I Refuse to Debate With Climate Change Deniers —Part II
Organic Change is on the Way
Recently I wrote an article entitled I Refuse to Debate with Climate Change Deniers.
I spent very little time writing about the deniers. I focused instead on my personal plans to become more self-reliant. I’ve been researching and implementing ways to manage my household during rolling blackouts, shortages, and other threats that are on the increase. That’s what the article was about. That’s the reason I don’t waste my time trying to convince climate change deniers that I’m right and they’re wrong.
I’m too busy preparing for what’s coming.
Most responses have been supportive, a few even showed interest in my plans. However, I did get this response.
I’m curious to know, Teresa, what, if anything, you know about global warming that so elevates you that you don’t need to debate the issue. Let’s start with your background. Any degrees in a physical science?
In and of itself, this is not the most argumentative or insulting response that I’ve ever received. It actually inspired me to write this article, which I hope further clarifies what I’m choosing to do instead of debating. However, I have no idea if this person was truly interested in my qualifications. If they posted with the desire to debate, then I suspect that even if I defer to the research of climate scientists, which I would, a debate will ensue without either one of us changing our minds. That’s another reason I no longer bother. I’ve never changed an unbeliever’s mind. Not once!
I also don’t hold a degree in “masterdebating”.
Rather than waste my time debating, I’ve chosen to prepare for the future. I’ve written a lot of articles about how I’m going about this. Rolling blackouts, power outages due to severe storms, shortages, food insecurity, have all culminated with me taking an array of steps to become less dependent and more self-reliant.
Truthfully, I’ve always had a bit of the prepper in me.
Collective change is arduous.
From the introduction of a new idea to cultural normalization, it often takes thirty years or longer. If the idea finally catches on, those who resisted can’t even remember that they drug their feet. They think they’ve always been on board. Some, after all their kicking and screaming, even end up making money from the changes.
Go figure.
The car replacing the horse and buggy, hippies and their organic food movement, even social changes like gay marriage didn’t happen overnight. It took years and years before Kroger or Walmart installed an organic section in their stores. Until they thought they could make a profit doing so, little mom and pop health food stores were our only options. Now they’re laden with organic choices, giving small health food stores a run for their money. Oh, and if you’ve ever seen the famous side-by-side photos of a New York City Street teeming with horses and buggies next to a photo taken barely ten years later of the same street with nothing but cars, you’d realize what I’m talking about.
All three examples of collective change took decades to reach the point where most people were FINALLY on board.
As climate change continues to cause devastatingly. expensive damages, inconveniencing Americans and even destroying our lives, climate activists will continue to debate with unbelievers. However, there may be a bright light at the end of the tunnel. The fact that humans are dealing with an outside force like Mother Nature may force us to change whether we want to or not.
That’s organic change.
Organic change is different. This is what I’m depending upon when it comes to slowing down the ravages of climate change. When Mother Nature continues to ruthlessly force her will upon us, something eventually must give.
When we no longer have a choice, then maybe corporations will swoop in upon the innovators because they see a chance to make money. I don’t think that day is far off.
So, it goes like this …
- Insurance companies start refusing to insure properties in high-risk areas or raise the premiums so high that people are forced to move.
- Fires and drought force people to make big changes within their communities to conserve water.
- Severe storms create flood conditions and force cities to upgrade their water systems to handle the new climate norms.
- Power grids fail forcing homeowners to look at purchasing their own power stations.
- More people will install solar panels to be more self-reliant
- Community gardens and local produce will return making it possible to feed families without shipping across the country first.
- Values will change as certain resources like water, which is now on the stock exchange, become the new gold.
- Innovation will flourish as more people see the need for new products to support the new normal.
The old photographs of New York City with horses and buggies right next to the photograph taken roughly ten years later where the horses have been replaced by cars prove that change will speed up after a tipping point.
Old ways of doing things eventually become obsolete. It’s happened repeatedly.
In the meantime, I’m focusing on taking care of myself and my family. It’s keeping me busy. Frankly, I feel so much better when I act rather than just sitting around complaining. I’m all set to get through a major blackout without serious repercussions. There’s more work to be done, but it’s satisfying.
Why beat my head against the wall trying to change YOU when it’s a lot easier to change myself.
In the meantime, we’ll see what’s down the road. Not just in America, but worldwide. I’m not willing to bet on who’s right and who’s wrong. That’s no longer important to me either. I’ll benefit from taking better care of myself no matter what.
A measure of self-reliance has always been beneficial.
Yes, I refuse to debate with climate change deniers. I don’t have the energy to do so. If they change, it won’t be from arguing with me. Either they’ll change because it makes sense to them even if they’d prefer not to believe it or Mother Nature will force them to change.
Innovators and creators will rise to meet the challenge.
Someone else will latch on to opportunity and market their innovations. We’ll be forced to change the way we do things if we want to survive. People will adapt. Eventually, no one will even remember how things used to be.
That happens faster than you’d think, too.
In three generations, most of us are completely forgotten. That’s how poorly our memories serve us. Most likely, we’ll get beyond this big political divide that for the time being keeps us from uniting. It’s been fabricated to benefit a few very wealthy people at the expense of the entire human race.
Eventually, people will be forced to change, even the rich.
Our great grandchildren won’t remember how it used to be in the good old bad old days when humans wasted precious resources without a second thought. They will have moved on to a different era. We’ll be dead and forgotten as well. Our big debates, even the fact that we were once alive will no longer have any relevance. In my opinion, that’s a good thing.
The next generation will step up and create their new normal.
Teresa is a retired educator, author, world traveler, and professional myth buster. You can find her books on Amazon.
