Self-loathing won’t save the planet
The human race has been a mixed bag but I sense that for the first time in human history, we have begun to really hate ourselves as a species.
Self-hatred is, of course, nothing new but due to the disastrous effects of human-induced climate warming, many have begun to regret and apologise for the very existence of homo sapiens.
Even without climate change, the human species has done a good job of endangering most other forms of life on Earth. We have proved ourselves so dominant, rapacious and successful that we have imperilled most other species sharing the planet.
Multimillionaire, wildlife enthusiast and high-stakes gambler John Aspinall, who died in 2000, represented this loathing of Homo sapiens even before climate change had attracted much attention.
‘‘I would be happy,’’ he said, ‘‘to see 31⁄2 billion people wiped off the Earth. Let us look forward to the day when catastrophe strikes.’’
Climate change has not only turbo-charged the threat we pose but has taken the threat to a level where we have compromised the bedrock of survival.
There has always been plenty of evidence that we are an irredeemably destructive and relentless species. We have readily inflicted war, genocide, mass cruelty and widespread repression.
No doubt over time we have become more civilised and nicer but the world remains beset by intractable problems.
Climate change gives us a new and persuasive cause for species loathing. In the past the world’s problems have been localised, even if the locality was a whole continent. We have plenty of international problems but, such as in the case of nuclear proliferation, the main actors are limited in number.
Climate warming is not specific to continents or countries and neither are its causes. The unprecedented spell of selfflagellation, blame and acrimony should therefore not surprise us.
Some like to point the finger at the patriarchy, the military industrial complex, the Boomers, the developed world’s rampant consumerism and Donald Trump, but with climate change there are no innocents. With planet warming we all contribute and because we all contribute – admittedly some much more than others – no-one is exempt from responsibility.
A Guardian investigation last month revealed 20 fossil fuel companies – top three were Saudi Aramco, Chevron and Gazprom – could be directly linked to more than one-third of all greenhouse gas emissions since 1965.
Drilling down into the data showed 10 per cent of the emissions caused by the 20 climate culprits came from extraction, refining and delivering the finished fuels, and 90 per cent was due to their use as petrol, jet fuel, natural gas and thermal coal.
Although the article tried to depict the fossil fuel companies as tantamount to tobacco purveyors – creating and feeding an addiction – the truth is every single consumer is complicit in climate warming.
Even the poorest are part of the problem because poor countries are going to send the world’s population through the roof.
When I was born in 1958, the world’s population was about
3 billion. This year it reached about
7 billion and is expected to exceed
9 billion by 2050. Providing for these new hordes could break the planet. It is hard not to hate the unborn who are going to make this planet unbearable for everyone.
Population growth in New Zealand used to be cause for celebration. The country is expected to exceed 5 million by next year but instead of any whoopee, all we hear about is over-burdened infrastructure and services, too many migrants and the divide between overcrowded cities and hollowed-out rural towns.
That every human being is being blamed for warming the climate reminds me of my Catholic school, where we were taught each of our sins was like a hammer blow driving nails into the hands and feet of Jesus.
The new sin of climate warming has replaced the seven deadly sins, especially since God has been sidelined and we can be seen as just another species like ants.
We must all accept we are climate sinners, repent and devote our lives to carbon neutrality. The new bible is the green bible. Instead of saving our souls to avoid damnation, we must preserve the planet for future generations. The question is whether all this selfloathing is good for us and whether it will help to stop the practices that contribute to climate change.
There can be no dispute that awareness and feelings of guilt and remorse will help to bring about the fundamental changes required to save the planet as we know it.
But too much species loathing could put a brake on the reforms needed and make things worse.
If the species is seen as essentially doomed due to its inherent selfishness and greed, then some will wonder why they should bother working towards change. They might as well carry on and hasten the species’ demise.
Hatred can also lead to the promotion of drastic and chaosinducing measures. If human life is devalued due to its inherent climate sinfulness, then the next step does not bear thinking about.
If climate warming can be limited, it will not be by hasty, illconsidered action by a bunch of zealots. To save the planet, we need to keep liking the human species and keep faith in the worth of human existence.
The truth is every single consumer is complicit in climate warming.