From Scratch ‘n’ Sniff Stickers, CNN, Monopoly, air conditioning, and sunsets, John Green reviews his experience living through the Anthropocene. This is Green’s first non-fiction book, and we follow a series of short essays that are partially autobiographical. The concept originated from a podcast that he recorded with the same title. He writes about his constant battle with his mental illnesses, which include depression and obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), the feeling of content while admiring nature, and the inevitable end of the human species. The essays cover various topics, but I would like to share with you two of my favorites. Despite that, I invite you to give a look to all of them.
“You’ll Never Walk Alone”
First, the song You’ll Never Walk Alone comes from the play Lillon, written by the Hungarian writer Ferenc Molnar. Green explains that, initially, the play Lillon didn’t have much success in Europe. However, a later English translation captured the attention of the U.S. The song has come a long way, and today it’s sung especially by the fans of the Liverpool Football Club.
The song tells us to have hope and carry on, which is easier said than done, but Green emphasizes that even if we feel alone, we never truly are… even in a pandemic. He says, “Those who are distant or even gone are still with us, still encouraging us to walk on” (11). From opportunities to people we love, 2020 took a lot from all of us.
What made my heart ache was that he referred to a video clip of British paramedics singing the song to their intensive care unit coworkers. Dealing with the virus has made an impact on our mental health, but I think that even more so to the first-hand responders, such as those paramedics. My mother and sister are nurses, so I witnessed the anxiety they have had to deal with while trying to protect their patients and our family.
Green thinks that songs like this one “…are assertions of unity in sorrow and unity in triumph: Whether the bubble is flying or bursting, we sing together” (12). This feeling of unity in pain creates some sort of comfort, although it can be called cliche. For example, Green expresses that:
“…at the end of the storm, there’s a golden sky and the sweet silver song of a lark. But in reality, at the end of the storm, there are tree branches strewn everywhere, downed power lines, and flooded rivers” (10).
This particular quote reminded me of Hurricane María and how it affected Puerto Rico. We all suffered losses by it; some more than others. However, as a community, we quite literally went outside and helped each other out. The storm passed and there was no golden skyーnot one nor two days after the natural disaster took place. And yet, for a lot of impoverished communities, there’s still no golden sky.
Sometimes we want to hope for the best all the time, when in reality, things don’t always go our way, and that’s okay. It’s okay to be sad once in a while, because nobody can be happy all the time. As the author expresses, the song doesn’t tell us that the world is perfect and joyful, but to keep going forward with faith. On the other hand, things do get better. I don’t know how but they just do. That being said, with every step you take, just know that you are never alone. In these moments, never lose sight of the fact that there’s always someone rooting for you.
“Bonneville Salt Flats”
Before reading this book, I had no idea what the Bonneville Salts Flats were. When I looked them up, they looked like death, or more like where you go when you die. The world always finds a way to say “Hey, this might be a simulation”. It amazes me that every time I think I can’t be surprised with something, I go and find the salt flats. We are surrounded by so much beauty that once in a while at least, we need to stand there and just admire it.
Further, what captured my attention from this particular essay was the way he brought up a quote from the husband of the deceased poet Jane Kenyon. When she died, her husband wrote the following words,
“We did not spend our days gazing into each other’s eyes. We did that gazing when we made love or when one of us was in trouble, but most of the time our gazes met and entwined as they looked at a third thing.”
Green explains that the feeling of looking at a third thing with Sarah, his wife, was his favorite feeling. I don’t know if you have a significant other, or just a close friend, but the act of just admiring the third object and sharing that moment with someone you care about, I believe is an amazing feeling. For example, when my best friend and I became close, one of us brought up the song Hey, Soul Sister from Train, and since that day, we named it our song. If you don’t already share the third thing with someone special, I encourage you to do so. Trust me, it makes life a little less dull.
Conclusion
I recommend you to take a closer look at the Anthropocene. If I gave those two essays justice, I hope you give the book a chance. Personally, I enjoyed more reading the Anthropocene Reviewed than his fiction works, because it felt more intimate. We are living in hectic times, where everything is going at a faster pace. While it may sound stupid and cliche, the reality is that, amid all the chaos, we rarely sit down and appreciate life. I think Green did an amazing job at achieving that. He brings to the spotlight the hidden beauties of life and the ugly parts that live in between. After reading the book, it left me with the feeling of wanting to live even more and to pay close attention to what surrounds me. I give the Anthropocene Reviewed five stars.
Resources
Green, John. The Anthropocene Reviewed. Penguin Random House, 2021.