Derrick Jensen

Derrick Jensen. An American author, environmental activist, and philosopher known for his radical critiques of industrial civilization and his advocacy for deep ecology. His work, blending memoir, philosophy, and polemic, argues that modern culture is inherently destructive and unsustainable. Jensen's influential books, including the two-volume Endgame, have established him as a leading voice within the environmental movement.

Early life and education

Born in Nebraska and raised in Colorado, Jensen has cited formative experiences in the natural world that later informed his ecological perspective. He pursued higher education at Colorado College, where he earned a Bachelor of Arts degree before completing a Master of Fine Arts in creative writing at Eastern Washington University. His academic background in fiction and poetry significantly shaped the narrative and emotional style of his later nonfiction works.

Writing and activism

Jensen's literary career began with the publication of Listening to the Land in 1995, a collection of interviews with environmental thinkers. He gained wider recognition with A Language Older Than Words in 2000, which interwove personal history with a critique of societal violence. His subsequent book, The Culture of Make Believe, was a finalist for the J. Anthony Lukas Book Prize. Jensen is a frequent contributor to publications like Orion Magazine and has been a prominent speaker at events for Deep Green Resistance, an organization he helped inspire. His activism extends to direct involvement in campaigns against deforestation and hydropower projects in the Pacific Northwest.

Philosophical views

Central to Jensen's philosophy is the conviction that industrial civilization, based on the extraction of resources from a finite planet, is inherently unsustainable and must be actively dismantled to prevent biosphere collapse. He draws heavily upon principles of deep ecology and the work of thinkers like Daniel Quinn. Jensen argues for a return to indigenous land-based ways of knowing and a rejection of anthropocentrism. He is a staunch critic of reformist environmentalism, such as that promoted by 350.org, believing that symbolic actions distract from the need for decisive, defensive action to protect the natural world.

Criticism and controversy

Jensen's advocacy for the use of strategic property destruction, which he labels "monkeywrenching," has drawn significant criticism from law enforcement and mainstream environmental groups like the Sierra Club. His writings have been scrutinized by the Federal Bureau of Investigation in relation to investigations into ecoterrorism. Some academics and activists, including author Michael Pollan, have challenged his characterization of all agriculture as inherently destructive. Furthermore, his collaboration with the controversial filmmaker Lierre Keith and his stark, uncompromising rhetoric have polarized audiences within the broader environmental movement.

Selected works

* Listening to the Land (1995) * A Language Older Than Words (2000) * The Culture of Make Believe (2002) * Endgame, Volume I: The Problem of Civilization (2006) * Endgame, Volume II: Resistance (2006) * Deep Green Resistance (with Lierre Keith and Aric McBay) (2011) * The Myth of Human Supremacy (2016)

Category:American environmental writers Category:American activists Category:1960 births