It’s official. In 2023 hottest year ever recorded. The Earth is about 2.5 degrees Fahrenheit warmer than her late 19th century average, and warming shows no signs of stopping. In a world where even the slightest change in climate can have a huge impact on everything from our food supply to our monthly energy bills, why aren’t more people talking about these lifestyle-threatening changes? Is it?
The problem, like so many others today, lies in the polarization of our society. Discussions about global warming inevitably turn into heated political debates that do not honestly reflect scientific data. Those with opposing viewpoints either avoid dialogue on the issue altogether or try to attack the other side with hearsay half-truths and defensive arguments.
According to the book How Democracies Fail, a frequent failure to address controversial subjects is because people belonging to different political parties see each other as existential threats to their way of life. It is said that this comes from the fact that there are many. In a recent study, democracy journal It found that 39% of Democrats and 41% of Republicans view each other as “absolutely evil.”
Polarization and prejudice have made it nearly impossible to discuss political issues, much less global warming. However, with the right mindset, it’s not impossible.
One important step toward this goal is to recognize that we share some of our most essential values with people who do not share our political views. Most importantly, these are the reasons why discussing climate change is an essential undertaking.
When discussing our shared values, it is important to talk about the real challenges that global warming poses to our most important needs, such as well-being and safety. For example, farmers are more receptive to arguments about the correlation between global warming and drought.
In these conversations, let’s return the focus to how rising temperatures disrupt the process of continuing to evolve our lifestyles, technology, and comfort. Rather than using highly political language to explain our political views, we should focus on how changes in natural habitats affect our lives, which in turn informs our values. You should simply talk about how to threaten.
Applying political labels like “climate change denier” or “environmental hippie” will not lead to fruitful conversations. The same goes for high-pressure conversations using apocalyptic language about the “near end” of life as we know it. Essentially, global warming should be discussed in terms of its impact on the things we value in life: the people we love, our hobbies, and the food we eat, rather than politics or anxiety-provoking technicalities. Humanizing your topic will help you reach more people and raise awareness in a crowd that may have certain prejudices about the subject.
In today’s modern world, there are countless luxury items that we own. The availability of food, shelter and clothing are just some of the benefits that allow humans to live comfortably. However, these luxuries will be under threat from the effects of climate change. This is precisely the point that should be the focus of our discussion on climate change.
In her book Saving Us, scientist Catherine Hayhoe writes: [about climate change] Because the chain of events triggered by that warming will affect everything we already care about. ”
How can we prevent this planet we call home from becoming like the fictional world of the Lorax? Well, the first and most important act is to have a healthy conversation about it. Let’s discuss why each of us loves this planet and how we can ensure its safety. Let’s discuss how we want to stop a global disaster that could endanger everything we love.
When I first saw the world from a distance aboard the Apollo 13 spacecraft, I was reminded that we live on one planet together. Earth is a place where we can continue our lives, be with our families, and do what we find meaningful. Earth is home and we must protect it.
Nihan Iskan is a senior international studies major and American opinion writer. battalion.