| Abstract [eng] |
Apathy and/or Radicalism: Green Politics in Lithuania aims to analyse the reasons behind apathy towards ecosophical issues; to investigate the topic of, as well as to suggest a certain type of radicalism as a base for effective green politics, and a way out of the culture of apathy in Lithuania. The ongoing Russian invasion of Ukraine and genocide in Gaza is threatening to redraw the (conceptual and actual) map of the world as we know it today. And yet, Katy Perry is going to space in disguise of promoting feminist values and brands are happily selling us fast production packaged in rough cardboard packaging, ticking the imaginary boxes of sustainability and social responsibility. As overlapping global and local crises combine, citizens face not only material hardship but also an existential fatigue that breeds apathy towards any active participation, mostly importantly, the political one. The first chapter explored this apathy in both individual and institutional dimensions, revealing it not only as passive disinterest, but as a product of overload of information, prevailing historical narratives, and a shift in perception of reality due to geopolitical changes. The second chapter investigates radicalism, exposing a double standard in its perception. While youth-led actions, particularly when emotionally expressive or digital-first, are frequently mocked or dismissed as immature, at the same time figures like Kaunas mayor Matijošaitis are able to wield regressive radicalism under the guise of efficiency and stability – an apolitical authoritarianism that echoes Soviet control mechanisms. This contrast highlights the danger of normalized radicalism: political figures with economic and social capital can disguise power consolidation as progress. The final part of the thesis mapped out a radical praxis appropriate to Lithuanian political culture, calling for a turn from ecological theory as mysticism toward embodied, shared, and consistent action. Inspired by Sultana’s work on political ecology, MacIntyre’s virtue ethics, and Braidotti’s call for affirmative futures, it argued that practice must become central to any political or ecological project. While Ismail warns that degrowth may alienate those already living in scarcity, a deeper, de-traumatized model of self-reliance based on cooperation rather than survivalism could offer a way forward. Reclaiming leftist ideas, divorced from authoritarian legacy and rooted in mutual aid, can allow Lithuania to construct a radical green politics that is both locally grounded and globally relevant. Furhter research within this topic could be in the intersection of ecology and post-colonial context. As current perspectives that see Soviet occupation as colonialism, and thus applies the corresponding theory, is lacking. Apart from referenced Violeta Kelertas “Baltic poscolonialism” (2006), there are no modern works of philosophy of Lithuanian post-colonialism in such volume, apart from a few theses from Baltic students. Furthermore, the topic of left trauma is still being discussed quite sparsely. If the discussed green political alternatives would be considered legitimate and plausible to implement, then the reconceptualization of Marx, should happen widely within academia first, and then transform to public discourse too. The same can be applied to in-depth anthropological studies within the topic of cultural-political narratives, that currently stops us from implementing truly inclusive, participatory approaches to policy-making and over all societal formations. |
