The title refers to a well-known quote from one of our founders, Benjamin Franklin. Personally, I think it is easily as important as a guideline on how we live as is the Golden Rule. I do my best, when making a decision or before going forward with an action, to consider the consequences. If only those who wield power or who influence our lives now and into the future would adopt such a long range vision instead of seeming to only be concerned with immediate gains or results (the BP oil disaster in the Gulf of Mexico & Keystone XL pipeline to cite two examples), I feel all life on this planet would be better served. That includes the lives of the powerful and otherwise influential as well.
Once again Moyers & Company had a powerful episode today. His guest on the show was Anthony Leiserowitz, a researcher with the Yale Project on Climate Change Communication. I feel that everyone should take a little bit of time out of their busy schedules to watch this show. The information provided, along with the presentation of that information, puts forward a wealth of information necessary for every person everywhere. It isn't filled with charts or incomprehensible facts and figures to write down or commit to memory. Instead he presents an easily understandable reason to move NOW to take action to do something about climate change. He also presents facts in a reasonable way that anyone can understand, with or without an advanced degree in any of the sciences.
Some of the facts he presents are startling. Working with Gallup, a worldwide poll about climate change was taken. In some countries, they found that up to 75% of the people polled had NEVER HEARD about climate change. He delineates six distinct groups based upon their position on climate change.
Most people rely on the media for their information. Not only do environmental issues receive short shrift in the media, but climate change is barely a blip on the media's radar. If our information sources don't treat this issue (or group of issues) as critical, why would the general populace? Add to that the current state of our media, where a few corporations or moguls control most of the print and airwaves in the marketplace. Plus the media rely upon advertising revenues to keep them up and running. If the advertisers have a policy of denying climate change, what are the chances that the media will give front page coverage to the problems of climate change? We have the internet, right? Well, contrary to a current commercial - not everything you read on the internet is true. Unfortunately much of the internet is polarized and biased. A rush to be first in reporting something often leads to the wrong information being put out there. We only need to look back to last summer when CNN reported that the Supreme Court had overturned the Affordable Care Act. They didn't read the full verdict and were left standing with egg all over their faces.
Below is the video of Moyers & Company with Anthony Leiserowitz. It's about 45 minutes long. It is worth YOUR time. Please take that time and watch it. Let me know what YOU think.
For more information on Anthony Leiserowitz, visit this link.
Information about the Gallup Poll can be found here.
