Soapbox kicked out by reality

Beneath the Wisteria supporter, Shepparton’s Alan English, has “kicked” the soapbox out from under me with a rather sharp dose of reality.

Soapbox - 'kicked out'.

In his response he says:

 

Do you think for one moment that scaling back consumer goods is the way of satisfying the people ? Of course not. And do you think any Government in power will stand up against commercial interests; of course not. And will there be a ground swell of ordinary people who will gather in strength to demand that action be taken ? I think not. Apart from complacency people enjoy  their present style of life too much to want to forego anything. When weather patterns shock us and when the point of no return occurs, then the hue and cry will be why didn't the Government fore see this, warn us, and take action. We are placed in a no win situation. It is true that small groups have been and can be catalysts for change. The dynamic of what we do is the big question. Networking of many groups all around Australia and even overseas could hold the key to courses of action that would alert people everywhere of the imminent danger of our perilous situation and of the immediate action that should be taken.

 

Although I am sure he is aware of my position in that I am a utopian and something of a dreamer. I have one implacably ally, nature.

Of course, as Alan correctly says, as people wrestle with the unfolding dilemmas of climate change, the voice of reason will again be drowned by a public howl of “why weren’t we told”, just as the men of reason have today, fortified by the skeptics and doubters, ignored the impeccable warnings of the world’s climatologists.

Alan and I first struck up an acquaintance because of my rather caustic view of Christianity, but to his credit he has been able to set aside those beliefs as he has emotionally invested in the climate change conversation.