Post
Instead of introduction or 10 reasons why I have ‘issues’ with climate change topic
I have a friend, quite a good one who is in the phase of being a 'PhD wonna be'. His 'wonna be' topic is about the climate change and EU among other things. Anyway, he is pretty passionate and takes things very emotionally so it is not a surprise that I kept this a secret from him. I was literary getting a rash when somebody mentions climate change. Don't tell him but at certain point I was also switching channel when a climate change topic was on it.
Why? – you probably ask yourself - 'what the hell are u doing here on climate change blog, dear girl? Wait, wait... One step at a time.
And there are 10 of them or better to say 10 reasons why I have ‘issues’ with the climate change topic:
10 & 9 - It is everywhere & everybody wants to say something about it
There is a joke in which one guy says that if he hears one more time that one more company is going green he will start burning tires in his back yard. That basically reflects my feelings about climate change. Everybody talks too much about it and it all comes at the end as 'we should, we would...'. I know it is good to raise awareness and that it is maybe great that so many people are included and thinking about it but don't you think that little it to much when you hear Paris Hilton babbling about the Kyoto protocol or my neighbor explaining how we are doomed because of 'green gasses from houses'.
8 & 7 – Mass hysteria & doom effect
Until “The Earth” all documentaries about living life had that apocalyptic ending, which more or less proclaims the end of the world if we do not change completely our way of living RIGHT NOW. By the end of the documentary you know that in those last 15 seconds nothing changed. What is left for you is that bitter feeling as if you are ten and your neighbor busted you stealing apples from his yard. You can not think too much except 'shit …why me? why today?‘. I have the same feeling when I look at those documentaries. I do not have need to change anything (why should I, we are already doomed...).
So I am very glad that lately we can see some useful advices rather than the usual 'drama'.
People might actually do something after all.
6 - False facts
Temperature rise for 1 F each month.... no no no.... it is each year 1F per year... no no no that was on average 1F per year, on average or....
Don't get me wrong but I need pure facts if you want me to listen to you and consider you seriously.
5 - Conspiracy theory
Climate change actually does not exist... it is all a lie by the politicians, a reason to introduce higher taxes or maybe an alternative industry lobbies try to affect the market.
You want my opinion? Sorry… I already switched the channel…
4 - Whatever happens just blame the climate change
Once upon a time in the 1950s doctors would tell you that all diseases which they couldn’t figure out are based on nerves, from 1990s on it was all genetics became 'the usual suspect'.
Environmentalists have the same problem nowadays with climate change topic...
Oh yes, climate change exists but you can't blame it for everything.
3 & 2 – Philosophical thoughts and moral dilemmas
What are our descendants are going to think about us? Is what we do to the other creatures moral?
Let me tell you they will not think anything. Do you spend your days thinking about dinosaurs, Neanderthals, the Rapanui or Dodo. No you don't, it is one more egoistic 'man-centric idea'. Live with it, they will not think about us so much as we would like them to think about, they might mention us in some text book if they will have it, couple of freaks will investigate us but nothing more spectacular... Sorry... We should do something for our own sake not for them...
1 - 'It’s a hot topic, baby...'
It is the hottest possible topic today and it brings money. Let's face it, today if you are planning to do PhD from environmental science you should probably make something for climate change involved it will bring you founding. Forget some small protected area where some small spider specie live, it might pass on local level with modest founding but if you are doing climate change we are talking about 'big thing don't we ...'
Forgive me for being cynical...
This is not meant to be cynical blog nor climate change offensive bog. It is not even going to be climate change skeptical blog. This was just a list of things that will try to avoid in addressing this topic. So if you like mass disasters, Earth cries, pathetic pictures or similar thing better skip me.
I am for a “facts and solutions” approach. The problem is global, dangerous and complex. It deserves to be treated like that.
Comments
Many issues are being abused politically. Climate change is far from the first. Take the islamophobic hysteria which is also being inflated absurdly from certain politicians whose careers depend upon it.
You claim climate change is being abused by the greens. Maybe. In some instances. But the bottom line is years of concern have turned out to be quite correctly addressed and that pretty much no-one is hurt by green concerns whereas the anti-Islam thing has cost us dearly on military spending, civil rights and human life.
Just a comparison.
I enjoyed reading this, thank you, Lovorka (perhaps because I am yet another PhD-to-be, with particular interest in the ways journalists relate to these issues). I reserve the right to respond in my own blogging space
But just a word of encouraging you and everyone here to think critically about everything we are told about climate change, science, politics, and the world around us. This is how we are doing our job right, in getting the right answers to the right people - who will then make up their minds when they vote, consume, and live their lives further.
And by the way, where did you get this lovely cartoon from?
it’s always good when people have mind of their own and are able to think critically. I’m all for that and agree that in many ways climate change is used to explain all other problems, etc etc. for sure there is political and corporate abuse of the topic and for sure there are many other (environmental) problems, that need to be solved as well, loss of biodiversity for example. But on the other hand, it’s good to see that finally people seem to be taking one environmental issue (or cluster of issues) seriously. at least there is fuss around it. ofc we are not dealing it maybe ideally, but too much critism can also destroy the thing that attention is being paid on it. we are moving in right direction, but also still in learning process.
Sorry guys for not replying earlier
@Benno: I got your point and agree this is not the worst abuse in media history but this is competition about climate change not human rights. And I did not get hurt but still but I am not blind.
@ Pavel: Thx. I just want people to think little bit about things that they read. It was a BBC cartoon/comics that I had on my laptop. I can’t find URL now sorry
@ Kadri: With popular subjects it is normal that u get lots of fantastic ideas but also lots of crap too. I just wanted to make fun about side affect of this movement ...
Can you be positive: think about new energies. We have all to do!