I have friends on both sides of the aisle. I have family members on both sides of the aisle. I have friends on both sides of most major issues. I’m not a “cut you off” person when it comes to differing opinions. I might believe you to be a brainwashed nut bag, but I’ll tell you to your face and then shake hands afterward. It’s the only way forward. And I like science. I love the fact that science isn’t perfect, regardless of what our middle school biology instructor said, but that’s why science is so wonderful. It’s the race to be better, more intelligent and more knowledgable. And it’s the race to prove yourself wrong.
Had an interesting conversation with a climate denier friend.
Well, he’s not a climate denier, it’s just that his political party won’t allow him to admit things are changing. Nor will the party allow him to admit that our grubby little species might, in great part, be to blame. He’s know this to be true. He just can’t say it out loud. His eyes becoming shifty the minute he begins to say things he knows aren’t based in anything factual. He regurgitates nonsensical bullet points. He tries to shift the conversation to more nonfactual things revolving around the “enemy,” or the “other side.” We do stupid well here in America, but I do get tired of engaging with it.
I asked my friend if he believed in things like ice ages. Yes. I asked him if he believed the planet warmed and cooled over millions of years.(Billions) Yes.(But he did make a small comment about the age of the Earth and how scientists had it all wrong.) I asked if he knew we were technically still in an ice age. He didn’t understand this. (The planet still has glaciers meaning we are still in an ice age.)Whatever. I asked him what the planet looked life between ice ages. His reply was “hot and swampy.” I asked if he believed our planet was heading out of the latest ice age and into one of those middle periods. No. I asked if he believed the planet was getting warmer. No. I asked if he believed the glaciers were retreating. No. I asked if our species had anything to do with changing conditions. No. (He had just explained to me how South Texas was basically unbearable now during summer, and that is was way worse than when we were younger.)
Enter Craig Childs.
I’ve posted many times about my love of all things Craig Childs. House of Rain, and The Secret Knowledge of Water being two of my favorites. I would describe him as a nature writer, but a nature writer that goes above and beyond in his exploration of the world. He does things that no one else does, and he writes about it in the most wonderful of ways. With Apocalyptic Planet, he brings us a book about this rock we live on, and how this rock is changing. Could you call this a book about climate change? Sure. But if you do you are choosing a side and not really paying attention. Why? Because the story and the writing are SO good, and the book is about far more than the obvious. The book is about a potential future. Sonora, Patagonia, the Atacama, the Bering Sea, Phoenix, Greenland, Iowa, Tibet and more. The chapters on Iowa and Phoenix were particularly good, and funny at times.
When I read a book like this I am reminded of what Stephen King says about writing. Basically, you are born at a certain talent level, and no matter what you do, you can only move up one or two slots. That’s it. You can’t go from single A ball to the major leagues. Part of me asks “Why write at all?” And the other part says “Who cares?” Who is this Stephen King guy anyway, and what has he done? Regardless of your feelings about our home, this book is worth a look. Get it, read it.
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great book
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agreed
Yea, who is this Stephen King guy! Funny you mention him. For some reason…well, I couldn’t sleep…I watched some scenes from The Mist. Terrifying movie. 10/10 do not recommend when you can’t sleep.
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I don’t like scary movies.
Recently I read that some US states intend to ban the theory of evolution from school curricula. It’s my impression that right now we are witnessing a turn of eras: the end of the modern period, which started the late 18th century (pioneered by Rousseau, Kant, Lavoisier et al.). Apparently religious belief systems and magical thinking are experiencing a renaissance. Beats me why. Did we take the materialist world view too far, neglecting spirituality and metaphysics?
If you’re interested in science as a system to gain knowledge (not as a belief system!), the underlying philosophy, its possibilities but also its limitations, I would like to recommend “Zen And The Art Of Motorcycle Maintenance” by Robert M. Pirsig. Very likely you’ve already read it; if not – highly recommended. It’s among the 10 best books I’ve read in my life.
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Love that book. And yes, the book ban morons, or hypocrites, are pure lunatics. Scary, limited brain power and empty inside.
Welcome to the Divide and Conquer epoch… I’ll stick with balcony seating and laugh at the slapstick. When it comes to nature writing, Craig is a Man-Child’s. Seriously, when – if – his book on the Life and Times of Dried Paint ever comes out, I’m there. Thanks for the heads-up!
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Yes. He makes me want to both quit writing and to write more.
Will look for it. Thanks for the tip. On Writing by Stephen King is great as well.
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Love that book. Have given countless copies to friends.
Seems a lot of folks today on the right and left get their information from partisan silos of group think. We’d all be better off if folks would read broadly, as you do, Dan, and examine issues more deeply than the talking heads on Fox and CNN. Oh, it’s 104 today in Vegas. I had to tweak our water fountain so the birds can stay hydrated.
@ Thomas Rink: Also one of my favorite books. When I was studying photography 40 years ago, it was one of our standard readings.
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Shazam.