What we are witnessing as the covid story arc unfolds is an expedited preview of the inevitable climate disaster.
Recapping the Covid arc you saw immediate denial of urgency from conservatives followed by the mocking of the measures needed for containment as extreme, economically disastrous, and politically motivated science. Eventually, in the face of overwhelming death some conservatives have slowly, and begrudgingly acquiesced to wearing masks, limiting large gatherings, sacrificing some liberties, and even to some restrictions around business. The result will be 200,000+ deaths, many of them avoidable with earlier actions.
Fast forward to the climate debate where conservatives again are in a position of denying any, and all, urgency accompanied with the mocking of measures needed for mitigation as extreme, economically disastrous, and politically motivated science.
We will see a repeat of the covid arc occur in the climate debate. It will be slower, more subtle, and more deadly. It will likely be too late in the climate debate cycle before conservatives come to the inevitable conclusion that our only home in the universe will kill us if we don’t start mitigating climate change.
Questions:
1. What is the psychology of the conservative movement which prohibits reacting to life saving stimuli?
2. How can we progressives proactively motivate conservatives to avoid the covid arc from reoccurring with the climate?
Recapping the Covid arc you saw immediate denial of urgency from conservatives followed by the mocking of the measures needed for containment as extreme, economically disastrous, and politically motivated science. Eventually, in the face of overwhelming death some conservatives have slowly, and begrudgingly acquiesced to wearing masks, limiting large gatherings, sacrificing some liberties, and even to some restrictions around business. The result will be 200,000+ deaths, many of them avoidable with earlier actions.
Fast forward to the climate debate where conservatives again are in a position of denying any, and all, urgency accompanied with the mocking of measures needed for mitigation as extreme, economically disastrous, and politically motivated science.
We will see a repeat of the covid arc occur in the climate debate. It will be slower, more subtle, and more deadly. It will likely be too late in the climate debate cycle before conservatives come to the inevitable conclusion that our only home in the universe will kill us if we don’t start mitigating climate change.
Questions:
1. What is the psychology of the conservative movement which prohibits reacting to life saving stimuli?
2. How can we progressives proactively motivate conservatives to avoid the covid arc from reoccurring with the climate?