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The document explores the ideological battle over the concept of 'freedom,' contrasting the right-wing's individualistic, consumer-driven 'freedom from constraint' with a proposed 'Green freedom' based on interdependence and ecological limits. It analyzes how this struggle manifests across various domains: the gig economy's algorithmic management, the impact of immersive technologies (XR) on cognitive autonomy, the targeting of gender studies by illiberal regimes, and the need for 'comprehensive security' in the Baltic states that integrates social welfare with military defense. The text argues that for the Green movement to succeed, it must move beyond technical expertise and reclaim freedom as a collective, emancipatory value that decouples wellbeing from economic growth.

The paper examines the 'petroculture' of Norway, where oil is treated as a 'sacramental substance' and a guarantor of prosperity. It analyzes how the oil industry and political actors use 'oil myths'—narratives that frame oil as a savior—to maintain social acceptance for continued extraction and to resist energy transition. The author argues that this 'petromania' creates a psychological and cultural barrier to climate action, often framing the phase-out of oil as a betrayal of national identity and the workers who built the nation's wealth.

Benoît Lechat discusses the need to broaden the social appeal of ecological policies in Europe, critiquing the 'liberal-productivism' that dominates the EU and the 'ascetic' or 'expertocratic' image of Green parties. He analyzes the electoral stabilization of Green parties following the May 2014 European elections, noting gains in Sweden and Austria but declines in France and Belgium. Using the theories of Etienne Balibar, Alain Lipietz, and Ulrich Beck, Lechat argues that climate change must be treated as a strict social issue rather than a niche environmental one. He specifically reflects on the decline of the Belgian party Ecolo, attributing its loss of voters to problematic coalitions with the PS, mismanagement of photovoltaic green certificates, and resistance to wind energy development in Wallonia.