Quote:
Originally Posted by Battlebasset
I often ask people like this that if they think climate change is real and an existential threat, what are they personally sacrificing to make me believe that they believe it. Usually the response is crickets, mumbles about solar panels and EV or outright anger that I would ask such a question.
Until you really show me some sacrifice, I dismiss such people as only believing in climate change because it is (1) Cool (2) Let's them feel superior or (3) a political talking point.
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Why? It's easy to believe in facts, and not try to "do" anything about them.
I believe there's a lot of social injustice in the world. But I have no intention of flying anywhere to fix it. That doesn't mean I think I'm cool for believing it. Or that I feel superior to someone else just because I believe it. And I don't consider it a political talking point. There IS social injustice in the world, whether it's convenient for you to recognize that fact or not. I also don't expect you to do anything about it - because you're not obligated to do anything about it. Neither am I.
I believe that climate change is a thing. I believe humans have contributed to the speed and severity of it, even though I also do NOT believe that we caused it. I don't do all that much about it, because I don't consider myself obligated to do much about it. I do a little - my flower bed attracts pollinators. I re-use bags from grocery stores, instead of buying brand new virgin plastic waste bags. When the weather permits, I walk to the postal station instead of wasting fossil fuels by driving to it. I do a little. If everyone did a little, there could be a slow-down of the climate changes on this planet. But I don't think we need to feel obligated. Our species will be wiped out eventually and replaced with a species that can live in whatever is left of the planet when we're done with it.