THE INSANITY OF DENIAL

"Ignorance is strength"--Orwell, 1984

"Knowledge itself if power."--Francis Bacon, Religious Meditations-Of Heresies

New polls tell us more Americans disbelieve in global warming than did a short while ago. Climate scientists are banding together to reinforce their findings that not only is the world getting hotter, but human activity, mostly burning coal and oil, is its main cause. Whether the truth will out or the Big Lie will prevail is beyond our ability to accurately predict. We do know there are powerful corporate interests among us who are dead set on promoting the Lie, against all prevailing scientific evidence and even their own enlightened self-interest. And many among the average folks are eager to believe the Big Lie.
Society appears to be trending toward the Orwellian situation whereby science is routinely ignored, even suppressed, excepting warfare and police surveillance. Climate science definitely does not fit into these categories, and so must be sacrificed for the perpetuation of corporate power. This is understandable. History is full of big names who waste underlings in a constant effort to preserve and expand their power and privilege. The question is why so many average, workaday Americans are eager to be wasted so that the upper classes might retain their position a little while longer.
It is one thing to refuse to act on available information, quite another to plug the senses in steadfast denial. Most of us have at least some unhealthy habits that we know to be harmful, but we're frankly having too much fun to give them up. We Americans like our way of life: our cars, our air conditioners, our plentiful, varied foods, and other niceties. We feel we have earned them, and hate to lose them. But common sense tells us we stand to lost most or all of our bountiful lifestyle if global warming continues unabated, and that if mankind is causing the problem, mankind is in a good position to stop or reverse it, and the quicker we act, the less harsh will be the readjustments we must make. Yet we disdain both knowledge and common sense. Why?
Most of the climate change deniers in America are comfortable, suburban or rural, middle-aged or older, English-speaking, of European descent. Ethnically they are similar to most of the people who control the country. Despite the similarities, the ruling elites seem to be unaware of the existence of these people, except around election time when they send their minions and lackeys out to garner votes. Probably most members of this loyal demographic know full well that their needs are of no concern to the upper class. But the American myth is that anybody can get rich here, with the right combination of good ideas, hard work, and luck, and these middle-Americans feel close enough to maybe hit it big under the right circumstances. These are the "true" Americans, as they like to see themselves, and their status so close to the upper crust is threatened by the concept of climate change. To act on scientific information regarding climate change will require a unified and determined effort on behalf of the whole human race. The "true" Americans' concept of their country's exceptional standing in the world, along with their semi-privileged standard of living, might be sacrificed for the greater good of mankind. And what if all our efforts to curtail global warming don't work? Denial is tempting.
Of course there are other scenarios, much more optimistic, based on the idea that humanity has caused this problem, and humanity can work its way out. But since no one can truly predict the future, we are faced with either ignoring science, or acting on it. Even if global warming turns out to be a false fear, we still have immense, horrible problems with our polluted environment. No one can deny this reality. The ecological and climate solutions are the same. Must we oppose cleaning up the air, water, and soil, simply because some of us refuse to believe the weather is getting hotter? Surely we have advanced beyond the century-old notion that dingy skies and stinky streams are the signs of prosperity. If we clean up the environment, and never know whether the climate was changing, how will we be worse off? If we ignore science, and it turns out scientists are right, it will be too late to say "Oops!" Yes, there is strength in ignorance: the strength of a mob. There is power in knowledge as well, the power of people to improve their lot. In a worst-case scenario, America's wealthy elites would likely be the last to perish. Those of us in that comfortable middle would be next-to-last.
Not much consolation there.