We need to stop ceding the conversation to stories about spoiled children with bombs and guns killing each other—and clueless people competing for excessive wealth and power to abuse.
The NY Times notes in a headline about an election that “Mexico Gives Leftist Party Tighter Grip.” In a sub-head, it notes that the new leader is the country’s first female president. What’s unsaid is the most important part of the story—President Claudia Steinbaum is a Nobel-prize winning climate scientist.
This isn’t just significant for environmentalists. This is significant for every creature on Earth that drinks water and breathes air. Her election is a tiny but unprecedented step, giving our civilization and our children a bit of genuine hope for a future. But there’s almost no talk about that. Stories also note that Steinbaum is Jewish, heading up the government of one of the world’s most populous Catholic countries.
Not only is the well-being of our planet ignored, but we focus obsessively on a competition between two very old men, both of whom will probably be dead in little more than a decade, and neither of whom will make a meaningful effort the stabilize a collapsing climate. Indeed, one of them is much worse than the other, yelling “drill, drill, drill.” But even the one who passed the biggest climate bill in history is doing, on balance, nothing to even slow the next more brutal phase of the disaster.
Of course, protecting the planet is something nearly every leader on Earth opposes—because it could be bad for business, or at least corporations—especially Big Oil. The battle against Earth is a fight against Life Itself to maximize profits and power. The pettiness of the greed, and the failure of (corporate) media to focus on the important story would be stunning. But it’s all too familiar.
Let’s make fun of the silly fools! Instead of furrowing our brows, or taking sides in the conversation as THEY shaped it, let’s do things our way.
I call this, The Saners Way. The Saners is a group and a movement determined to prevent climate collapse and build a kinder and, well, SANE society. We begin by talking sensibly and tweaking the cruel and clueless silliness of our insane civilization and its leaders.
The future of the planet is in peril. Nearly everyone know it, yet this crisis is largely absent from our lives. We discuss whatever is put in front of us—which is usually relatively trivial crap. I mean, what isn’t trivial compared to the rapidly approaching existential doom of our civilization and everyone’s children?
Do we really care about the competition between various groups who are all accelerating that doom? I sure as hell don’t. I mean, I always want the less bad guy to win—but what’s more important is for the sane and caring people to win the climate battle.
When WE win, and both of the insane sides lose, then and only then do our children have a future. Then and only then do we have hope.
Two Ways To Do This
We can do this, but the question now is “how”? Gandhi and King’s approach works. Most of today’s climate groups adhere to non-violence and they tend to use public protest—sometime demonstrations that, say, block roads. Other times, they do something dramatic in museums that may or may not damage a painting.
At least that’s the movement we hear about. There are also lobbying groups, and a few other tactics. The problem is, none are getting the results required. These are all passionate, honest and well-meaning efforts.
Frankly, I feel a little bit bad that I’m not participating in their actions. Well, that’s not true. I have attended climate protests. But, I want to be part of something that works.
Who doesn’t?
Now, a truly Gandhian effort would probably work. But I don’t think this civilization of 2024 can mount such an effort. Oh, we want use his smarts, but not the somber mood. We can’t have that solidarity (at least not easily and not globally) over the climate crisis. Unlike a brutal dictator who’s mowing down people you love, the climate crisis still feels unfocused and abstract—even as its effects become more dramatically apparent. But businessmen and movements and their propagandists have made something very obvious into something that feels unclear.
It’s easy to get lots of people to want to depose a dictator. It’s harder to get them to oppose big oil when they are told it’ll cost them their jobs and endanger their way of life.
But the actual truth is much like the old Jack Benny joke. A robber puts a gun into Benny’s (or his fictional cheapskate character’s) ribs and demands: “Your money or your life?” And Benny, after a long pause, answers: “I’m thinking.”
We are thinking and not acting. The Saners believes in Gandhian principles, but they need to be expressed with humor, with entertainment, with fun. What will help get people over the hump, the hesitation is Fear Of Missing Out. The Saners movement must be something people want to experience for themselves.
Gandhi is a serous like his Salt March. The Saners is a circus, a rock concert, a comedy show—with participation. Behind all the festivities is a serious purpose, but the tip of the iceberg above the water line is enjoyment and camaraderie.
We may have a few leaders who actually Sheinbaum who understand and care about the climate. But worldwide, it’s not nearly enough. We can and must do this.
So, put on your red clown nose and let’s get going!
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