Among all the notable categories of arrogant idiots inhabiting the United States in the 21st Century, history’s harshest judgment will be reserved for climate change deniers.
That is, if there’s anybody still around to write that history.
This is the hottest year in recorded history. It’s also the coolest one we will have going forward.
It wasn’t just predictable. It was predicted. And the predictions—by the world’s preeminent climatologists—have proved remarkably accurate. If anything, we have reached this tipping point sooner than the most advanced computer models had suggested.
There really was no guess work involved. This is all basic chemistry, physics and math. You add x amount of this, eliminate y amount of that, project the altered equation over time and you get…this.
Is it hot in here?
Our species’ ignorant narcissism has never been more devastatingly evident. For decades we’ve heard the smug deniers snort that “We couldn’t change the climate if we wanted to. It’s arrogant to think we can.”
Why?
In reality, it’s arrogant, reckless and irresponsible to think we can’t. And now we have. And it really wasn’t that difficult. All it took was willful negligence, childish denial and uncontrolled greed.
Relatively speaking, Earth is a speck. All that protects us from incineration is about ten miles of atmosphere. Take a look at pictures of our home taken from the International Space Station. That little strip that borders the planet is mighty thin, don’t you think?
Damage the atmosphere, reduce the planet’s habitability.
So strap in. Because here we are. And we can’t yet even imagine not just the climatological, but the economic and geopolitical results of our foolishness.
But you were smarter than the scientists, right?
