I'd rather not know: the psychology of climate denial

Some thoughts about climate change denial, from Terra Daily via Agence France-Presse: If the evidence is overwhelming that man-made climate change is already upon us and set to wreak planetary havoc, why do so many people refuse to believe it?… [S]urvey after survey from around world reveals deep-seated doubt among the public.

…Experts see several explanations for the eagerness with which so many dismiss climate change as overblown or a hoax. "There is the individual reluctance to give up our comfortable lifestyles -- to travel less, consume less," said Anthony Grayling, a philosophy professor at the University of London and a best-selling author in Britain.

…For Tim Kasser, a professor of psychology at Knox University in Galesburg, Illinois, the reality of climate change impinges on core aspects of our identity. "We are told a thousand times a day, notably through advertising, that the way to a happy, successful and meaningful life is through consumption," he said. "But now scientists and environmentalists come along and say part of the problem is that we are consuming too much or in the wrong way."

Yet there may also be a darker explanation. It is the human instinct to shut out or modify a terrifying truth: that the world as we know it is heading for a smash. "It's a paradox: when it comes to disasters, people do not allow themselves to believe what they know," explained Jean-Pierre Dupuy, a professor of social philosophy at the Ecole Polytechnique in Paris.

…Under such circumstances, people are resourceful in finding ways to reassure themselves or turn their backs on the threat posed by climate change. Some applaud their own environmental virtue: "Changing to compact fluorescent bulbs makes people feel good -- 'I've done my bit for today'," said Kasser, describing a common attitude in the United States.

"Blaming China and India is another great psychological defence mechanism." A more sophisticated variant is to conclude, with a sigh of resignation. that individual action isn't enough.

…Hamilton, who is running for Parliament in Australia, said more and more people he meets are having what he calls an "Oh shit!" moment. "It's that moment when you really get it, when you understand not just intellectually but emotionally that climate change is really happening. I think we will see a rush of that over the next couple of years," he said….

The construction of Noah's ark, a mosaic in Monreale Cathedral, Sicily. Wikimedia Commons