Climate Change Will Be A Slow-Motion, Multi-Generational Train Wreck. We Should Talk About That. | CleanTechnica
Might humanity come to accept the wisdom of Abraham Maslow and strive for self-fulfillment instead of self-aggrandizement? The most vital piece of the puzzle is constructing a post-consumer society in which everyone is a valued member of society and free to contribute to the human experience without being consigned to a life of hunger and poverty. Surely humans, whose scientific name means “wise person,” should aspire to nothing less
ge. Guess what, people — eating beef and jetting around the world may be luxuries the human race can no longer afford if we are to keep our planet habitable.
Society must accept that such measures can no longer be avoided. Consumers are responsible for acting as far as they can. But they must also empower their deputies to regulate what is needed. Anyone who sees freedom restricted here is right. But there is no right to freedom to buy everything you can afford. This view has always been irresponsible, anti-social — and in the face of global warming, it is at an end. Of course, no eco-dictatorship may be built. But even in a country with democracy and market economy, the freedom of the individual stops where the livelihoods of all are threatened.
In other words, climate change will require the end of the “Me Generation,” the selfie-mad masses who take bazillions of photos of themselves but never turn the camera outward to see the magnificence of the world around them. It will require the abandonment of leaders who think governing is all about them, who cavil about the size of the audience with no thought about the content of the message.
It also means the end of consumerism, the disease that infects all of humanity with the craving for bigger houses, faster cars, and more things. Of course, our entire economic system is built on the acquisitive urges of our species, so breaking our bad habits will be painful.
Maslow's hierarchy of needs
Credit: Chiquo (CC BY-SA 4.0)
But might there be a bright tomorrow that awaits us if we mend our ways? Might humanity come to accept the wisdom of Abraham Maslow and strive for self-fulfillment instead of self-aggrandizement? The most vital piece of the puzzle is constructing a post-consumer society in which everyone is a valued member of society and free to contribute to the human experience without being consigned to a life of hunger and poverty. Surely humans, whose scientific name means “wise person,” should aspire to nothing less.
Talk Among Yourselves
So, how do we begin? A new study published in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences by researchers at Yale University finds that talking about climate change with family and friends is a powerful tool for confronting the climate denial promoted by fossil fuel apologists. The study finds that such discussions help those close to you to learn more facts about the climate crisis, which in turn leads to greater understanding and concern about the issue, according to a report by ThinkProgress.
Matthew Goldberg, a Yale social psychologist and lead author of the story, tells the Los Angeles Times that talking more about climate change is “massively important, particularly because we are not doing it enough.” The study found that many people do not realize that 97% of all climate scientists agree human activity is a primary driver of climate change. ThinkProgress recommends this simple way of getting that point across in conversation: “We are as certain that humans are responsible for recent climate change as we are that cigarettes are dangerous to your health.”
In an email to ThinkProgress, noted climate scientist Micheal Mann said the study “casts doubt on claims in some quarters that the climate change issue has become too ideologically-driven for facts to matter. [It] confirms what might seem common sense. The more people actually understand about the science of climate change, the more they are likely to accept the scientific consensus — that climate change is real, human-caused, and a threat to human civilization.”
Robert Brulle, an environmental sociologist, tells ThinkProgress, “Meaningful discussions and dialogue is how humans learn. This study clearly shows that non-polarized discussions within a trusted social network can lead to increased understanding and acceptance of climate science. Engaging in, rather than avoiding, climate change discussions is something that we should all be doing.”
“In other words,” says Joe Romm, senior editor of ThinkProgress, “talking about the climate crisis to family and friends motivates them to learn about the overwhelming scientific consensus that global warming is happening and humans are the cause — along with other key facts. Increased understanding of the consensus in turns leads to an increase in understanding and concern about the climate.”
So go forth. Spread the word. The climate crisis is real. And it will take all of us working together to deal with it effectively. Just buying a Tesla or recycling your plastic bags won’t be enough to stave off calamity. We need leaders who understand the gravity and the magnitude of the problem if we are to have any chance of addressing the multiple challenges of climate change effectively.
In the final analysis, if the people will lead, their leaders will follow. Make your voice heard. The planet you save might be your own.
Steve Hanley Steve writes about the interface between technology and sustainability from his home in Rhode Island and anywhere else the Singularity may lead him. His motto is, "Life is not measured by how many breaths we take but by the number of moments that take our breath away!"
