I went to the gym today and of course the corona virus was the topic of conversation. A young guy next to me in the safe 1.5 meter distance thought that the whole thing was a bit overblown. My question was if he believed in science. Of course he did. He made some provocative comments like that the world would be better off with two billion less people. Then he changed the subject to climate change and proudly announced himself to be a denier not a “doomer”.
He came up with the usual denier arguments like natural climate variations and the Australian bush fires having nothing to do with climate change but arson. The “Greenies” not allowing one twig being picked up from the forest floor and preventative back burning being stopped. Even the facts of rising CO2 concentration in the atmosphere and ever rising temperature records pearled off him.
Instead he asked me if I was driving a car and travelled by plane, which he liked very much and would not give up or restrict. From a marketing point of view climate change was an impossible sell as nobody would want to change their behaviour. He was not a “doomer” and everything would be alright.
We parted ways for a while. I knew as a proud denier he was a lost cause to reason. Then I had my own light bulb moment. I approached him again and asked him if he knew the tale about the “Three little Pigs”. He remembered it well from his childhood. I asked him if he thought that the third little pig that built the solid brick house was a “Doomer”.
He looked a bit sheepish or should I say piggish.
Of course he would not change his mind. Childhood lessons forgotten or dismissed as just childish.
Dr. Hans B. Grueber
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