Backlash: The Beginning

Last night, I was given a copy of the Wall Street Journal with a big opinion piece about climate change: The Climate Change Climate Change.

In it, the author, discusses the new trend of being a climate change denier.  According to this, there are a large number of politicians and scientists who claim that climate change is the “worst scientific scandal in history.”  They claim that they are looking at the data more closely because of the impact from the recession and it has left them with no doubt to believe it just does not exist; racking it up to something no greater than a new religion.

Surprisingly, the most outspoken of them all is a politician from Australia, Steve Fielding.  Why this is surprising is because of the impact Australia is facing due to changing temperatures; drought, fire, food shortages, and rising temperatures.  But this man can sit there and say there is not enough scientific evidence.

What is interesting to me about this type of article is this notion that we, who believe that climate change is real and moving closely upon us, seem to want it to occur.  That we are looking forward to it and that we are damned that we haven’t been able to provide concrete evidence that it exists. And, not only that, but when asked, these same “deniers’ are not providing data to the counter, either.  Despite that, it is all the fault of those who “believe” that are allowing legislation to go through and decisions to be made based on false information.  (Of course, when the Federal Reserve does it causing economic collapse, they turn a blind eye.  But, when it comes to the collapse of an entire species, they are screaming from the rooftops.)

What I am trying to say is this: that maybe there is a 50/50 chance that climate change does not exist.  I certainly hope so.  If climate change does exist and I change my lifestyle accordingly, then we have caught something before it is too late.  If it doesn’t exist, then my changes will have little impact and will be a net neutral to the planet.  If I don’t change my lifestyle and climate change doesn’t exist, again… net neutral… no impact, no change.  But, if I don’t change my lifestyle and climate change DOES exist, then the impact I have made onto the planet is drastic and life threatening.

So.. my question is this… why are some people so adamant to not change, and do small things that might greatly alter the planet, just for the sake of being right?