The Age of Toxicity: A Theoretical Model

Ulrich Beck theorized the contemporary world as the ‘age of risk'. Taking the cue from Beck, this paper focuses on the ecological aspect of this risk society which looms large over the life and wellbeing of the entire planet – the intrusion of toxics in our everyday lives – thereby also making it the ‘age of toxicity'. Toxics have permeated the entire ecosystem – from land to water to atmosphere – making it difficult for any life form to escape their impact. The paper attempts to explain the main features of this age of toxicity in an effort to find solutions to this problem. It might be noted that the problem of toxicity is not evenly distributed across the countries and the Global South bears the brunt of the problem. Further, toxicity has a disproportionate impact on the economically weaker and marginalized sections within the developing countries as they are forced by economic circumstances to live in areas which are environmentally degraded and polluted. The paper proposes that toxicity is engendered within a global system structured by three factors– international power conflicts, activities of corporate houses and the consumerist culture – which together create a vicious circle of toxicity. The paper therefore proposes that the concerned civil society groups could advocate policies aimed at weakening this vicious circle of toxicity and campaign for small steps in the direction of larger changes.