 150 books
€ 1.200
printing costs
rewards extras
€ 150
printing costs
for 500 more books / 1000 in total!
€ 800
postage international
to send approx 100 - 150 books
€ 1.200
postage international
to send 10 x donation package a 9 books / 5kg
€ 500
postage international
to send 50 x donation package a 2 books
€ 600
Needs Infrastructure Minimum Optimum
ISBN number
acquire International Standard Book Number
€ 100
website hosting free download
costs for one year
€ 250
costs post office box for two years
(legal reasons / not to reveal my private address in imprint)
€ 50
7% fees
(Goteo, bank transfers, paypal)
€ 350
7% fees
(Goteo, bank transfers, paypal)
€ 210
Needs Task Minimum Optimum
income
preparing prints / mailing
€ 750
Total € 5.250 € 8.560
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?

Team and experience

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

Sustainable Development Goals

  • Quality Education

    Obtaining a quality education is the foundation to improving people’s lives and sustainable development.

  • Reduced Inequalities

    To reduce inequalities, policies should be universal in principle, paying attention to the needs of disadvantaged and marginalized populations.

  • Climate Action

    Climate change is a global challenge that affects everyone, everywhere.