From my experience, the problem is not climate denialism anymore, at least not where I live. If you ask someone to tell you about the climate problem and its causes, most will get it right.
What they do get wrong is on who is to blame. And I’m constantly seeing the same here. They blame the rich for making the problem worse. They blame China for polluting more than its fair share. They blame the politicians for adopting inadequate measures.
But they never blame themselves. They drive a 2 metric ton car everyday, perhaps they have 3 kids, or work in finance. Or they’re broke and just can’t stop thinking about money all the time.
The rich are rich because we keep making them richer. China overpollutes because we overconsume. Politicians take inadequate measures because they do what the population wants to be reelected on the next term.
From my point of view, if you are emitting more than 1.2 tonnes of CO2 equivalent before 2050 (Paris agreement) and 0 tonnes after, you’re the problem. If you don’t have the wits or will to see through the advertising wanting you to keep overconsuming, you’re the problem. If you keep blaming the others and not seeing how the problem takes its root from you, you’re the problem.
The problem is at the bottom. Thus solutions will not come from the top, they will come from the bottom. Stop waiting after “those than can actually do anything”. If you’re not happy with the society you live in, know that you are always free to stop participating in it, and should.
When enough people do so and labor shortage becomes rampant, when the stock market collapses, when only a fraction of people participate in elections and pay their taxes, only then will things change. Society, our sick society, will have collapsed then, willingly, and something better will have taken its place.
From my experience, the problem is not climate denialism anymore, at least not where I live. If you ask someone to tell you about the climate problem and its causes, most will get it right.
What they do get wrong is on who is to blame. And I’m constantly seeing the same here. They blame the rich for making the problem worse. They blame China for polluting more than its fair share. They blame the politicians for adopting inadequate measures.
But they never blame themselves. They drive a 2 metric ton car everyday, perhaps they have 3 kids, or work in finance. Or they’re broke and just can’t stop thinking about money all the time.
The rich are rich because we keep making them richer. China overpollutes because we overconsume. Politicians take inadequate measures because they do what the population wants to be reelected on the next term.
From my point of view, if you are emitting more than 1.2 tonnes of CO2 equivalent before 2050 (Paris agreement) and 0 tonnes after, you’re the problem. If you don’t have the wits or will to see through the advertising wanting you to keep overconsuming, you’re the problem. If you keep blaming the others and not seeing how the problem takes its root from you, you’re the problem.
The problem is at the bottom. Thus solutions will not come from the top, they will come from the bottom. Stop waiting after “those than can actually do anything”. If you’re not happy with the society you live in, know that you are always free to stop participating in it, and should.
When enough people do so and labor shortage becomes rampant, when the stock market collapses, when only a fraction of people participate in elections and pay their taxes, only then will things change. Society, our sick society, will have collapsed then, willingly, and something better will have taken its place.
VERY well said.