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In reply to the discussion: Do you enjoy beef? You're directly contributing to climate change. Beef is the new SUV. [View all]Meldread
(4,213 posts)Just taking a look through the responses to this thread, and it doesn't shock me one bit. People are always happy to oppose things external to themselves, such as the Keystone Pipeline, or to criticize Coal and Oil Companies. That way the moral burden of climate change is shifted and placed on the shoulders of someone else.
However, when you start talking about consumer habits the story changes. When you start talking about how individuals are collectively contributing to climate change, and the actions each individual can take to reduce emissions--well... suddenly, it's a whole new ball game. The moment you start talking about the need of people to start making some "sacrifices" because their lifestyles are literally unsustainable, they become all, 'Well fuck that shit. I guess we'll just keep heating this old bitch up. Sorry future generations of humanity! My steak is important!'
If this is the type of reaction you get from liberals who actually believe in climate change, imagine the type of reaction you'll get from conservatives who don't. If you can't convince liberals to change their lifestyles, then there is zero hope of convincing conservatives.
This is why I've basically shifted my tactics on this whole issue. For me, it's no longer about convincing other people. It's about trying to imagine what the future looks like in a world that has had its climate radically altered. Then it's about finding other like minded people, preparing, and basically telling the rest of the human species to go fuck itself. Save only those worth saving, and just let the rest fend for themselves or die off. Let nature run its course, and cease intervening to save those that were too stupid to save themselves. Sometimes, as a liberal, you have to realize that your efforts to help other people are futile, and your energy is better spent elsewhere. This is one of those situations. There is zero hope of preventing or slowing climate change, and so the only thing that a reasonable person can do is work with other reasonable people to prepare for the worst case scenarios--at least we're saving our own people.