Flight Shaming is a Modern Guilt Trip

As a private consumer the climate crisis makes me feel almost helpless.  Us Canadians are a privileged part of humanity that can preach to others to curb their desires to help fight the biggest battle of history.  I am not so pure--I drive an older car, eat meat, go through packaged goods and have an appetite for traveling. 

Many political entities are making efforts, but still the biggest one, the U.S. Government is dragging and even pointing out that too many of their competitors are taking advantage of them.  Corporate interests, particularly those associated with fossil fuels are fighting effectively against the tide.

Will greed do us in?  As individuals we are part of the problem and part of the solution, but relatively powerless against vested interests.  We drive gas driven cars because we have limited resources and advertising has convinced us they will fit in with our needs.  We eat meat, because it tastes good and we understand it is the best source of protein.  Packaged goods are practical and necessary.  There is a corporate structure that we fit into which hates disruptive change.

Innovations have always threatened and been resisted by the establishment.   In the past it has often resulted in one set of jobs being replaced by another set of jobs and the economy makes some adjustments.  Most of the suggested solutions for fight the climate crisis involve conflict with vested interests including our own.  Read more about innovative disruption:  http://www.therealjohndavidson.com/2013/03/the-innovators-dilemma.html

The environmental movement, necessary as it is has taken on elements of religion.  One critical element is the idea of sinning by not changing your life in enough details for future mankind to survive.  We have saintly leaders--one I recall is Al Gore, often criticized as a hypocrite, but a newer one has emerged to capture our admiration.  Greta Thunberg, a 16 year old from Sweden has thrust herself into the battle and has spoken eloquently to shame much of the older establishment.  I wish her luck and hope that indeed more of us are shamed into being more active.  When asked if she would like to meet Donald Trump she replied it would be a "waste of time."

Her latest effort has shifted the focus a little to the perils of air travel.  Instead of flying to New York for an United Nations environmental conference she will be sailing relying on solar energy.  She realizes that she is privileged to have this option and that in fact it is not totally zero emissions free.  Its main purpose is to set an example and perhaps to shame the rest of us (who can afford it) to reduce unnecessary carbon emissions.

The problem is really two fold.  We as individuals need to do our part by setting an example and spreading the word.  But the bigger task falls to governments and corporations that have immense control over our lives.  Auto emission standards have been a political issue and efforts have been made to encourage electric vehicles.  There have been powerful resistance to these simple incremental improvements.  Technology has developed a lot of innovations that could dramatically help reduce carbon emissions as well as other global warming agents, but in many cases they are up against entrenched interests.

As individuals we have two tasks.  The first might be to temper our greed.  The second set in motion by our collective examples would be to prod the governments and big corporations to join the battle more seriously.  The governments make decisions based on anticipated votes, but also on donations often by those who want to influence policies.  A vote can be powerful, but is limited in many ways (expense of elections, first past the post, gerrymandering, etc) and needs to be strengthened--Al Gore pointed out that we need to fix democracy first .  read more:  http://www.therealjohndavidson.com/2017/11/an-inconvenient-sequel-truth-to-power.html

Greta pointed out that it is not just climate change but a "climate crisis," that is gradually becoming part of everyday conversation.  It needs to be more as not only do corporations fear innovative disruption so do most citizens around the globe.

An earlier blog from 2011 gives a little different perspective.  The author, Paul Gilding of "The Great Disruption" had been discouraged by the lack of response for more involvement.  He uses the example of World War II, but also suggests the more work done beforehand the greater chance of success.  http://www.therealjohndavidson.com/2011/07/great-disruption-is-it-really-on.html

Still another strategy coming from "The Wisest One in The Room" focuses on incremental steps and suggests that mitigating efforts are not wasteful, but after getting one's foot in the door can lead to more serious results.  http://www.therealjohndavidson.com/2016/10/the-wisest-one-in-room.html

Lots of ideas and strategies for us to push buttons individually and collectively.  The basic concern of this blog started out with flight shaming and I am still wrestling with it.  Over my 71 years my flights probably averaged less than one a year, but that average has crept up over the last two decades. Two things:  I will have to be selective and somehow push for more environmentally transportation choices.

This follows a radio discussion on CBC led by Matt Galloway.

You Could be "The Wisest One in the Room"

You, my readers, are undoubtedly fairly reasonable people, but you are surrounded by unreasonable people.  Lee Ross and Thomas Gillovich help guide us to a more enlightened way of looking at what surrounds us.  We tend to admire the person who can come up with a quick response to a problem.  The authors maintain the wisest person in the room is slow to judge, preferring to wait for more information.

A quote from the authors:  "...many mistakes are made not because the right answer is too hard, but because the wrong answer is too easy."  In the first part of the book Ross and Gilovitch recount many different psychology experiments to demonstrate that most of our responses (and those of others) are pre conditioned.  When we judge we tend to overlook the bigger context.  Most of us could be labeled "naive realists" meaning we think we are realists, but we never know the whole picture.

Abraham Lincoln is quoted as saying, "I don't like that man, I must get to know him better."  The first question after encountering something new should be "Why might my initial impression be wrong?"

Difficult changes occur only after many incremental steps.  They recount some stories of people doing amazing things, but at the end of many smaller achievements.

The Middle East baffles those trying to wrestle with it.  The authors are reluctant to make specific suggestions.  They noted an instance with a Palestinian speaker who admitted their faults.  It is more common to complain and believe the other side is the one who is unreasonable.  There is a lot of distrust that needs to be broken down.

Closer to home they deal with racial minorities and disadvantaged youths.  They are the ones who feel like they do not belong.  Do not be patronizing.  The authors suggest set high standards and assure them you believe they can achieve them.  When the disadvantaged are better understood and encouraged they can be just as productive as anyone else.

Climate change is perhaps the greatest challenge for mankind and it has been a very big nut to crack.  Individuals are aware their efforts are more than likely counter balanced by those who won't make any effort.  There are vested interests with huge amounts of money campaigning against any efforts.  The issue has become politicized and bundled with other policies on the Right or Left.

Environmentalists fear an emphasis on mitigation (such as building sea walls) as a distraction, but the authors disagree.  Lee and Gilovich see mitigating efforts as a foot in the door.  There is an acknowledgment of a problem and sets people to thinking about the next step.  Again big changes only happen after a series of smaller steps.  Some small steps would include celebrating achievements by individuals, industries or communities and at the same stigmatize offenders, foot draggers and discredit deniers.

A general comment is that the younger generation has helped many positive changes and a wise person would listen to them.

The book ends with an example from Nelson Mandela.  After being released from prison and shortly after being elected to run the country he was well aware of antagonism from the whites.  Rather than encourage vendettas he decided to adopt one of their interests.  He campaigned to get the World Rugby Championships to South Africa and rallied the whole country to the national Springboks.  It is well to remember while the whites were obsessed by the Springboks, blacks resented and hated them as symbol of oppression.  When Nelson, wearing his Springbok jersey and cheering the team the whole nation united in its support.  After their victory the white captain was asked how it felt to get the support of 63,000 fans in the stadium he responded, "...We had the support of 42 million."

There are many psychological insights in the book that a wise person would want to consider.  Small things can lead to big things if you think wisely.