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Exploiting weaknesses and the hidden potential of moral force.
They are wealthy, amoral and determined to maximize profits regardless of the consequences for the planet…or even the consequences for their own grandchildren. That’s the behavior and psychology of fossil fuel executives and other ultra-wealthy fossil fuel profiteers.
They tell a compelling story.
They are part of a system that rewards greed and even portrays the market system as the best possible way of living and doing things. After all, profit works to motivate people, to be productive, to fill needs. And, because of the way our civilization has been built, we must continue engorging on fossil fuels or face collapse, starvation and disaster.
The wealthy people and their powerful corporations are essential and it would be madness to oppose them. We have no real alternative. Furthermore, they are entrenched and fighting them would be useless. And even if we succeeded in dislodging them, it may already be too late to prevent climate disaster.
This story and way of thinking is pretty convenient for the status quo — or haven’t you noticed?