So Al Gore tells me that the earth is in dire straits because of human interference causing the disasters of global warming. Then I keep running across articles like this from scientists who dispute any notion of consensus on the causes and/or reality of global warming. I recycle and try to live green, but I am not a scientist and rely on what the “experts” say. Unfortunately when I listen to the news or read articles everything seems so politicized, I’m not really sure who to believe.
Everyday I’m bombarded with issues from the Iraq war to civil unions to the environment. I read the various positions, but I don’t always know what to think.
George Stephanopoulos tells me that we’re a nation divided and increasing in polarization over these and other issues. But sometimes I wonder how folks are out there like me. We read the headlines, we try to be thoughtful, we wrestle with the issues, but we’re not really sure how to respond on some of these issues. Take the Iraq war for instance. I’ve actually talked to some national security advisers trying to understand, and I still could not say whether I am for or against the war.
One of my friends is writng a book on the problems with the war and our whole approach to the Middle East. He makes some good points. But I’m still unclear.
I usually steer clear of arguing some of these topics because I’m not a “true believer” for either side, and I feel pulled in both directions. I wonder if I’m simply crazy or if there are others who feel the same confusion.
July 3, 2006 at 2:13 pm
Funny thing is that today at lunch time I went home and watched a conference in Florida that was dealing with the global warming issue. This guy who had been studying the weather and all that for more than 40 years and who is a scientist at the Univ. of Colorado was saying that the media is totally off in crying over global warming and its predictions of an increase in the global temperature of several degrees Celsius each year… He said that basically the Earth has been warming up since the 30s and it’s just a faze. Also, no one has a good enough prediction model that would take into consideration everything that affects global temperature so therefore no one can predict climate changes. They can sort of predict weather but we all know how accurate that is…
Bottom line is that sadly, media and the news are more sources of desinformation than of information… They are so commercialized and self-centered that they distort the truth in order to get more people to watch them… Freedom of information and at the same time of disinformation through the warped human interpretation and ego filter…
I’m confused about Iraq and other political issue because the bottom line is you can never know all the facts…and what’s fact to one it’s not to another… I try to stick to the basic common sense rules given the information that I receive or deduct… I think that war sucks and I think that 99% of the people agree. The other 1% are crazy. That’s my story and I’m sticking to it!
July 3, 2006 at 8:30 pm
I’m firmly of the belief that conserving resources and being responsible for cleaning up after ourselves can only have a positive effect on our environment. Why do anything else?
You wrote:
“George Stephanopoulos tells me that we’re a nation divided and increasing in polarization over these and other issues. But sometimes I wonder how folks are out there like me. We read the headlines, we try to be thoughtful, we wrestle with the issues, but we’re not really sure how to respond on some of these issues. Take the Iraq war for instance. I’ve actually talked to some national security advisers trying to understand, and I still could not say whether I am for or against the war.”
I hope there are a lot more people like you (and your punk brother, Jeremy). It was real pleasure during my visit to have thoughtful discussions about current events that didn’t involve people retreating to their political party blankets and sucking their thumbs.
July 3, 2006 at 8:57 pm
Thanks Ryan. When I think of the environment I have to approach from my personal bent, which is theological and/or philosophical. The Genesis story offers a commission to humans:
“God blessed them and said to them, “Be fruitful and increase in number; fill the earth and subdue it. Rule over the fish of the sea and the birds of the air and over every living creature that moves on the ground.”
Now I realize this passage has been used to suggest human have freedom to dominate and exploit, but this seems to abuse the text and the story in the context of other stories.
Rather, I see humans as having a commission to steward or take care of the earth. Obviously, we fail and fail again. Yet as I listen to some of the Rabbis, each person acts in a way that either creates or destroys. We are challenged to live such a way that each act of ours contributes to the preservation and protection of the earth.
So taking care of the earth is an inherent part of the human calling. Now I realize this is a tiny reference to an extended debate that deserves more space and time to discuss. So maybe future posts will allow for a more thorough nuance of this position.
July 4, 2006 at 1:39 pm
I think that we have only begun to see environmentalism in our country. I have a sincere belief that the world as we know it will not exist in 30 years. People will not segregate themselves to suburban sheets of land with overencroaching houses. This industrial chic environmentalism will disappear, and (we) people will change the ways that we live.
I am selling some bumper stickers customized for Hummers over at discovering community:
“I’d rather be driving a prius, but I feel safter in my H2”
“The earth is sexy, so love her.”
“Green is so much better than brown”
“Move closer, no closer”
“Cars are from Mars, Trains are from Venus”
“Imagine whirled Al Gore”
“Commit random acts of earthiness”
“Does Mars really look cool? Green is better than red”
“My other car is a Prius”
“Don’t hurt the dirt”