Just found a new (to me) psychology phrase: "pluralistic ignorance". It refers to people holding one view but mistakenly assuming that the majority of others hold a different view, so they keep quiet. Very relevant for climate change action, where lots want action but think they're in the minority.
@helenczerski although a majority may want action on #ClimateChange, I don't believe that a majority want a degree of action which would materially change their own lives – which is to say, a degree of action which would be effective.
Of course I could be unduly pessimistic on this as well.
@MorpheusB@simon_brooke@helenczerski
The people are willing to make such changes but only if everyone has to make the same sacrifice, and they are well aware this ain't gonna happen.
@bornach@MorpheusB@helenczerski I hope you are right. If you are, together we CAN make it happen. I gave up air travel fifteen years ago, and my car last year. These ARE things everyone can do. If everyone did them, they are enough to make some difference. We need to do more, of course.
@simon_brooke
I remember years ago wathcing a lecture by Dennis Meadows were somone at the end posed a similar question . His response then was the same as my observations , "when somenes actions are different to their words, believe thier actions".
An alcoholic saying they aren't an alcoholic who downs a litre of whisky is as believeable as somone saying we need to get off fossil fuels who then books a holdiday to Thailand, or worse still, a climate scientiest who flies to a COP :)
Everything is going the wrong way and the politocans we deliberately vote for enable us to keep destroying the biosphere, it's not unreasonble to suggest that people are delusional or lying.
@helenczerski do lots think they're in the minority though, on climate? It seems to me that pretty much everybody wants action except for the few that hold power.
Everyone sees there's an issue, and can see that everyone else has seen the issue, but are paralyzed while they search for the reason why no one else seems to be doing anything about it
@helenczerski What about cases where people hold one view, mistakenly assume most people hold a different view, and therefore mistakenly see themselves as lone truth-tellers when they express their view?
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