Nicole—
I enjoyed this essay. I am a climate activist and I wanted to focus on slashing fossil fuel use and other actions recommended by climate scientists. But I soon realized that, to make that happen, we need to harness the morals of millions of people, perhaps billions.
You see, as you note, bad morals are promoted by institutions—by governments, by business, and much of the established authorities in America and everywhere.
I agree that capitalism (as it has developed) is a big part of the problem. But I don't see much to admire among the authorities in Russia, or China, or most other countries.
The UAE which wants to teach morals to children is also busy destroying the climate of the Earth that those children will inherit. Our moral leadership today is centered on young climate activists.
But that doesn't mean adults have completely failed. Certainly, adults in positions of authority have failed dismally. But I believe—firmly—that the greatest untapped force in the world is the widespread love that parents have for their children. It is THAT force that forms the core of my movement, The Saners Movement, which aims to use Gandhian tactics to preserve Nature for future generations.
I believe the same force can be harnessed for other important moral causes—but the climate, because it effects EVERYONE and because it is SO URGENT could be the unifying force that gets billions of people to act together, and overwhelm the moral bankruptcy of the mere thousands of foolish ultra wealthy fools who are maximizing profits, power and ego, while dooming everyone's children—including their own.
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