I had some family business at the other end of the state a few days ago, so I rented a car to drive out to Amherst. I rent from Enterprise, because from what I can tell, they’re good guys — and they’ll pick you up and drop you off.
The car rental guy and I were talking in the car on the way to the office. He had the talk radio on and was mentioning a remarkably stupid caller who’d been busted for a traffic violation while she was on the air — very funny, if you like feeling superior to stupid people (and who doesn’t?).
So I seized the opening:
Me: It’s amazing how dumb people can be.
Driver: Oh, yeah!
Me: Like those fools who think that just because it’s cold outside, there’s no such thing as climate change!
Driver: Uh-huh…
Me: Rush Limbaugh claims the polar vortex is a liberal hoax by people who want to “confiscate all our SUVs!” Sheesh. What an idiot! What part of “extreme weather” don’t they get?
Driver: I know, it’s incredible.
Now despite his noncommittal replies, I was reasonably certain my interlocutor was not a climate-change denialist, based on our previous few minutes of conversation. Furthermore, here in the Socialist Paradise of Massachusetts, most people are at least a little bit biased toward sanity. But the point of this conversation was not to convince him, but to spread a pro-active, anti-stupidity way of talking about climate. Maybe one of his co-workers is a right-winger who follows the FOX line, or maybe he’s got a crazy uncle — and our conversation that day helped bolster him in making a stronger point.
Take the initiative; begin by making it clear that you think anti-science denialism is ludicrous stupidity. Don’t let up!
For too long we have been playing whack-a-mole with denialist arguments. Well, fuck that. Put them on the defensive; make them explain why it’s not stupid to ignore measurable reality.
That’s how to deliver the message in conversation.
2 thoughts on “How To Stay Ahead Of The Conversation”
Great post, Warren. It highlights a new angle that I’ve been working into the Climate Message, namely, to encourage those who are already aware and educated about climate change to engage the the difficult or uncomfortable conversations with those who aren’t.
I find that the yoga audience on the whole is pretty well versed on understanding the problem of anthropogenic climate change. As such, I don’t want to “preach to the choir” during the kirtan events that make up 90% of the gigs I do in a given year (95% of which happen either in a yoga studio or somewhere that’s connected to the yoga subculture).
My current script sounds something like this:
“I’d like to take a minute before this next chant to speak about climate change. I’m part of a group of artists from across the world who have pledged to make such announcements during their events. I encourage you all to educate yourself about the causes of climate change and the myriad solutions we need to quickly embrace.”
“I also encourage you all to have the hard or uncomfortable conversations with those who perhaps don’t understand or disagree with the scientific consensus. Use this issue to practice skillful engagement and non-violent communication. Focus on the numerous solutions which will ultimately lead to better, healthier living for us all anyway. Thank you!”
Wow, man: ““I also encourage you all to have the hard or uncomfortable conversations with those who perhaps don’t understand or disagree with the scientific consensus. Use this issue to practice skillful engagement and non-violent communication. Focus on the numerous solutions which will ultimately lead to better, healthier living for us all anyway. Thank you!”
This is amazing, Sean.