lichess.org
Donate

Why I get so upset when people deny climate change

@Dukedog said in #20:
> Of course I am but at least I'm not a hypocrite.Nor am I some sort of self-styled enlightened one.
You really think I care about myself??? Cause if so you're wrong. No, I'd rather be in the middle of nowhere and have my body decay because I killed myself, but for some reason some thing in my system won't let me. Because of this. That's the only reason why I haven't already killed myself by now.
Try not to let people get you upset. There will always be people out there who have clung to strange ideas, the best thing to do is just put in the work and not to let them get you down.
No one would suggest you do that. I do understand your fear and concern concerning the climate. I encourage you to do something that actually makes a difference,plant a tree wasn't just a joke but an actual positive suggestion.
@LordSupremeChess said in #1:
> When people deny climate change, I consider that as a personal insult to me.

And that's a problem. Yeah, I also agree that climate change is serious... However, you shouldn't take people's responses as sort of personal attack. Being harsh to them doesn't change their minds.

Also, in most of your threads, you've mentioned things like 'denialism will be fought'. Then why make a thread, when you're going to talk only with people who has same opinions with you?
Disclaimer:
Just so we're clear, climate change is a very real, directly observable and significant problem and a threat to the health and prosperity of human civilisation. There are many things we can do about it. International cooperation is needed. So is governmental regulation (because you cannot change supply chains for instance from the consumer side) and investment (subsidies). And in part changes in consumerism (repairing personal items and clothing instead of throwing them away and buying new ones, making an effort to eat less meat, walking or biking short distances etc.). These have to work hand in hand in order to succeed. They won't work in isolation.

Climate change is unlikely to wipe out the human species entirely (even if it goes unchecked, humans are pretty tough), but in the long term (if it continues unchecked for the next 50+ years) it can significantly hamper or halt our progress, diminish our quality of life, threaten our fresh water reserves, countless of natural habitats and cost a lot of money. We are already feeling its effects right now.
Point is, it's cheaper and safer to deal with it now than ignore it for longer and face harmful consequences (more extreme weather events, increased number of zoonoses, scarcity of water, etc.). And dealing with it now will additionally be in many ways beneficial to humanity in its own right, because renewable sources of energy and electric cars (not that they are the be-all and end-all, public transportation is even better in urban areas) for instance do not cause nearly as much pollution (particulate matter, nitrous gasses etc.) as coal power stations or combustion engines. I'm not telling you anything new here, so let's move on:

@LordSupremeChess
That being said, you are posting about it too much. Like, to the extent where you begin to annoy and alienate even those who are well aware of the problem, those who in principle should be on your side. You've posted at least six threads about the subject in the last couple of days. And probably hundreds of comments. I probably wouldn't mind if they were all constructive comments, but too often you're just seemingly out to pick a fight. You're not doing yourself a favour nor are you helping your cause.

If you're actually passionate about the environment, about conserving and protecting threatened marine ecosystems, about tackling and mitigating climate change, that's great!
But may I suggest you use that enthusiasm in a more productive way? Get busy with your homework and work hard in school (especially in maths and science). Learn as much as you can about the energy industry and sustainability. But don't turn the things you learn into resentment towards older people (it achieves nothing but more division), turn them into actions that will cause and inspire change. The key to societal change lies in compassion and inspiration, not in badgering and quarrelling.

Chose a career that's directly impacting the pace at which your country can switch to renewable energies (learn how to install photovoltaics or wind turbines). Or prepare to study a relevant course at university if that's an option (like renewable energy engineer): www.oit.edu/academics/degrees/renewable-energy-engineering
If you have free time left over, why not get involved with a local club of conservationists. Or volunteer time to clean up your community/beaches/forests etc.
Or do something entirely different I haven't even thought about! There are lots of things you can do! You don't have to feel dreadful and you don't have to despair.

I don't mean to silence you. I'm not opposed to you posting on the Lichess forums from time to time. And if somebody says something (e.g. about climate change) you know to be untrue, feel free to kindly correct them (ideally citing a reasonable amount of sources for your claim).
But please consider changing your outlook and consequently using your time in a more positive way. I know this is a lot to ask. Just keep in mind that fighting (not to be confused with argumentatively debating which can have its merits) with people on the internet will achieve nothing more but a bad mood (and bad blood).
<Comment deleted by user>
@Thalassokrator said in #26:
> Disclaimer:
> Just so we're clear, climate change is a very real ... There are many things we can do about it ...

You forgot to mention we need to switch from meat to insects for food ... yumm ...
@LordSupremeChess said in #1:
> But I'm not here because of human suffering.

Any solution you want to implement will do a different thing.
The first one, stop using fossil fuel will send back 100 years nations in development and you will cause world hunger as you need to ship goods from 1 side of the planet to the other.
If you try eolic energy for instance, you will endanger and possibly kill many variety of birds (they tend to crash there in mass for some reason).
If you try to go with solar panels, you will contaminate a lot, as its not financially sound to recycle them, the panels dont deteriorate (and they arent that efficient either).

So instead of just complaining, which doesnt help at all, work on finding a solution if you are that interested. And stop using electricity, the car, heat, make your own farm, dont consume imports, no showers with running water, no toilets, no paper to wipe your ass or clean your nose. No washing machine.

You are a privileged user of those goods, you should also tell personally why you want no one of the third world country to be as privileged as you already are.

This topic has been archived and can no longer be replied to.