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Opinion: You Are Not the Problem — Climate Guilt is a Marketing Strategy
(news.climate.columbia.edu)
this post was submitted on 18 Jul 2023
347 points (97.5% liked)
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No, we cannot be the solution. Individual consumer behavior cannot change systemic issues. The only viable solution to Climate Change is at the ballot box. Out of control billionaires and vested fossil fuel interests cannot be swayed by asking people to pretty please go into massive debt to buy a Tesla instead of a sub 10k beater they can afford.
Nothing of what you're suggesting is sufficient or even realistic for most people. You want someone earning 30k a year to buy solar panels!? Are you mad?
We don't need a handful of people doing zero waste perfectly, we need millions to EAT THE RICH.
Oh I'm familiar with the demographic, I just don't see them changing because their "weirdo libtard" neighbor bought a used Prius or something. At this point I feel like you're either onboard with the whole "climate change is real and bad and something should be done" agenda or else living in clown world mainlining alternative "facts." And how do you even discuss these issues with someone who disputes the nature of reality itself? If you've got that one figured out please share because it'll be useful in talking to my parents.
I earn less than 30K, and spent a few hundred here, a few hundred there, over the years, in renewable energy co-ops in my region. In total, my share of those installations now produces more than I consume. Our next project: charging stations for EVs, although I don't even have a car.
I don't have to have my own panels or windmills or chargers.
Yes, ballot box. Of course ballot box! And at least new combustion engine cars, for example, will be a thing of the past in a few years, here in Europe, thanks to ballot box. But I don't want people to buy a Tesla. I want people to buy no car at all. And I want countries to tax the crap out of fuel for both surface and air transport. But how realistic is this ballot box solution?
We need both. Individual behaviour and ballot box.
You noted that the ballot box is the best way to do this, but that we also have to eat the rich. The big problem is that the ballot box is controlled by the rich. Both sides of the I'll are paid off by corporate interests... And they don't care about climate change...
The ONLY solution is to EAT THE RICH... The ballot box will actually be taken care of when corporations can't pay off politicians anymore.