Between the Cynic and the Liar

One planet in our solar system can support us.

“Someday, perhaps not long from now, the inhabitants of a hotter, more dangerous and biologically diminished planet than the one on which I lived may wonder what you and I were thinking or whether we thought at all.” – Steinbeck

When I write “between the cynic and the outright liar lies a chasm of self doubt” (“Wait For Me” lyrics, Flood Waters 2025) I mean that the cynical view of our ability to some how deal with climate change – framed sometimes as a form of denial. I see it encouraged by both those who soberly read the scientific facts and watch our behaviors and by those who want no action at all.

If you scratch underneath a cynic you’ll find someone lying to themselves about their agency and ours. We should not let our self doubt erode our ability to act.

Nihilism is a trap.

Who lies about human induced Climate Change and its impact on our lives? You know the usual list. What is more interesting are those that lie or grossly exaggerate our ability to address the worst impacts, or who push a magic bullet. Sometimes those lies are comforting. And we’re back at cynicism.