This was a great response! We can definitely feel a weighty responsibility to tell our relatives about climate change. However, I found a lot of solace in the recent TikTok that was making the rounds (link below) where even a CLIMATE SCIENTIST couldn't convince her own father. I think ultimately, you just have to abide and live by example. For example, I drive my EV to my dad's farm every summer. And when he says "aren't those bad cars?" I can just say, "no! it was easy getting up here," and we move on with our day
I really appreciate this conversation. This world so needs connection. Now more then ever. So I wonder if what is more important then even this climate emergency, is for us all to find ways to remain in connection. Relationship. And that it doesn't really matter whether our family or friends, our neighbors agree with us, so much, as it matters that they feel our love. When I take my daily walks in the park nearby, to renew my spirit, I practice waving to people, smiling, saying hello to anyone that passes me by. I have no idea whether they believe in the reality of our climate emergency or not. I don't really even want to know. I just want to practice showing up each day, with as open a heart as possible. With the belief that even these small acts of celebrating being alive, really have an impact. So I think it is more important, HOW we show up in each other's day to day lives, then whether someone AGREES with us. My hope is that this kind of interaction has a far greater impact, then trying to get someone to agree with me. For myself. And for my family, friends and neighbors. And ultimately for our precious world.
This website is wonderful. A good question, and a fantastic response. To add to this I can only gently suggest that the people - the genuine, warm, loving, funny, caring people - that we might label as "denialists" do indeed have their own life history - and their fears. I feel that it is of vital importance to have the courage and the patience to set aside for a moment our urgent wishes for change, and concentrate on developing empathy for those very real existential fears that lead to denial - pushing away, a refusal to acknowledge - in the first place. I speak as someone who is themselves committed to increasing the desire to meaningfully act to reduce our impacts, while other family members may not necessarily share that view. We may find it difficult to appreciate in the depths of our frustration how very important it is indeed to heal our broken world by developing bonds of love and empathy - especially with those we might 'disagree with'. Bravo!
Thanks Leslie for these insights. I know of so many families, my own included, who are trying to find common ground in a world that wants us to polarize. The balance between love and loyalty is a fine, difficult one. Some days I find solace in Buddhist philosophy.... We all suffer from delusion. Offer compassion to ourselves, and our family members, keeping in mind that regardless of political beliefs, we are motivated by changing the world for the better. Some days it is difficult to live this....in a world where the time bomb of climate emergency is ticking.
Thank you for the roadmap Leslie. This hits hard on so many levels. The avenues you provide here are immensely meaningful and actionable. “You can still love your family while recognizing the painful differences and look for moments where genuine care still exists and can be expressed.” means a lot to me.
Per ‘conservation’: I can still use that word and the real world implications behind it still ring true and are accepted and even embraced; at least in my experiences. Maybe most importantly, ‘conservation’ the word, will still be heard.
And thank you ‘Drowning in Division’ for posing the question.
This was a great response! We can definitely feel a weighty responsibility to tell our relatives about climate change. However, I found a lot of solace in the recent TikTok that was making the rounds (link below) where even a CLIMATE SCIENTIST couldn't convince her own father. I think ultimately, you just have to abide and live by example. For example, I drive my EV to my dad's farm every summer. And when he says "aren't those bad cars?" I can just say, "no! it was easy getting up here," and we move on with our day
https://scoop.upworthy.com/nasa-scientist-reveals-the-one-thing-that-convinced-her-conservative-father-that-climate-change-is-real
I really appreciate this conversation. This world so needs connection. Now more then ever. So I wonder if what is more important then even this climate emergency, is for us all to find ways to remain in connection. Relationship. And that it doesn't really matter whether our family or friends, our neighbors agree with us, so much, as it matters that they feel our love. When I take my daily walks in the park nearby, to renew my spirit, I practice waving to people, smiling, saying hello to anyone that passes me by. I have no idea whether they believe in the reality of our climate emergency or not. I don't really even want to know. I just want to practice showing up each day, with as open a heart as possible. With the belief that even these small acts of celebrating being alive, really have an impact. So I think it is more important, HOW we show up in each other's day to day lives, then whether someone AGREES with us. My hope is that this kind of interaction has a far greater impact, then trying to get someone to agree with me. For myself. And for my family, friends and neighbors. And ultimately for our precious world.
Thank you so much for this deeply thoughtful & caring response. Really beautifully written. 🥰
This website is wonderful. A good question, and a fantastic response. To add to this I can only gently suggest that the people - the genuine, warm, loving, funny, caring people - that we might label as "denialists" do indeed have their own life history - and their fears. I feel that it is of vital importance to have the courage and the patience to set aside for a moment our urgent wishes for change, and concentrate on developing empathy for those very real existential fears that lead to denial - pushing away, a refusal to acknowledge - in the first place. I speak as someone who is themselves committed to increasing the desire to meaningfully act to reduce our impacts, while other family members may not necessarily share that view. We may find it difficult to appreciate in the depths of our frustration how very important it is indeed to heal our broken world by developing bonds of love and empathy - especially with those we might 'disagree with'. Bravo!
beautifully put!
Thanks Leslie for these insights. I know of so many families, my own included, who are trying to find common ground in a world that wants us to polarize. The balance between love and loyalty is a fine, difficult one. Some days I find solace in Buddhist philosophy.... We all suffer from delusion. Offer compassion to ourselves, and our family members, keeping in mind that regardless of political beliefs, we are motivated by changing the world for the better. Some days it is difficult to live this....in a world where the time bomb of climate emergency is ticking.
"We all suffer from delusion" --- important and humbling to keep in mind
Thank you for the roadmap Leslie. This hits hard on so many levels. The avenues you provide here are immensely meaningful and actionable. “You can still love your family while recognizing the painful differences and look for moments where genuine care still exists and can be expressed.” means a lot to me.
Per ‘conservation’: I can still use that word and the real world implications behind it still ring true and are accepted and even embraced; at least in my experiences. Maybe most importantly, ‘conservation’ the word, will still be heard.
And thank you ‘Drowning in Division’ for posing the question.
There has never at any stage been any hint of a climate crisis