After we stop burning fossil fuels, how long will it take for the environment to return to the pre-industrial normal/stabile Co2 levels?
AI:
Factors, like melting glaciers and ice sheets, could further increase CO2 release and slow down the return to pre-industrial levels.
It is likely that it would take centuries, if not millennia, (One Thousand), years for the atmosphere to return to pre-industrial CO2 levels, even if we stopped burning fossil fuels today.
Q: Please explain, with modern psychology and IFS, why the super wealthy world leaders might want to own and control the physical world, while living in denial of the danger of Earth’s climate change, and Polar Vorex Collapse, yet seem to be primarily motivated to maintain the stock market?
AI:
You’ve hit on a complex and troubling intersection of psychology, economics, and global issues. Here’s an attempt to explain it using modern psychology and Internal Family Systems (IFS):
Modern Psychology and Narcissism:
Grandiosity and Control: Narcissistic individuals often exhibit a sense of entitlement, a need for admiration, and a strong desire to control their environment. They may believe they are superior and that rules don’t apply to them.
Lack of Empathy:
Narcissistic individuals struggle with empathy and understanding others’ perspectives. They are often focused on their own needs and goals, making it difficult to consider the broader consequences of their actions.
Denial and Projection:
To maintain their self-image, narcissistic individuals may engage in denial, minimizing or dismissing evidence that contradicts their beliefs. They may also project their own negative qualities onto others, blaming them for their own shortcomings.
Internal Family Systems (IFS) and Denial:
Protective Parts:
IFS suggests that everyone has different “parts” of themselves, each with its own motivations and beliefs. Some parts may be protective, trying to shield us from perceived threats. These protective parts can lead to denial, minimizing or avoiding painful realities.
Self-Preservation:
In the case of climate change, the protective parts of these leaders might be driven by a fear of losing power, wealth, and control. Denying the severity of the issue might feel like a way to protect their position and maintain a sense of security.
Unconscious Motivations:
Often, the motivations behind denial are unconscious. These leaders might not be consciously aware of the psychological mechanisms driving their actions.
The Stock Market and Economic Growth:
Short-Term Gains: The stock market thrives on continuous growth. Focusing on short-term profits can create an incentive to prioritize economic expansion, even at the expense of long-term environmental sustainability.
Cognitive Dissonance:
There is a clear conflict between the economic interests of these leaders and the urgent need to address climate change. Denying the severity of the issue allows them to maintain a less psychologically uncomfortable position.
Why This Matters:
Global Consequences:
The actions of powerful individuals can have a profound impact on the planet. Denial and inaction on climate change have devastating consequences for the environment and future generations.
Psychological
Impact: Understanding the psychological dynamics at play can help us to better understand the motivations behind these decisions and potentially find ways to address them.
Key Points to Remember:
Complexity:
This issue is incredibly complex, involving a mix of psychological, economic, and political factors.
Not All Leaders:
It’s important not to generalize or stereotype. There are many leaders who are committed to addressing climate change, and many individuals who are actively working to create a sustainable future.
Hope and Action:
Despite the challenges, there is still hope for change. By understanding the forces at play, we can better challenge denial, demand action, and work towards a more sustainable world.
It’s essential to continue the dialogue about these complex issues, to challenge harmful narratives, and to advocate for policies that protect our planet for future generations.
“The terrifying truth few realise is that capitalism has no owners. There is no off switch and no driver at the wheel of this automated train to hell, because this Thing now own us instead. It will drive this planet to its inevitable, uninhabitable conclusion” #GlobalWarming pic.twitter.com/K0NzR3tOvH
— George Tsakraklides (@99blackbaloons) June 13, 2023
Imagine a world where fiction shapes reality, a world where a green piece of paper can hold more value than a banana. In this intriguing exploration, we delve into the remarkable journey of humanity, from insignificant apes to the rulers of planet Earth. Join us as we uncover the untold story of how our ability to create fictional realities has propelled us to unprecedented heights of collective cooperation.
Sustainable Human is a 501c3 non-profit whose mission is to evolve human consciousness by examining the underlying stories that give rise to the environmental, social, and economic crises of our time and offer new stories that help humanity to live in harmony with each other and the biosphere.
Man is the most insane species. He worships an invisible God and destroys a visible Nature. Unaware that this Nature he’s destroying is this God he’s worshiping. pic.twitter.com/jpuiDaBoWQ
— Native Red Cloud🪶Maȟpíya Lúta~Hińhan Wakangli⚡️🦉 (@Native3rd) September 17, 2022
American disregard for science, the end of its reign?
The Uninhabitable Earth: Life After Warming | David Wallace | Talks at Google
Atmospheric + Carbon + Dioxide + Millenia (search)
The best antidote for despair is action.
One technical solution to reduce earth’s temperature is spraying sulphate, which is a chemical, in earth’s upper atmosphere. This sulphate will have low concentration and will reflect a portion of the sunlight falling on earth which can reduce earth’s temperature. Whether people like or not, care about it or not, if someone is able to create a business model to profit off this solution, it may be a possible solution to implement, once climate catastrophes start: https://medium.datadriveninvestor.com/what-is-our-plan-b-for-climate-change-6cab424dcb0c
A world with no ice’:
Confronting the horrors of climate change
Google Search for Geoengineering
CO2 related to Climate Change
Graphic: The relentless rise of carbon dioxide
Climate Time Machine
Citizens Climate Lobby . org
In 1965, leading scientists of the day produced a report for President Lyndon B. Johnson on the rampant pollution of the environment. It included a section that summed up their understanding of climate change.
…::” I used to think that top global environmental problems were biodiversity loss, ecosystem collapse, and climate change. I thought that with 30 years of good science we could address these problems,
but I was wrong.
The top environmental problems are selfishness, greed, and apathy, and to deal with these we need a spiritual and cultural transformation (aka: empathy). And we scientists don’t know how to do that.”
~Gus Speth
Several long-term climate models, though their details differ, all agree that anthropogenic CO2 takes an enormously long time to dissipate. If all recoverable fossil fuels were burnt up using today’s technologies, after 1,000 years the air would still hold around a third to a half of the CO2 emissions. “For practical purposes, 500 to 1000 years is ‘forever,’” as Hansen and colleagues put it. https://www.nature.com/articles/climate.2008.122
“Power-Over” (control) is the opposite of empathy.
According to psychologist David Matsumoto and his colleagues, combining feelings of disgust with contempt and anger is particularly potent. Leaders who generate these three emotions at once can engender violence against the targets of their dehumanization. https://empathymatters.org/now/schaden-freude/


