The Great Grief

Well, given that the British have a notorious reputation of talking about the weather, I daresay that we differ from Americans! I am sure it crops up more often in UK as part of the general weather discussion.

I always say that freak weather is the new norm - due to climate change. For those who say that this has occurred naturally in earth's history, I also add that - yes, this is so, but man has speeded up the rate at which this is taking place.

It seems that this is now more commonly referred to as climate change rather than global warming now (even though the ice caps are indeed melting at an alarming rate)....perhaps in an effort to downplay the seriousness of the situation?

Global warming is something that happens naturally. The earth has always gone through cycles of hot and cold weather. Thats part of the argument about whether human induced climate change is real or not. Interestingly it is generally accepted that we are heading for an ice age eventually........ however 'Climate change' is possibly a better description because if I have understood correctly the change in temperature will have different effects in different areas depending on air flows like the jet stream. So while the arctic may be hotter we in the UK may actually be colder.

It seems that this is now more commonly referred to as climate change rather than global warming now (even though the ice caps are indeed melting at an alarming rate)....perhaps in an effort to downplay the seriousness of the situation?

No. "Global warming" refers simply to the warming that is simply the driving force of climate change. Climate change includes the effects - like the five of the Solomon Islands that have drowned.

Global warming is something that happens naturally. The earth has always gone through cycles of hot and cold weather. Thats part of the argument about whether human induced climate change is real or not. Interestingly it is generally accepted that we are heading for an ice age eventually........ however 'Climate change' is possibly a better description because if I have understood correctly the change in temperature will have different effects in different areas depending on air flows like the jet stream. So while the arctic may be hotter we in the UK may actually be colder.

Almost certainly wetter, for the 'chaos stage' at least. Yes, global warming and global cooling have happened before. There's always a reason and this time the reason is us. There's no argument in climatology circles.

Well - Amy, I'm glad you are talking about climate change and, Sally, I'm a bit alarmed that you (since you have a scientific background) still think there is argument about it.

But, that wasn't the point of the article. Did anyone actually read it?

Well - Amy, I'm glad you are talking about climate change and, Sally, I'm a bit alarmed that you (since you have a scientific background) still think there is argument about it.

But, that wasn't the point of the article. Did anyone actually read it?

I found it an odd, premature article. I do not see the value in grieving for what may or may not take place. For instance, something else could happen which might be equally devastating e.g. an out of control virus that spreads globally or a pole shift.

Also the article speaks of not blaming but just acknowledging the corporations, politicians, agrobusinesses, loggers, or corrupt bureaucrats i.e. to let them off the hook (which means to not be proactive in trying to change things) in order just to passively grieve. Weird - not for me.

I found it an odd, premature article. I do not see the value in grieving for what may or may not take place. For instance, something else could happen which might be equally devastating e.g. an out of control virus that spreads globally or a pole shift.

Also the article speaks of not blaming but just acknowledging the corporations, politicians, agrobusinesses, loggers, or corrupt bureaucrats i.e. to let them off the hook (which means to not be proactive in trying to change things) in order just to passively grieve. Weird - not for me.

Premature? We are in the middle of a mass extinction event. Why do you think it is premature?
Acknowledging the grief is for us. It is in no way the same as 'letting them off the hook'! What's passive about acknowledging and sharing our grief?

Premature? We are in the middle of a mass extinction event. Why do you think it is premature?
Acknowledging the grief is for us. It is in no way the same as 'letting them off the hook'! What's passive about acknowledging and sharing our grief?

The article says we should acknowledge the perpetrators rather than blaming them....

Okay - it's an odd premature article! If that is easier than engaging, fine. But you say you talk about climate change. Do you talk about it as something that might possibly happen someday?

Do we do nothing because something worse might happen?

Do you feel grief for the vanishing world that we knew at all?

Okay - it's an odd premature article! If that is easier than engaging, fine. But you say you talk about climate change. Do you talk about it as something that might possibly happen someday?

Do we do nothing because something worse might happen?

Do you feel grief for the vanishing world that we knew at all?

Well of course the effects are already taking place but I am not so sure that we are at a place of no return, i.e. there is slight hope that we can still mitigate the damage should the powers that be pull together.

http://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2016/apr/24/the-guardian-view-on-the-un-climate-change-treaty-now-for-some-action

You seem not to have registered the criticism I made of the article in the OP, notably that we shouldn't blame the perpetrators (?) but just acknowledge them!!! How ineffective is that? Take no action? Just grieve? That is like giving up!

I feel alarmed and concerned about the melting ice caps and the freak weather situations we are subjected to (e.g. increase
in hurricanes) but I also feel somewhat resigned about the limitations that we can do to galvanise those that are in a position
to do something about it. Are you grieving? Have you stopped actively combating this issue?

First - I'm sorry it's taken so long to get back. I've been working since Thursday.

I think the bit of the article you are referring to is this (please correct me if I'm wrong) :

So, what if instead of continuing to avoid this hurt and grief and despair, or only blaming them—the corporations, politicians, agrobusinesses, loggers, or corrupt bureaucrats—for it, we could try to lean into, and accept such feelings. We could acknowledge them for what they are rather than dismissing them as wrong, as a personal weakness or somebody else’s fault. It seems, somehow, important to persist and get in touch with the despair itself, as it arises from the degradation of the natural world.

This does not say let anyone off the hook. Read it carefully. It says how about, instead of avoiding the hurt and grief and despair, or only blaming the corporations etc. for the hurt and grief and despair, we could accept such feelings. We could acknowledge those feelings for what they are instead of dismissing them.
The not blaming the powers that be is not for the degradation of the world, but for our feelings.

He says also:
Contact with the pain of the world, however, does not only bring grief but can also open the heart to reach out to all things still living. These feelings don't have to make us give up. They can be a powerful motivating force.

Well I would argue that it is the envisaged future scenario that makes environmentalists despair and thus become proactive.

And, yes. That might work for you. I need to work on both a practical and a spiritual level.

And, yes. That might work for you. I need to work on both a practical and a spiritual level.

Grieving makes it spiritual?? It's possible to open up the heart without this except that I don't really understand that link. Opening up the heart suggests forgiveness i.e. achieving closure which makes being proactive redundant.