Somehow we got on the subject of global warming. I think he had said something about climate change making certain things impossible. I asked him in reference to global warming, “Can’t we reduce the impact on the earth?”
“It’s not so simple. If we had a long period of time, it would be possible, but large populations of people won’t do something unless incentives are put in place to encourage them to change. People are inherently selfish. They do not change of their own free will. They need to be manipulated into doing good things.”
For me, inherently selfish, is a trigger. We had had this debate in college on several occasions. There is no proof that humans are inherently selfish. The concept of original sin, means that everyone is born self interested. It is an idea that has permeated society, but research has not found this supposed human quality, unless certain conditions are met. In fact, in the majority of cases, people are essentially altruistic. Children have to be taught how to be selfish, by be coerced into exchange relationships.
In the few situations where normally altruistic humans resort to self interested, it is primarily in situations of scarcity while being alone. Capitalism creates artificial scarcity and loneliness. Some cultures seem to be more selfish than others, but that can be accounted for by cultural expectations, upbringing, and effects of the environment. In psychology, we learned that people on the narcissistic spectrum are inherently selfish. Officially, about ten to fifteen percent of the population is narcissistic.
My own conclusion was that people who believe everyone is selfish, are justifying their own selfishness. It is also a known trait of narcissistic people to project their own selfishness onto everyone else. Now, I saw how it benefited the rich and capitalism for people to believe this fallacy. It justifies everything they do to people. It justifies not caring. Self interest dissolves compassion.
I know that people are very willing to change their lifestyles in order to reduce the impact of global warming. Before I was kidnapped, solar energy adoption was ahead of projected rates based on incentives. People want solar power instead of using fossil fuels, and not because they are selfish or manipulated into doing so. People know it is best for the planet.
He continued, “There is also a correlation between standards of living and impact on the environment. The overpopulation problem is not a result of too many children being born, it is primarily a result of people living longer, and therefor, using more resources. It is the use of vaccines, antibiotics, heart surgery, and other life extending medications and procedures, which are leading people to live longer lives, combined with higher standards of living and the subsequent increase in resource usage.”
“The consumer population does not want to recognize that there is an overpopulation problem. Partially because, the only solution they can imagine is a form of active extermination, forced sterilization, or giving up their life extending medications. They can’t even contemplate reducing their own lifespans. That would go against their selfish nature.”
“They could change if they knew what was happening.”, I said.
“Consumers won’t recognize the problem, because they are the problem. It is the consumer populations of the Americas, Europe, and Japan, who have the greatest impact. India and China are now adopting consumer culture, and their populations are becoming more problematic as well. The problem is getting worse. There is no way to stop it without drastic measures.”
“Overpopulation, combined with high standards of living, have led to climate change. The vast majority of the human population cannot have a higher standard of living without pushing the climate into devastation. A few people can have a high standard of living while most people cannot. However, even now, we are far beyond a sustainable human population. Humans would have to grow their own food and give up most technological conveniences, like air travel, electricity, cell phones, and cars to live sustainability with the population we have now. Which, is not an acceptable solution to consumers.”
I started to understand his position. In his mind individual humans can not possibly do with less. He really believes that. He does not seem to understand the implications of what he said to his position in the world. He stated that the more some have the less others have. Of course he believes that taking more than other people was natural, good, and responsible, for those that deserve it. His people certainly would not to do anything to reduce their own impact so they must reduce everyone else’s.
Studies have consistently shown that the lifestyles of rich and famous are largely responsible for global warming. Instead he blames it on all the people who have now power to do anything. Sometimes I want to strangle him. I think I would enjoy it. I felt like provoking him a little so I said, “I think people would be happy to reduce their impact a if it meant a healthier environment.”
He said, “You obviously do not understand human nature. People cannot make those changes because they are selfish. It does not matter what they want. They cannot plan beyond their immediate needs. If they could we would not have these problems.”
I have had enough of his consumers are stupid, rich people are superior lectures, so I tried to bring us back on the subject of global warming. I was curious what he knew about the subject, so I asked, “Can’t anything be done to stop global warming?”
“Climate change is not a problem itself, it is a symptom of other problems. No problem can be fixed by treating the symptoms. The problems leading to climate change are systemic. They need to be dealt with as a whole.”
“Technologically we could stop climate change. We could have stopped carbon emissions decades ago. You and I have talked about some of the technological solutions, and their limitations in society. However, we can’t implement those changes without a corresponding decrease in population.”
“You see, beyond the science and numbers, there is also will.”, he paused to gather his thoughts. “People need to both want change, and be capable of implementing it. If a person has a problem they won't face, there is nothing anyone can do to fix that problem or the issues that results from it. The core problem will continue to perpetuate other problems. This tendency expands exponentially with large societies.”
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