It seems strange that presidential candidates, many of whom have created and run successful businesses and maneuvered through politics, would claim that climate change doesn't exist, or deny the degree that scientists say it is happening. These aren't idiots, even if the media might try to portray them that way. So what's behind this, where conservatives go against the majority of scientists and their evidence?
Well, it's complicated. But it mostly has to do with the politicization of the issue.
This blog mostly deals with fantasy. So why bring this up? I know it's a stretch, but it has to do with the fantasies we create to fool ourselves. And no, liberals are not immune to this. They just do it on different issues, and in a different way on this issue.
The first reason that many conservatives reject the data is because it doesn't fit in their worldview. They fear what would happen if they admitted climate change was real. Not so much for the doomsday predictions that many scientists declare, saying the poles will melt, the oceans will rise, and the earth will slowly transform into a place nearly unlivable for humans. No, they fear that if they admit that climate change is real, then the responsibility to fix it will fall to the government. And conservatives distrust government involvement, not wholly without reason. Government programs are generally less efficient and effective than that of private organizations like businesses or churches. And if government does happen to save the day, unlikely when it is so polarized on nearly every issue, then people will feel a debt and vote for the party that brought about the change, which would probably be the Democratic party, just because they're the ones advocating for change.
The only way the government could do anything would be to pass stricter regulations on emissions, waste, etc. Government by itself won't innovate a new technology to save us, because it is run by politicians, not scientists. With harsher regulations, many businesses would feel stress to comply, and some will go under. Conservatives who believe in climate change generally believe that a free market solution will go further and be less disruptive than government intervention. But liberals, despite pressuring businesses to 'Go Green,' want more done.
Many conservatives are also religious, which affects their worldview as well. Some interpret their scriptures as saying that God has all power, and us humans can't destroy his creation. But, then again, Christian scripture, specifically Revelation, talks about the last days, how plagues will fill the earth, the moon will turn to blood, the sun will withdraw its light, and other things that could correlate with climate change.
Looking at the issue objectively, it might seem hopeless to find a solution. Have we gone past the point of no return? Will we cause an apocalypse, where many die and mankind has to go back into survival mode? The many movies and shows that deal with post apocalyptic futures, from Mad Max to The Walking Dead, reflects this unconscious belief, or fear if you will, that everything's going to collapse on itself. And many people, especially the problem solvers like business owners, don't want to contemplate the idea that nothing can be done. It's not an immediate problem, so it can be pushed down the line. It's the same with bloated, unsustainable entitlement programs: keep them up so people won't get angry, but in the end they will implode.
Personally, I'm pessimistic about this. Everything the government and 'green' companies are doing might slow down the acceleration, but it's like putting a bandaid on a broken bone. We are consuming more and more electronics, with no stopping in sight, even though they rely on rare earth minerals, which, by their very definition, are rare. The climate has changed because of human intervention, if not as a whole, then in pockets (if you've been to Mexico City, it would be obvious). We can hope for a technological development, like useful electric cars, with greatly reduce emissions, but there are two problems with that example: the cost of electric cars is prohibitive to most right now, and the fact that many forms of generating electricity still pollute the air.
Hopefully, some new innovation or combination of many will fix the dying earth. But if the solution doesn't come? If we're forced to choose between a healthy earth or our iPhones, what will we choose? What are we willing to sacrifice? Or do you cling to the fantasy that we won't pay sacrifices? That climate change isn't real? That the government will step in and save us all?
What people call ideology in this case happens to be a fantasy. So which is yours? And can you blame the other side for clinging hopefully to theirs?
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