What Will It Take for Us to Recognize That the Way We Live Could Be Destroying Life as We Know It?

[xchrom]

http://www.alternet.org/environment/what-will-it-take-us-recognize-way-we-live-could-be-destroying-life-we-know-it



Say goodnight, Earthlings.

That message — plus the slimmest of shots at an eleventh-hour reprieve — was announced to the people of the world last week.

When this happens in science fiction — 1951’s “The Day the Earth Stood Still” is the classic — the planet pays attention. The flying saucer lands; an alien, in this case played by Michael Rennie, emerges; a final warning is issued: Stop it. If you don’t, you’re doomed.

Back then, the “it” was violence — the Cold War, and the threat of nuclear midnight. Last week, it was climate change — greenhouse gases, and the promise of ecological extinction.

“Heat-Trapping Gas Passes Milestone, Raising Fears,” ran the headline on the front page lead story in Saturday’s New York Times, with this sub-head: “CO2 at Level Not Seen in Millions of Years, Portending Major Climate Changes.”

[Tien1985]

1. Have you ever

Tried to order a pizza with 4 semi strangers? That didn't always like each other?

The way it's made out, unless pretty much everyone on Earth makes an abrupt about face, RIGHT NOW, we're doomed. Humans don't do change well and some of us disagree with others just because they like being contrary. It's a recipe for disaster and I, at least, can't think of a way around it.

[snappyturtle]

4. +1 Good analogy. Here's mine: I think Americans live under a John Wayne

mentality that the 'cavalry' will somehow ride in at the last
possible moment to save the day. While waiting for this
miracle, they do nothing.... , yes.

[hfojvt]

11. that's what I found

the optimistic faith that somehow "science" was gonna solve these problems, with cold fusion or hot fusion and the green revolution and this and that.

But it is NOT that they do nothing. It's what they do NOT do. They do NOT make sacrifices. What, global warming means I cannot drive everywhere, that I cannot set my thermostat at 70 in the summer and 72 in the winter? That I have to eat less meat? That I have to conserve and recycle? Well, screw that.

Heck, if you think about it, those who say it is a very, very serious problem, do not act like we believe it. We, as a group on DU, do not spend very much time talking about it. It is lucky if there is ONE thread a week on this topic. You'd think the death of civilization would cause a little bit more concern - IF we believed it was gonna happen. Instead we act like a group sitting around talking, and one person says "dude, there is a bomb gonna destroy this building in fifteen minutes" and a bunch of people chime in agreement and yet NONE of them makes the slightest effort to evacuate the building.

[Arugula Latte]

12. The people who are in denial are mostly religious extremists

who think that Gawd 'n' Jesus are gonna step in and save the day. They're the descendents of the James Watt School of Thought. The scientists are the ones who are sounding the alarm.

[hfojvt]

15. seems to me that there is a much larger contingent in denial

that if more people REALLY believed it, they would be acting and demanding action.

Even on DU, the fact that this thread drops so quickly off the first page, shows to me a fair amount of denial. Maybe not open denial, but denial in a practical sense. If you really believed a building was gonna blow up, you would act on that belief - you'd get the hell out of that building. If you really believed civilization was going to destroy itself, you would ACT on that belief. You would not just yawn and jump into a discussion about boobs or something else. The coming end of civilization would be sorta important - somehow. It might even (as he edges into heresy) be more important than abortion or marriage equality.

But otherwise, as civilization ends, it will at least be nice that we have marriage equality on the Titanic right before it goes into the water, and reproductive choice too.

And that applies to me too. Clearly, I am not convinced of the seriousness of this problem. I put far more energy into my own pet issues - income inequality, progressive taxes, social programs, poverty, the budget, etc.

But isn't it kinda hard to take seriously? In 1979, I was about the only one in my history class that thought we had an energy crisis. 34 years later, haven't I been proven wrong? I have been warning, sorta, about global warming since at least 1990. I know because I can remember joking with my students. On days when it was ten below, I would begin class with a joke "on some days, it seems like global warming is a GOOD IDEA" (and then I would mention summer heat). Well, was it a serious problem in 1990? 23 years later and we still seem to be doing fine. Maybe we will still be doing fine 23 years from now. Myself, if still alive, will be 74 in 23 years. Perhaps marvelling at the way people are getting computer chips surgically installed in their brains or something. Fifteen years ago, I was in a discussion with a guy predicting 3-D printers. I thought he was nuts, but just a couple decades ahead of his time.

[loyalsister]

18. I have a sister who is, in her heart passionate about it.

She's working 2 jobs while her husband goes from job to job in search of insurance. They have a daughter, and they are trying to make sure she grows up in and environment that helps her academically.

Their concerns and energy are devoted to survive these things...

"put far more energy into my own pet issues - income inequality, progressive taxes, social programs, poverty, the budget, etc."

[snappyturtle]

13. I think I've found my environmental soul-mate!

I agree with everything you said.

I am one little person and I do what I can. I never drive unless
I have three errands that have to be done. I live in town and
only spend five dollars a week on gas....not quite that even. I
recycle. Put the trash out today....don't see even one more blue
container on the street! Just me. This isn't MN! There's a great
recycling center just blocks from me and most who I talk with
don't even know about it! I eat little meat and keep my thermostat
at 78 in the summer and 70 in the winter. I could do better but
I have asthma so.........Water.....VERY frugal. These habits are
probably easier for me than it would be for a family. It's just
second nature to me now.

I live on a five way stop intersection....middle school on one corner
and the rest is residential. I see hundreds of cars a day not to
mention city police cars, constable cars, sheriff SUVs, the citizen
patrol cars, school busses and fire engines and ambulances run....seems like
all the time. From 1992 to Christmas of 2011 I lived rurally...this
has been a huge adjustment. It's like the vehicular traffic in this
town (>40,000) is on steroids. Seems tome this town could afford
a bus....or two. So many people are retired or poor it would be
a good thing....but, it's like you say, people do NOT crimp their
lifestyle "just" to help save the planet. I'm very discouraged.

[bvar22]

14. Something as small as this....

...can be a revolutionary act.

[GeorgeGist]

2. Move to Detroit.

[leftyohiolib]

3. it's already too late barring any breakthroughs in technology

[el_bryanto]

6. Either we are doomed in which case, why make enormous sacrifices to still be doomed?

Or we aren't doomed, in which case shouldn't we try to save our species?

Bryant

[leftyohiolib]

7. whose we? so far as i can tell the people concerened with saving ourselves dont have the power

to do so again barring some breakthrough in technology,IMHO,but trying couldnt hurt it'll at least give people something todo

[loyalsister]

19. "shouldn't we try to save our species?"

That's how it has happened in the past- I assume by accident. I suppose there are some who have natural characteristics that would allow them to survive the worst case scenario. In this case it may be a combination of characteristics and actions (technological or simpler measures) taken that would be selected for that would allow some to survive.

In our early years, the smarter among the hominids survived.
Among primates, our main distinctions have been language and opposable thumbs. We were able to form groups, work more cooperatively, and build better structures for survival. We have trashed the value of language (propaganda, be it advertising, political language, media, or unbalanced education) and our abilities to work cooperatively. Lost lessons from the past.

[marmar]

5. k/r

[ladjf]

8. Brains

[rrneck]

9. The destruction of life as we know it. nt

[Junkdrawer]

10. Step 1: STOP BITING OUR TONGUE BECAUSE "WE MIGHT DEPRESS PEOPLE"....

The guiding principle is, and always should be, "The Truth Shall Set Ye Free"

[maxsolomon]

16. What will it take?

It will take life as we know it to be destroyed.

THEN everyone will point fingers and we'll have a war over the remaining resources and arable land.

[snappyturtle]

17. Mother Nature has certainly warned us. Consequently, I believe your

answer is probable.

[0rganism]

20. warning signs are ignored, natural disasters are written off as "freak accidents"

it will take a long, sustained period of serious uninterrupted widespread hurting before humanity as a whole bothers to change its behavior. The "Jesus will come to redeem everything RSN" people will have to learn that no, indeed, Jesus is not going to come back just to fix the climate for us, and that could take decades.

and by then, it will be much too late to make a difference for the next several generations.

we're headed for a dismal couple of centuries, no doubt about it.