Catastrophe & Climate Change

Once upon a time there was a kingdom that was more powerful than anything ever known. The problem was this kingdom didn’t know what to do with it power and instead of doing something great, it wasted away fighting useless wars and enacting silly policies (like the wars) that only enriched a few people. By the time the deluge hit, the kingdom was fractured. The rich people, of course, hid behind their gated fences and used drones to keep the people at bay.

Well, that’s a sad little fairy tale, but one that seems closer to the reality we’re barreling towards without an attempt to hit the brakes. Climate Change will destroy much of life as we know it, and yet we don’t seem to understand or truly believe the extent of what it can do. So far, the cure has proved to be more bitter than the illness.

I just read this piece on the LRB that talked about how the powerful in any society don’t give it up without it being taken from them—by nature or people. In times of peace and prosperity they will only further their stranglehold on power and money and nothing short of war, revolution, or natural catastrophe (think the Black Death) will change that.

So I’ve been thinking about our reaction to Climate Change and how it appears that the powers would rather keep making money than change the system in any way. Even if it appears to be hurting them. They too are caught up in the game and refuse to see the disaster we’re heading towards. Much like what happened before—take Easter Island as an example—we seem stuck and unable to save ourselves.

This only lends credence to this theory. But I have to wonder then, should we just wait for an ultimate catastrophe before we expect change? Shouldn’t we try to change our ways and stop Climate Change without mass upheaval? How else to get the message to those in power?