Truth and Denial.......

This is a response to a comment on the last entry here.  I am not going to attack the person who took the time to share her opinion.  I am glad she did.  I hope that she will not take this as either an attack or an insult to her intelligence, but the fact is we are living in a world--as previously noted on this blog--where Truth (yes, with a capital 'T') is becoming progressively more ephemeral and endangered.  And that is a problem.....for all of us.

In order for a society to be a society it must have communication among its constituents.  If the members of it cannot speak to each other and hear each other, that society will eventually tear itself apart.  There are many examples of this: China 1927, Russia 1917, Germany 1871, and again in 1933.  Japan in the 1920s and a host of smaller countries, including many so-called Islamic Republics.  What these times and places all have in common is that some people had ideas of how things should be, and others disagreed.  An inability to communicate and rectify the divergent views of the citizens resulted in revolutions in which the stronger element simply took charge and in many cases imprisoned or simply eliminated those who disagreed with them.

In every case the opposing forces had to resort to armed subjugation or conflict instead of using the power of communication to find a solution that at least partially met all parties needs.  When communication breaks down history tells us that armed conflict and tyranny almost always result.  Mao Zedong himself said, "All power flows from the barrel of a gun."  And, ultimately, he was right.  But, it is never a painless or wholly satisfactory process or result.

So, when people start to say, "This is true because it is what I believe," or, "This is the Truth because I say it is," or worse yet, "This is the Truth, and if you don't agree, you don't belong here," trouble is here and things are about to get nasty.  Truth is NOT a relative concept.  Nothing is 'true' because you want it to be....no matter how badly.  Truth in earth-bound affairs is based on a collection of FACTS, not opinions.  Truth is almost always able to be established in concrete situations by gathering information about it.

For example: a murder case where there are multiple suspects, definitely a body and a crime that are a reality.  Truth is this: someone was killed.  It wasn't a suicide or an accident.  Suspect A was in Siberia at the time--we have proof of this, so he didn't do it.  Suspect B doesn't have an alibi, and does have plenty of motivation to have done it, but there's no immediately apparent forensic evidence to prove it.  There are two other possible suspects.  At this point, a very methodical investigation works on building a body of evidence, actual FACTS.....things that are physical proof of something.  And, eventually, all the evidence seems to point to the Truth.  A trial is held and the testimonies of witnesses and accused are considered, but the real proof of guilt lies mostly with  THE FACTS.

Well, there has been a very long and painstaking investigation--which still continues--and there has been a vast mountain of evidence collected and analyzed.  The Planet herself is the strongest witness...the 'victim' in this case.  And, the jury is back, has been back for several years now.   The verdict is overwhelmingly clear: the massive amounts of carbon-dioxide that we pump into the earth's atmosphere, i.e. 70 MILLION TONS EVERY DAY, are indeed causing a shift in the earth's climate.  Scientists all over the globe know that this is TRUE.  It is a scientifically established FACT.

So, people who still wish it weren't so, who still insist on claiming that all of the documented changes that are taking place are "....just cyclical and normal", are making the truth conform to their own viewpoint.  They are denying and ignoring and obfuscating because they don't like the real TRUTH.

The problem with this is.......that it just causes clouds of indecision, a lack of determination, a distinct lack of willpower with regard to taking any measures necessary to steer the planet AWAY FROM DISASTER.  People who think and act in this way are pushing the accelerator instead of leaning on the brakes.....and I submit that this is just about the worst thing a person can do if they really care about the future of not just their own kids and grandkids.....but the entire sphere of life that inhabits the planet Earth.

Do you really want to be playing at doing something so mindless and counter-productive when our future hangs in the balance?