Reimagine My Community
We go where no one dares. Find me plunging into inaction on Climate Change – 2.
Good thing we didn’t need to take our acid-proof umbrella today.
One benefit of the Climate Change Polluters is that this mess helps cloak urban and industrial sprawl.
As you know, sprawl can be hard on the eyes.
It also helps keep your sunglasses budget affordable: you can’t see the sun as well. We save on sunglasses by choosing debatable-colors we found at burger joints. It’s the sauce.
It’s nicely shaded—custom order just for you!
If you missed the Modern Parable on Climate (Home Page – Clarity Link) here you go! It’s right after the brief comments on the “Why?” for Clarity.
It’s a bit dark but to the point.
We are beyond concerned.
“Gravely concerned” is more accurate—yeah, we know that’s a bad pun.
Are we concerned?
Yes—we think the earth may have gone, potentially, beyond a point of recovery.
Then there are “tipping points.” Think tripping on a stone and you are struggling to catch your balance. Another few degrees of movement and gravity has got you. It wouldn’t surprise us if tipping points haven’t already occurred.
Socio-economic systems, rabidly entrenched in our societies, are hesitant to change. This doesn’t help. Most of us are hesitant to give up our affluent lifestyle.
This is a time of excess entitlement. This is NOT good.
In Reimagine, we prefer a positive outlook and optimism.
But we are not about to candy-coat and cloak the issues. That solves nothing. We think this is serious enough to warrant a dedicated web page to discuss in Reimagine style. A few paragraphs in Rethink style and we will get at it.
The UN August 2021 IPCC Report (AR6) is comprehensive and declarative.
This is not typical summary commentary by those trained in science and empirical thought and research. Their default “style” tends towards a more “provisional” (in this context, subject to further analysis and study) type of language and wording.
They were quite direct in their language this time around. Why? They had additional data to back it up and adequate weight-of-evidence (statistical) to be very direct.
They checked and cross-checked their report. Word by word. Sentence by sentence. Calculation by calculation. They know what they are talking about. They have, shall we say, done their homework. Just like some politicians (just kidding!) or pundits with unofficial funding sources.
Not every scientist may agree 100% with their findings, but scientists agree that the climate is shifting.
We know well that in a room of 100 scientists, 100% consensus without debate is rare. They increase debate when science is emerging. But not at this advanced stage of investigation.
Other supportive research exists for competent thinkers, scientists, and groups. They corroborate the thinking and conclusions. At minimum.
We support the IPCC-thinking and conclusions.
How many droughts, fires, floods, hurricanes, and unusual weather and temperature patterns do we need before we say, “I give—yes, we have a big problem?”
How many species must die off to get the message across? We know threats exist for species.
Gaslighting is the sneaky way of manipulating people to think they are nuts or losing it. Crazy-making. Mind games. Yes, we know there are subtle differences.
Let’s make it simple. BS is BS.
Gaslighting and Doubt are close cousins. Cut from the same cloth: a chip off the old block. “Just like his dad, mom or …”
Here are some classics from the world of doubt-sowing and gaslighting. Notice the pure strokes of genius and “superior logic” on a roll:
Now, we all know that storks bring babies into nurseries at midnight and coffee stunts your growth. We get it.
We know the earth is flat. We know the sky is green and grass is pink. We know we are all in the matrix-time-warp and that only certain politicians get it. Math is bogus: 1 + 1 = 3.
If man were meant to fly, he would have evolved with wings.
What on earth is happening to our society? Like, really? We touch the stove and it’s hot even though we can see the snow falling outside. Like, hello? Was that hot stove and snow all that hard to figure out? Can we not distinguish the basics of life?
Big Tobacco played this game a long time ago. They had the “science” to prove their so-called position. They sowed (as in planted) doubt. They became Pied Pipers of BS.
There is a time and place to doubt “false information.” There is also a time and place to doubt the sowers-of-doubt and gaslighters. Excessive mistrust of our senses and science plays and dances in Doubt’s Sandbox.
When big bucks are on the line, two dubious characters, Doubt and Gaslighter, lurk behind the trees.
Isn’t that right, Big Oil and Gas? Big Tech. Big Government. Big, big, big … big-whatever.
Big snow-job. Big smoke-n-mirrors. Big-blah-blah-blah wearing a suit and sipping cocktails.
Watch what you light and kindle aflame in the dark of night as you pursue wealth and power.
Now, you kindle a flame inside you.
The stove may be hotter than you imagine … in your wildest dreams.
That’s not a threat. But it is a statement that there are always consequences for actions. What goes around comes around. Divine justice. Karma if you like.
The bottom line is that doubt sowing and gaslighting, have a way of backfiring. Without observers lifting a finger.…
We don’t want to paint everyone with the same brush. Globally, there are many who DO NOT contribute significantly, or at all, to the massive problems we face.
By “Human-Influenced” we mean, in most cases, the impacts of industrialized nations that rely heavily on fossil fuels. Affluent lifestyles and entitlement-based thinking mean things like more big trucks delivering “whatever,” more “toys,” and more activities that damage the climate.
The farmer in lesser-developed countries has far less per capita impact on climate than many Western members of society. The farmer’s burping cow is but a tiny speck of pollution dust beside a coal-burning power plant belching into the airways.
This, naturally, speaks to Climate Justice: a topic of its own worthy of discussion.
While we certainly support the benefits of Western society, research, and progress as being helpful for beneficial products and services, we also believe that costs and benefits require significantly improved (or new) approaches.
It’s often the “little guy” (or the “little country”) that gets hurt by the “big guys” or the “big countries.” Not always—we support the delivery of aid to others.
But the system is not in balance.
We continue to break time-honored wise principles. We are not holistic. We cannot ignore Ancient Pathways and Laws and expect no consequences. We rarely find those Ancient Pathways and Laws in courts of law and modern practices.
We honor the few and neglect the masses.
The Have and Have-Not gap increases and prepares a global funeral pyre.
Stop blaming Bessie (the cow) and look in the mirror!
Mr. Whoot, Moderator.
He is ticked. Very, very ticked at the naysayers of human-caused climate change.
“To act, in a fashion that suppresses solid data and information, is wrong. When we suppress or cherry-pick data in an undercover fashion, our actions become more insidious and manipulative.
All of this leads to an active form of evil.
It becomes unchecked hypocrisy by spinmeisters. Wordsmiths who use tools like words, images and the media. Using their tools, they shape idols and images and usher towards alternate realities and perceptions.
It states, without speech, that ‘my pocketbook, priorities, politics, philosophy, position and portfolio is more important than life.’
Couple that with aberrant forms of spirituality and religion? That only increases the stench. ‘Purveyors’ of conscience and morals should know better.
Their actions and lives speak on their behalf.
They emit an aroma of death and decay.”
— Mr. Whoot
“Lip service and glib acknowledgement of the problem, without meaningful change, means only one thing.
It means the heart has not changed.
Their lips utter lies. They mask reality.
Sincerity and justice have fled the room. Hypocrisy reigns in its place.
The ivory tower houses dead men’s bones.
It is a sepulcher.
Painting a mausoleum does not change its contents.”
— Mr. Whoot
“Muttlee – is Ol’ Whoot ticked?
“Tex … Big Time.
He doesn’t normally get riled up like that.
Sounds like he is angry to me.
Trust me – you don’t want him ticked.”
“I would rather be …”
Fill in the blank. Sailing. Grilling. Drinking beer. Playing. Enjoying the good life.
Anything but diverting energy and focus to the core issues facing humanity on this earth.
We don’t have any problems with you doing the activities on our fill-in-the-blank-list.
But it is failing to recognize the cracks in the dam as the pressure builds that matters. It is failing to put time and resources (yes, money) towards that which matters.
We like our lifestyles.
Too much.
Too many of us love our current or complacent lifestyles to bring change.
For meaningful climate change will demand changes. Changes that can threaten the fill-in-the-blank-list.
Your wealth can buy you some time. For a season.…
But climate change, like severe illness or death, is an exceedingly good equalizer.
You may dodge the bullet of illness. But death knocks on everyone’s door.
We think the deniers are wrong.
Period.
Dead wrong.
The key adjective or modifier here is “Human-Influenced.” Big business and other stakeholders, often facing negative impacts (financial, market, or power) arising from this topic, often fight this topic by whatever methods possible.
Methods of “fight” can involve lobby groups, paying for propaganda and biased “research” in various forms and electing those who share their views. That’s a short list—there are many other means used, including the “quieting of sources.”
Some methods are very well-disguised.
They are very good at redirecting the discussion and avoiding core areas of responsibility. Redirection and blame-shifting can be subtle. It can shift responsibility from major stakeholders to the individual.
It’s the old “get the heat off of me” maneuver. Change the topic and the focus of discussion—it’s just too close to home. This game plan has been around for a very long time.
The love of money and power drives the Denier-Bus. They want to keep the keys to the bus and maintain the right to drive the bus.
They are wrong.
It is unchecked arrogance and pride at the expense of others.
Yes, we are VERY concerned about Climate Change and the impacts on Community.
