Even
if the current president doesn’t “believe” in the tremendous preponderance of
evidence being offered to describe the phenomenon of climate change, he should remain
sensitive to certain traditional bits of folk wisdom such as: “Better safe than
sorry!”
You
know, if you are walking on the beach and the forecast is for a king tide, you
should take note and be on guard for danger.
I learned this lesson the hard way.
A friend and I decided to go for a walk on the beach; we were walking on
firm sand near the water’s edge with the incoming tide sending small waves
rippling over our barefoot feet.
We
were lost in conversation when suddenly we found ourselves standing waist deep
in surging foaming water! One giant
wave went crashing past us, pulling and tugging at our legs as it surged
forward and then fell back; even in retreat, it was surprisingly strong!
We
were able to stay on our feet (thankfully!) but we were both quite amazed at
the size and power of this rogue waved that seemingly appeared out of
nowhere. I had never been quite sure before
then what ocean-wise people meant when they said “beware rogue waves”. After that frightening incident, I now listen
attentively to all such warnings.
If
scientists tell us to “watch out for climate change” only fools would disregard
such a warning. Stubbornness and ignorance make for a deadly pair; they never
advance mankind’s achievements but rather dash hopes and dreams upon the rocks
of calamity and disaster.
As
president, Trump does not have to understand everything scientists and
engineers are telling him, but only a fool would ignore them like he does. A person doesn’t have to know all the technical
details of everything modern science is capable of accomplishing in order to
enjoy good health, a higher standard of living, and a beautiful world of
technology. The president, like ordinary
Americans, can learn to appreciate, to collaborate, to trust.
We
know it’s hard for some people to give up or modify viewpoints with which they
grew up. In politics and religion, it’s
especially hard. There are people who can
do it but it’s difficult; the religious root runs particularly deep. Most people value their beliefs almost more
than life itself; some may not have the requisite education or training to
think matters through objectively or scientifically.
In
such instances, the earliest psychological commitment overwhelms nearly everything
else. They can’t readily change their
beliefs even when a more accurate scientific explanation becomes available. Consider this simple question: is the earth
the center of the universe or is the sun the center of the solar system and the
earth merely a planet in orbit around it?
Just
a few centuries ago (1600’s) we know that there were persons who had a hard
time changing their views from the first geo-centric viewpoint to the second helio-centric
viewpoint, although the latter theory is now universally accepted as
incontrovertible.
Indeed,
we can predict with a fair degree of certainty--given the human personality’s
penchant for stubborn oppositional willfulness--that with every new advance
there will likely always be a few people who will be opposed to it, regardless
of the degree of evidence. No matter how
thoroughly a new discovery is validated, somebody will prefer to cling madly to
the soon-to-be-outdated view.
When
the airplane was invented, a popular saying was that if God intended man to fly
he would have given him wings! It’s a
clever enough turn-of-the-phrase but it couldn’t hold out against the
airplane’s usefulness; over the years airplanes became a popular way to travel
great distances quickly—and whether or not man grew wings.
Well,
we know from the proverb that “it takes all kinds” so perhaps in the long run
it’s a healthy thing for human beings to have such an amazing diversity of
personality and opinion—including even those who will be proven wrong but are unable
to admit it.
The
problem is, we expect far more from people in certain lines of work; we want
our doctors up-to-date on the latest medical treatment; we certainly don’t want
them resorting to attaching leeches or cupping to bleed their patients to make
them well!
We
expect more from our political leaders, too; we insist that they stay informed
on the latest developments around the world.
Our current president, however, chooses to behave like one of those
superstitious peasants from the Middle Ages who can’t change his mind no matter
what new discoveries and experiments occur.
The
great scientist Galileo nearly lost his life because pedantic ignoramuses were
determined to preserve an unscientific view of the world for as long as
possible, even though in the course of time they were proven to be absolutely
wrong in their geocentric beliefs.
Most
grown-ups, when they develop the requisite maturity expected of adults, at
least know enough when to defer to the opinions of experts. The intense exploitation of natural resources
without thought of consequences is what got us in this mess in the first place.
How
can caring about the health of the environment ever be wrong? All we are asking is that this president
commits to listening to the scientific experts on the topic of global warming
and climate change. Is that too much to
ask?
Even
if he is not educated enough to understand scientific thinking, he should realize
there’s widespread pollution of air and water—can he understand THAT?
If
the president has no other reason than “Better safe than sorry!” then let him
adopt that mantra. Let him move forward in
step with the findings of Environmental Science.
Let
him address the changes that are
occurring and work proactively with political leaders and scientists to address
such issues as flooding, drought, and other extreme weather events. Let him stop being an anchor dragging the world
down toward a watery grave.
Let
him stop trying to prevent social and cultural change from occurring. Let him stop being a front man for the dirty
fossil-fuel industry because they place profits in the near-term over sensible policies
for the long-term health of the world.
Let
him stop being a selfish, arrogant, ignorant, narcissistic bastard and for once
in his life do something for the betterment of humanity.
Let
him listen to the growing chorus of voices telling him that climate change is
real and urgent action must be taken now,
not later.
Mr.
President, it is time to grow up!
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