Environment & Energy
Related: About this forumThe Guardian: Why aren't we more scared of the climate crisis? It's complicated
Why arent we more scared of the climate crisis? Its complicatedMaggie Mertens
Sat 22 Jul 2023 09.00 EDT
This summer in the United States, millions of people have experienced the intense effects of the climate crisis. The heat dome that has gripped the south-west for the past three weeks is expanding into the south-eastern states. Catastrophic flooding in the north-east has claimed lives and wiped out farmers crops. And the worst wildfire season in Canadian history has not only caused tens of thousands of Indigenous people to be displaced, but the accompanying smoke has also billowed over into the north-eastern and midwest US, setting records for poor air quality. In many cases, these events have caused irreparable damage and trauma to those directly affected, and can certainly feel like theyre encroaching on those people on the periphery. And yet despite the fact that were living through a climate disaster, most Americans arent cowering in fear every day about the future of our planet. Theres a psychological reason for that.
For one, the climate crisis is a much lower priority for Americans than other national issues, such as the economy and healthcare costs. That isnt to say that we arent concerned: two-thirds of Americans say they are at least somewhat worried about global warming, while 30% are very worried, per a Yale University survey. But because of the nature of the way that many humans experience fear, connecting this emotion to something as vast and complex as the climate crisis is difficult. According to Brian Lickel, a social psychologist who researches human responses to threats, we arent designed to remain in a high state of fear for long. A very fundamental feature of the normal kind of expected emotional processing is hedonic adaptation, he said. Our emotion system is designed to be labile, to go up or have certain responses, but then to not stick there.
The emotional response to the climate crisis even if we feel fearful during an episode of wildfire smoke or flooding is similar to what many people who live in war zones may experience, Lickel said. While at first, the threat of bombs and attacks are imminent and extremely frightening, eventually those who remain in these areas adapt somewhat to a life in which the threat becomes just another thing to deal with daily. If theyre not escalating or the nature of the threats not changing, Lickel said, it is to be expected that the felt emotion is going to go down.
Though the climate crisis is altering our planet rapidly on a geologic time scale, on a human one, changes are happening relatively slowly. That means that even if we see record-setting temperatures or experience our first indoors-due-to-smoke-days, those occurrences will become a new normal within the timespan of our lives. Im skeptical that there is going to be an event thats going to catalyze us more than any of the things that have already happened, Lickel said.
Irish_Dem
(47,131 posts)The real issues that should terrify Americans go by unnoticed.
TexasBushwhacker
(20,202 posts)they tend to see the world with some degree of positive bias. It's a perfectly healthy thing to get us through the trials and tribulations of life. Someone with depression doesn't have positive bias. While someone very depressed may see things even worse than they are, someone with moderate depression sees the world, and themselves, with remarkable clarity, warts and all.
Irish_Dem
(47,131 posts)And yes mild to moderate depressives see the world in a more realistic way.
Maybe that is why they are depressed.
Fantasy and denial keep us happier.
TexasBushwhacker
(20,202 posts)It gets us through the day. But the question in the OP was why aren't people more upset about climate change. I was just answering that question.
Irish_Dem
(47,131 posts)People cannot face the fact the planet is dying and humans could become extinct or seriously
decimated. This is too much to face.
And it may cause wide panic as reality sets in.
Especially since the effects are literally in our faces with the smoke, heat and floods.
Also it may be resignation, like with gun control, the wealthy and powerful do
not want to pay for climate change prevention of remediation.
TexasBushwhacker
(20,202 posts)I'm 66, so I won't be around for the worst of it, but I think the ship has sailed. The time to make radical changes was 20 to 30 years ago. Now, I think it's just too late.
While Americans certainly contribute more per Capita than most other countries, we could reduce our emissions by half and it won't make a damn bit of difference if China and India are still building coal fired power plants. China already contributes double what the US does, and China and India together contribute over 1/3 of all carbon emissions. Well, they also have 1/3 of the world's population. At the end of the day, we just have too many people on a planet with limited resources and people need energy.
Irish_Dem
(47,131 posts)They are rich enough to bribe the politicians to not take action.
The billionaires are certain they can escape climate change consequences.
And we see the autocratic bloc (NK, Iran, Saudi, China, Russia) who see
climate change as a wonderful opportunity. Chaos is a good time to seize
world power.
So the dark underbelly of human nature is in full force.
So it may be that humans come to the end of road.
We had a good run. But couldn't do what it takes to survive as a species.
Humans have not evolved enough to survive long term.
TexasBushwhacker
(20,202 posts)We already knew that particulate matter causes more bronchitis, reduces lung function, increases lung cancer and heart disease mortality. Now they are finding it also increases Alzheimer's and other forms of dementia.
https://www.cell.com/trends/molecular-medicine/fulltext/S1471-4914(22)00159-9
So it's not only about global air quality, LOCAL matters too!
Irish_Dem
(47,131 posts)Food, water, air, etc.
It is going to get worse, yes.
OKIsItJustMe
(19,938 posts)If people are already prone to believe something, persuading them to believe it does not require a great deal of effort. Really, all you need to do is give them permission.
The truth about The Greenhouse Effect/Global Warming/Climate Change was well understood in the 1970's. (For example, Soylent Green takes place in a world baking from Global Warming no explanation was necessary. The audience was assumed to understand what the characters were talking about.)
Irish_Dem
(47,131 posts)for decades.
Denial is an easier road than facing reality.
walkingman
(7,628 posts)likely to have greater concerns about our present situation. It seems like it "hasn't affect me" is is shrugged off. At some point even dullest of brains will stop believing the propaganda of the fossil fuel companies - similar to tobacco....hopefully.
If not you have to say we might deserve what we will get but sadly there will be no turning back. Economy and healthcare will take a backseat but it might be too late.
Pay attention to scientists not those who are so hardheaded that they will never accept what they see even with their own eyes.
OKIsItJustMe
(19,938 posts)Many people in my area have been hit by record flooding, yet still staunchly refuse to accept the truth
honest.abe
(8,678 posts)Also, as long as they have aircon, tv and alcohol, most think they can survive.. and hope for the best.
Its going to take a catastrophic event to get everyone's attention.
OKIsItJustMe
(19,938 posts)Hello? GOP?
Are you paying attention?