In environmental discourse, we will find that some discourses do conflict with one another. One of the most prominent conflicts is that of Survivalism versus Prometheanism.

Promethean

Promethean on the other hand, denies the trends are mentioned in the survivalism context. In this particular discourse, the trends about the earth resources and the impacts of our actions are often denied or regarded as a natural occurrence. In this ideology, there is also the confidence that humans would be able to solve whatever issues that occur due to the innovation of humans themselves.

With that, participants of this discourse are usually pushing for governments to subsidise and encourage research as this aids innovation of possibly new ways to solve the environmental issues. Prometheans usually believe that economic prosperity and growth is essential and can even said to be of utmost importance as more money leads to more capital for innovation!

While the promethean response to survivalism seems rather nonchalant or even may seem slightly dismissive to the environmental problems, we must still acknowledge that the promethean discourse has manifested to legitimate think-tanks that aim to solve the environmental issues in their own manner. One of these institutions of research is that of the Breakthrough Institute that aims to find and promote technological solutions to environmental problems.

One of the prominent ways that has been pushed for by the Breakthrough Institute is of the use of nuclear energy. Nuclear energy has been one of the most controversial debates of energy use. The institute felt that nuclear energy is one of the only ways as to how we are able to continue growing while still considering our impacts on the environment.

To learn more about nuclear energy, watch this video below!

Conflicting Discourses