Ideas for combating those feelings of helplessness and doomerism.
When I describe my job producing Opinion's podcast, "The Argument," I often call it parachuting. This word choice may or may not be related to my penchant for jumping out of actual airplanes — but that word best describes how I feel diving into a new subject for each episode of our show. |
We look around at what's sparking passionate conversations among our readers, and seek ways to move the chatter beyond dunking tweets and echo-chamber rants. To zero in on the basic question beneath the intensity, we find subject experts to represent different sides of an argument, to push back — convivially! — against each other's conclusions. |
The end result (we hope) is a discussion that helps listeners understand more deeply not only their own opinions, but also the opinions of those who disagree with them. If both sides come to a conversation in good faith, disagreement isn't the enemy; it can sharpen opinions — even change minds. |
When exploring what shape a climate change debate could take on our show, I landed in overgrown terrain, teeming with arguments that are worth having. |
While these questions are dire and important, they loom beyond the scope of an individual's control. I was looking for something more grounded, so I turned to nonexperts, average concerned citizens of earth, to figure out what kind of debate would be the most helpful. |
What I heard repeatedly was this question: What can I personally do to help avert the climate crisis? |
David Wallace-Wells, author of "The Uninhabitable Earth," joined to argue that individual responsibility cannot cure our climate woes: It is only systemic changes by government leaders that can save us. While there are things you can do on your own, both agree that urgent, repetitive political pressure is our most powerful tool to change our future into a habitable one. |
Here's what we're focusing on today: |
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