The sublime, ecocentrism & friluftsliv

Abstract

The anthropogenic effects of climate change and environmental degradation are well-known, and the trajectory of ways of living responsible for this decline must evolve to avoid destruction of the hapless – human and non-human alike. The Nordic practice of friluftsliv – outdoor recreation steeped in appreciation of nature – may offer a contribution to constructive change. Manifold permutations of friluftsliv exist today, but it initially developed with counter-culture ideals of the Romantic era alongside the fear–pleasure mix of the sublime that only nature can inspire. This study – a master’s thesis – combined theory and philosophy typical of qualitative research together with established attitudinal instruments into a quantitative, online survey to investigate the presence of the sublime in contemporary friluftsliv and any association it might have with environmental perspectives of anthropocentrism, apathy, and ecocentrism among friluftsliv persons of the North (n = 73). Through statistical analysis, experience of the sublime in friluftsliv associated positively with ecocentrism (β₁ = 0,65; p = 7,1 × 10−¹²) and negatively with anthropocentrism (β₁ = −0,25; p = 0,056) and apathy (β₁ = −10,34; p = 0,0047) thereby reinforcing norms. Inquiry also addressed the plural character of friluftsliv experiences with incorporation of several covariates. Results are discussed alongside theory and self-critique.