Photography: Lauren murphy.
Sarah Wilson has a knack for putting her finger on the things that many of us are quietly struggling with.
First, the bestselling Australian author encouraged us to rethink our relationship with sugar with I Quit Sugar. Then she opened up about living with anxiety in First, We Make the Beast Beautiful. Now, she has turned her attention to something bigger: why so many of us feel unsettled by the state of the world and how we can still live meaningful, hopeful lives through uncertain times.
Her book, I Eat the Stars, is the result of four years spent interviewing more than 200 scientists, historians, philosophers, economists, futurists and spiritual leaders.
“It’s about explaining what’s happening to the world and how to face it,” Sarah says, talking to the Woman’s Weekly from Paris, where she is currently based.
“We’re living through what’s called a meta-crisis, where lots of systems are collapsing underneath us all at once. Multiple systems are under pressure simultaneously: climate, energy, economics, technology, politics and social cohesion. This has happened before.
“Civilisations go through cycles of becoming more complex, reaching limits and then reorganising into a new balance.”
Thinking about our world as we know it changing is a confronting subject that feels a bit too overwhelming – and Sarah, 52, is the first to acknowledge that.
“It’s terrifying – hard to fathom, hard to talk about,” she reflects.
“But actually, writing this book was one of the most calming things I’ve ever done. Halfway through my research, I returned home and Mum said, ‘You’re writing about all this dark stuff, but you’re the happiest I’ve ever seen you.’”
Finding peace in an uncertain world
For Sarah, who suffers from anxiety, OCD and bipolar disorder, it came down to awareness and understanding.
“For years, I had this feeling that things weren’t making sense,” she shares.
“We were being told everything was okay, but you’d look around and think, ‘Hang on, this doesn’t feel right.’ Once I started researching it, I realised this wasn’t about humans suddenly becoming worse – this is just what happens when complex systems start to fracture, as they have throughout history. “It brought me peace to finally see the bigger picture. The challenge is learning how to hold that awareness without becoming consumed by it. We need to come to terms with all of this, in a calm way.”
Why community matters
Through I Eat the Stars, Sarah isn’t trying to convince people that everything will magically work out, but to show how they can live with purpose and meaning.
“I don’t want to offer false hope,” she explains, adding, “Everyone I spoke to said we’re not going back to business as usual. I want people to be honest about what’s happening so they can make good decisions for themselves and their families.”
Sarah says the answer isn’t retreating into fear, but rather returning to the things humans have always relied on.
“Throughout history, during wars and system downfalls, the thing that has helped people survive difficult times is community. It’s people you can share resources with and call when something goes wrong. Humans have always survived through cooperation.”
Start small, live simply
She suggests starting small.
“Bake muffins for your cranky neighbour,” she laughs.
“Start a community – a five-person book club. It doesn’t have to be perfect. It’s the bonds that matter, so when things go bad, we have others to call upon, to connect, cooperate and coordinate.”
She also believes we need to get used to living without relying on technology or new purchases to bring us joy.
“Go as analog as you can,” she advises.
“Move away from anything that requires a supply chain for parts or replacement. Learn how to live without a car. Personally, I like being agile and not being dependent on having lots of things to keep my life running.”
Every choice counts
Sarah’s life is simple and streamlined. She hasn’t owned a car for 20 years and most of her belongings fit into two suitcases.
Sarah says even though it feels like we are powerless, it’s our choices that will make a difference
to the future.
“The way things will change are lots of small moves in the right direction, based on what it means to be human, to create momentum,” she says.
“It moves the dial in the right direction and, in time, the physics of life will land us in balance again.”
I Eat the Stars by Sarah Wilson (Penguin Random House Australia, rrp $39.99)
