Comments on: Our Moral Obligation to Act http://climateprogress.org/2009/04/16/our-moral-obligation-to-act/ The Latest on Climate Science, Solutions, and Politics Sun, 22 Nov 2009 01:25:51 -0500 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.5 hourly 1 By: GrahamM http://climateprogress.org/2009/04/16/our-moral-obligation-to-act/#comment-40267 GrahamM Mon, 20 Apr 2009 08:55:21 +0000 http://climateprogress.org/?p=5697#comment-40267 Can I suggest two simple actions in response to this good article? Talk to a doctor or physician you know. If they are convinced about climate change, get them to join the Health and Climate Council - a medical pressure group (www.climateandhealth.org/). Scientists can be perverted by their need for financial support, politicians are often not believed. Convinced medics are trusted. Secondly get people to see 'Age of Stupid' (www.ageofstupid.net/)- an interesting call to action. As a Christian doctor I think its not only our children and neighbours in Bangladesh we owe it to: it's God's earth leant to us and one day we'll answer to Him what we did with it. Can I suggest two simple actions in response to this good article?

Talk to a doctor or physician you know. If they are convinced about climate change, get them to join the Health and Climate Council – a medical pressure group (www.climateandhealth.org/). Scientists can be perverted by their need for financial support, politicians are often not believed. Convinced medics are trusted.

Secondly get people to see ‘Age of Stupid’ (www.ageofstupid.net/)- an interesting call to action.

As a Christian doctor I think its not only our children and neighbours in Bangladesh we owe it to: it’s God’s earth leant to us and one day we’ll answer to Him what we did with it.

]]> By: Roger http://climateprogress.org/2009/04/16/our-moral-obligation-to-act/#comment-40246 Roger Mon, 20 Apr 2009 04:05:01 +0000 http://climateprogress.org/?p=5697#comment-40246 Great article! I've been thinking that we are facing a psychological hurdle in not making more climate progress. Yes, why aren't more doctors involved? More historians? More anthropologists? And so on, and on...! We haven't evolved in a way that encourages clear thinking about s-l-o-w problems: "Out of sight, out of mind" describes the thinking of many, if not most people. I've even had friendly-to-the-cause politicians tell me, in so many words: "Yes, I get it, but I also hear a lot from the 'Denyland Institute,' saying that market forces will solve the problem. So if you really expect me to save the planet, I need to hear more from you!" Huh? Do I REALLY need to tell my elected officials every day that I want them to save our planet for my children and grandchildren? Isn't saving the planet a non-negotiable, fundamental duty--or something like that? Great article! I’ve been thinking that we are facing a psychological hurdle in not making more climate progress. Yes, why aren’t more doctors involved? More historians? More anthropologists? And so on, and on…!

We haven’t evolved in a way that encourages clear thinking about s-l-o-w problems: “Out of sight, out of mind” describes the thinking of many, if not most people. I’ve even had friendly-to-the-cause politicians tell me, in so many words: “Yes, I get it, but I also hear a lot from the ‘Denyland Institute,’ saying that market forces will solve the problem. So if you really expect me to save the planet, I need to hear more from you!”

Huh? Do I REALLY need to tell my elected officials every day that I want them to save our planet for my children and grandchildren? Isn’t saving the planet a non-negotiable, fundamental duty–or something like that?

]]> By: Johan http://climateprogress.org/2009/04/16/our-moral-obligation-to-act/#comment-40018 Johan Sat, 18 Apr 2009 15:51:49 +0000 http://climateprogress.org/?p=5697#comment-40018 interesting : there's another crisis named peak oil that will hit us first and hard. on this issue there exist the www.peakoillues.com site, but merely focussed on the mental health of the ones that are able to see through the fog of tomorrow into the near future. the idea here to line up psychiatrists to help the shortsighted clear their view is indeed interesting : if you want any inconvenienth thruth a hot topic, have psychiatrists in your communication team ! interesting :
there’s another crisis named peak oil that will hit us first and hard. on this issue there exist the http://www.peakoillues.com site, but merely focussed on the mental health of the ones that are able to see through the fog of tomorrow into the near future.

the idea here to line up psychiatrists to help the shortsighted clear their view is indeed interesting : if you want any inconvenienth thruth a hot topic, have psychiatrists in your communication team !

]]> By: Anonymous http://climateprogress.org/2009/04/16/our-moral-obligation-to-act/#comment-40017 Anonymous Sat, 18 Apr 2009 15:51:31 +0000 http://climateprogress.org/?p=5697#comment-40017 interesting : there's another crisis named peak oil that will hit us first and hard. on this issue there exist the www.peakoillues.com site, but merely focussed on the mental health of the ones that are able to see through the fog of tomorrow into the near future. the idea here to line up psychiatrists to help the shortsighted clear their view is indeed interesting : if you want any inconvenienth thruth a hot topic, have psychiatrists in your communication team ! interesting :
there’s another crisis named peak oil that will hit us first and hard. on this issue there exist the http://www.peakoillues.com site, but merely focussed on the mental health of the ones that are able to see through the fog of tomorrow into the near future.

the idea here to line up psychiatrists to help the shortsighted clear their view is indeed interesting : if you want any inconvenienth thruth a hot topic, have psychiatrists in your communication team !

]]> By: jcwinnie http://climateprogress.org/2009/04/16/our-moral-obligation-to-act/#comment-39992 jcwinnie Sat, 18 Apr 2009 09:17:44 +0000 http://climateprogress.org/?p=5697#comment-39992 Well, speaking of the Big Picture, our previous administration <a href="http://www.truthout.org/041709A" rel="nofollow">authorized torture</a> for the sake of war profiteering and to make sure you had cheap gas to buzz around the Washington Beltway everyday. Given such tacit approval, you now expect that we will discover "morals" about destroying life on the planet as we know it? Well, speaking of the Big Picture, our previous administration authorized torture for the sake of war profiteering and to make sure you had cheap gas to buzz around the Washington Beltway everyday. Given such tacit approval, you now expect that we will discover “morals” about destroying life on the planet as we know it?

]]> By: Richard Pauli http://climateprogress.org/2009/04/16/our-moral-obligation-to-act/#comment-39972 Richard Pauli Sat, 18 Apr 2009 04:38:43 +0000 http://climateprogress.org/?p=5697#comment-39972 Gail and HighTest, many thanks for your kind words. I am personally challenged to find or practice happiness regardless of the future prognosis. Any scientific predictions for the future climate do not require any specific state of mind... you are right, it is my choice. Thanks for pointing out the better way. Nor does happiness require deluded thinking. It is a delicate challenge for me to embrace both happiness and a clear view of challenges ahead. Just found this site on modern happiness studies http://www.wpr.org/book/090412a.cfm Gail and HighTest, many thanks for your kind words. I am personally challenged to find or practice happiness regardless of the future prognosis. Any scientific predictions for the future climate do not require any specific state of mind… you are right, it is my choice. Thanks for pointing out the better way. Nor does happiness require deluded thinking. It is a delicate challenge for me to embrace both happiness and a clear view of challenges ahead.

Just found this site on modern happiness studies http://www.wpr.org/book/090412a.cfm

]]> By: Gail http://climateprogress.org/2009/04/16/our-moral-obligation-to-act/#comment-39964 Gail Sat, 18 Apr 2009 03:37:56 +0000 http://climateprogress.org/?p=5697#comment-39964 oops sorry, experts... need glasses in old age... but the morans stands, along with the paultards, and if you really need some fun, go to wonkettes.com! But I can't give you specific links, because they are dirty, and this is a family friendly site... oops sorry, experts…
need glasses in old age…

but the morans stands, along with the paultards, and if you really need some fun, go to wonkettes.com! But I can’t give you specific links, because they are dirty, and this is a family friendly site…

]]> By: Gail http://climateprogress.org/2009/04/16/our-moral-obligation-to-act/#comment-39963 Gail Sat, 18 Apr 2009 03:34:41 +0000 http://climateprogress.org/?p=5697#comment-39963 Oh, pulease, Craig. Try to focus on the big picture!! Scientific expers are "starting to become suspect" .... by WHOM?? morans, maybe! Oh, pulease, Craig. Try to focus on the big picture!!

Scientific expers are “starting to become suspect” ….

by WHOM??

morans, maybe!

]]> By: Craig http://climateprogress.org/2009/04/16/our-moral-obligation-to-act/#comment-39956 Craig Sat, 18 Apr 2009 02:36:52 +0000 http://climateprogress.org/?p=5697#comment-39956 We are now surrounded by experts. Name almost any issue, and you can find 'experts' and 'authorities' shilling for policies and positions on any side of that issue. We get expert opinion from all points of the political compass thrown at us 24/7 on cable TV. The result: a lot of the public has grown numb to the pronouncements of experts. Unfortunately, even scientific experts are now starting to become suspect: modern science is a big money enterprise, dependent on a steady flow of tax dollars from government to research institutions, and the control of that money flow is partially influenced by politics. Mix money and politics with science, and some of the taint of the former will rub off on the latter. I know most who post here will object, claiming that the scientific method is above all this. But that seems pretty naive to me. We are now surrounded by experts. Name almost any issue, and you can find ‘experts’ and ‘authorities’ shilling for policies and positions on any side of that issue. We get expert opinion from all points of the political compass thrown at us 24/7 on cable TV. The result: a lot of the public has grown numb to the pronouncements of experts.

Unfortunately, even scientific experts are now starting to become suspect: modern science is a big money enterprise, dependent on a steady flow of tax dollars from government to research institutions, and the control of that money flow is partially influenced by politics. Mix money and politics with science, and some of the taint of the former will rub off on the latter. I know most who post here will object, claiming that the scientific method is above all this. But that seems pretty naive to me.

]]> By: Gail http://climateprogress.org/2009/04/16/our-moral-obligation-to-act/#comment-39949 Gail Sat, 18 Apr 2009 01:49:21 +0000 http://climateprogress.org/?p=5697#comment-39949 Richard Pauli, I am sorry to see you describe yourself as a misanthrope! When I was in my early teens I devoured every book I could find on WWII and the Holocaust, which put me in despair of human nature. But look, we have made vast strides. Certainly inexcusable crimes against humanity happen, but really, compared to the barbarism of slavery, the plight of females, and the neglect of children, all of which were not so long ago pretty much universal, people have learned lessons. There is still terrible injustice and religious warring, but it's not quite so total anymore. Humans can be intellectually honest just, so far, not enough of them. Richard Pauli, I am sorry to see you describe yourself as a misanthrope!

When I was in my early teens I devoured every book I could find on WWII and the Holocaust, which put me in despair of human nature.

But look, we have made vast strides. Certainly inexcusable crimes against humanity happen, but really, compared to the barbarism of slavery, the plight of females, and the neglect of children, all of which were not so long ago pretty much universal, people have learned lessons. There is still terrible injustice and religious warring, but it’s not quite so total anymore.

Humans can be intellectually honest just, so far, not enough of them.

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