Sun. Dec 22nd, 2024
Fire Climate Change

Original article from: NPR

Think “climate change activist” and a young, liberal student may come to mind.

A recent NPR/PBS NewsHour/Marist poll showed climate change is the top issue for Democratic voters. For Republicans, it barely registers overall, but there is a growing generational divide.


LEFT VIEWPOINTS

Can young Republicans restore climate change reason?


  • Young adults haven’t been subjected to decades of climate-change-denying propaganda as adults have.
  • Most conservatives formed their opinions about climate change because of the media they take in.
  • Climate change will affect the children and grandchildren of conservatives just as it will liberals.

Young adults haven’t been subjected to decades of climate-change-denying propaganda as adults have. They aren’t trapped by their own flawed assumptions and cognitive dissonance, helping them remain more objective. Young adults also have much more to lose from the climate crisis than older generations do. Older generations caused the problem. Younger generations must find ways to survive it.

Why did Republicans become the Party of climate denial and deep state theories?
Most conservatives formed their opinions about climate change because of the media they take in. Rush Limbaugh was one of the first far-right media sources who railed against it.

Right-leaning people listened to Limbaugh’s propaganda every day. When people routinely listen to someone telling them climate change is a hoax, they eventually believe that. Over time, climate change denial worked its way into the minds of the conservative base.

Fast forward to today, our Facebook newsfeed steers “news” that we want to read to us. It keeps us trapped in our current world views. The documentary, “The Social Dilemma” showed how this happens. It explains why our world is so polarized on climate change and other issues.

Politicians pander to what voters want. This meant Republican candidates who wanted votes from people who listen to Rush Limbaugh and Fox News had to at least pretend to agree with what the voters believed.

This video shows how Republican politicians shifted on climate change

There is no reason conservatives need to oppose climate change. Doing so has forced them to entertain deep state conspiracy theories and frequent right-wing blogs that tell them what they want to believe. But mother nature doesn’t care. Climate change will affect the children and grandchildren of conservatives just as it will liberals.

This video shows a conservative climate skeptic who goes on a journey to learn about climate change.

By LeftViewpoint

I am politically left by U.S. standards, although I'd be considered moderate in most European Countries. I believe in universal healthcare, a UBI, equal opportunity to education, and expanded democracy. I think the free market works best for most industries. However, I am convinced that some industries, such as healthcare and education, do not respond to market forces and should be publically funded. Additionally, I believe industries that damage and destroy the environment should be regulated. My views are my own, and they do not necessarily represent what other people on the left believe. In that sense, LeftViewpoint is "a" left viewpoint, not "the" left viewpoint.

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