Why Many People Have Difficulty in Accepting Global Warming

It seems rational that human activity can affect the climate. We know it has affected our immediate environment.  After all, we have witnessed natural water resources become polluted; we have witnessed air pollution as well. Most of the pollution have been a result of poorly managed industrial protocols. In many cases government has had to step in and demand that industries change their practices in order to ensure that citizens are protected, keeping their environment safe. Clean air and water is in the best interest of all.

So why is it that so many people are resistant to the idea of global warming? I see some people have completely dismissed the idea, not even willing to give it a shred of credibility.

I was born in 1975. I grew up under mostly the Reagan administration. My generation dealt with things like bomb drills, where we would go the lowest level of our school, get on the ground, cover our heads, and wait until the principle said it was okay to return to class. We also were told many things about the future and warnings from scientists concerning our environment.

We were told that we would have no clean water sometime in the year 2000; we were told that the earth was moving closer to the sun, the sun was getting larger, and eventually our planet would burn up entirely. We were later told in school that the earth was going into an ice age and we would all freeze to death. This time it was because the sun was burning out. Eventually, they changed their minds and told us that the ozone was depleting and that we would all die of skin cancer. There are a few other tales of woe that were told but here we are, back to global warming and that humans are causing the problem.

The fact is, many people have lethargy when it comes to scientific warnings. We've been told many different things throughout our lives and so far, nothing has really been proven to be true. This includes the scare about Y2K, where we were told that none of our appliances would work once the clock turned midnight in the year 2000. It's the story of the "scientists-that-called 'gloom and doom' one-too-many-times." Well, sort of. We cannot simply blame everything on scientists; that would be too simplistic. In many of these cases, the scientists were not the ones dramatizing future events, rather it was the politicians exploiting the concerns and the media joining in, compounding the hysteria. We already know what happens when mainstream media takes over a story. Hype, more hype, and finally it turns into mere propaganda.

For myself, I do believe in global climate change. After all, the earth's climate has always changed. At times we have been rather cold and other times we experience very hot weather. I also believe it is quite possible that human activity may very well have an adverse affect on our earth's climate.

These modern times have brought about laziness mixed with irritation. We don't always fact check new information. The internet is the most common way to discover the latest news stories and many times stories go viral before they are even fully vetted. The internet has also paved the way to giving extreme voices in our culture more credibility. We are now aware of far-left wing and right-wing groups then ever before. Bad science, bad information, hysteria, and pseudo-science has left many of us frustrated and helpless. Who can we believe? Who is out there offering real, factual information? At the end of the day, it's up to us as individuals to educate ourselves and learn HOW to think so that we can decipher what is good information and what is sloppy, poor information.

When many of us are presented with information and story headlines that indicate global warming is a major concern, we tend to rely on our own experiences rather than looking at charts, raw data, maps, and trying to figure out scientific nomenclature that supports these claims.

People in my generation are naturally going to revert back to their own familiar memories of prior scares and previous claims of gloom and doom as it pertains to the environment. We know that scientists and the media are not "always" right. We also recognize the scare tactic and we naturally resist it.

Contrary to what many would have you believe, my generation is not stupid either. We also recognize that America is not the dirtiest country. We enjoy our modern technology and do not feel we have to apologize for what this country has offered the entire world. We also understand that it will be the citizens of the United States that will discover new technology and we will be providing cleaner energy. Rather than being afraid of what could happen, we are more interested in dealing with reality and embracing the natural process of evolution through adaptation.

While I cannot speak for everyone in my generation, I do feel as though I am speaking for many people.

Yes, there are those in this country on the fringe that do not embrace global warming at all but, many of us who are critical are being lumped into this extreme category unfairly. Those of us who are not fully buying into the scare are not necessarily in denial we are more interested in solutions -- realistic ones.

Previously, I have written about the half truths that pertain to the current environmentalist movement. My main concern is that there has been documented evidence that suggests those who are waving the global warming flag have cut corners, exaggerated claims, and engaged in dishonest tactics to drive their agenda. The ends justify the means for some of these folks.The real concerns about the environment are being confused with unethical individuals. Any real concern should never have to be exaggerated or involve outright lies; we must demand facts. It really boils down to all of us learning the science and not muddying the waters with politics. We must focus more on solutions and steer clear of insults, belittling, and trying to freak people out.

Some of the resistance into believing in global warming pertains to deceptive and even hypocritical means of communicating information. It doesn't help the environmentalists when Al Gore is preaching about CO2 levels while simultaneously jetting around the globe in a private airplane. Who the hell does that? Sure, we are all hypocrites to some extent; I know I am at times. Nobody is immune from being one but sometimes the cognitive dissonance is so insanely arrogant that it spontaneously creates extremist ideas on the other end of the spectrum.

What are some productive ways in which we can realistically help improve our immediate environment while minimizing our concern for our future? 


1) Let's be more open to understanding one another. It's time for all of us to let go of our prejudices.

Obviously there is concern in the scientific community about humans' influence upon our climate. Yes, we know that science has not always been correct but, can we not agree that science has indeed improved over the years? This natural improvement has naturally lead to more accurate answers. We can certainly be critical but we must also recognize that sometimes being critical for the sake of being critical is not healthy either.

We must also realize that many people do not understand scientific concepts. Some are just repeating things they have heard, while having no true grasp of the information. Others are indeed lost in anything that has to do with science.

People want information that is consistent and in terms they can understand. We must respect that we have an entire generation that has been repeatedly exposed to scare-type propaganda that never exactly came to fruition. This science lethargy has been created by the very people who are trying to now help them understand current climate issues.

2) Let's deal with facts. Deception, exaggeration, and omitting information are all products of a deceptive agenda, not science.

Understanding our climate and what may or may not happen in the future should always be obtained through honest means. Keep in mind that there have been voices on both extremes who have used sinister tactics to push their agenda. You don't necessarily have to apologize for them but you do need to recognize that mistakes, grave mistakes in representing information have been made. Also, just because someone believes one way or the other does not make them stupid, anti-science, sheep, etc. Instead it could mean that they have been deceived by those extreme voices. It could also be fair to say that we have all been deceived by propaganda in some form.

It all boils down to us as individuals taking responsibility in what it is we know and how it is we went about obtaining the information that supports our views. When we take personal responsibility, we will be more selective in making sure we obtain data from more credible sources.

Facts are not always stagnant either. Indeed, some facts change over time. While two plus two has always equaled four and I see no change in the coming century, other facts are not as cemented. Women at one time could not vote; that is a fact. Today, woman are allowed to vote and hold office; this is a fact now. It's important that we all keep this in mind and use our knowledge to determine which category the facts fall under.

3) Let's find some common ground.

Rather than attacking one another over an issue that potentially affects us all, it's much more productive to recognize that we are more similar than different. Unless one is a full-on sociopath, most all of us have concern about living inside a clean environment, having access to fresh water, and desiring knowledge as it pertains to survival and helping others.

When we are focused on common interests and common concerns, it becomes easier to understand one another.

4) Real solutions for the individual.

What are some realistic ways in which we can make improvements for our household? What are ways we can improve our environment on a day to day basis?

Individuals make up the whole and it is ultimately the individual who must make the first step.

If we can clean up our homes, our towns and cities, it follows that positive changes can be made overall. Keeping things simple and appealing to common interests is the best way in which we can find solutions.

It is not realistic to demand people get rid of their SUV's, vans, or trucks. Most people that own those vehicles do so for specific reasons. It is unfair to suggest that people are only riding around in big vehicles because they are selfish and have no concern about the environment. Think of painters, plumbers, tile setters, team coaches, day care providers, cable installers, roofers, grips, movers, construction contractors, welders, and a host of other people who hold jobs that require people to carry equipment needed for their work. Do you honestly think they would do better driving a Prius? The idea is completely absurd and it's insulting that there appear to be many environmentalists who are so far removed from the average American that they fail to recognize this. These same people are the very first who would scream bloody murder if their pipes busted in their home and found the plumber had to first make 10 trips back and forth in their Prius, getting all the equipment to the home, before making repairs. Instead we have to focus on how we can create these vehicles to require less fuel.

Encouraging people by stressing the benefits of recycling and using cleaning products that are less harsh on the environment is realistic. Discussing ideas on how we can adjust to change if and when it happens is also realistic.

Sure, government can indeed influence behavior and how people view the environment but too many restrictions impede improvements and can ultimately backfire. There is something more inherently valuable in
allowing ideas to freely flow, thereby offering more choices that provide solutions. People are also individuals with different demands. What might be valuable for one person may be extremely invaluable to another. As I stated above, a Prius for a plumber would not reduce anything. It would actually create more work, consume more time, and the additional travel that would be required would not reduce any energy; it may very well increase it. If however the plumber is able to keep his/her vehicle but use one that requires less fuel, than everyone wins.

Forget the Scare and Focus on Win-Win

We all want what's best for ourselves. Many want what is best for everyone. We can keep our eyes on the bigger picture while still paying attention to the smaller steps we make as individuals.

People are having difficulty accepting the idea of global warming but not solely out of ignorance; it is because of personal experience. The old games of polarizing and propaganda simply do not work anymore. The new age we are entering is one that demands facts, rational solutions, and accountability.