Recent comments
ADHD: Hunter in a Farmer's World
Thom Hartmann has written a dozen books covering ADD / ADHD - Attention Deficit Hyperactive Disorder.
Join Thom for his new twice-weekly email newsletters on ADHD, whether it affects you or a member of your family.
Thom's Blog Is On the Move
By webmaster
Hello All
Thom's blog in this space and moving to a new home.
Please follow us across to hartmannreport.com - this will be the only place going forward to read Thom's blog posts and articles.
Discoveries I’ve made researching the breakdown of communication in modern society can help a lot to explain the Climate Denier problem. Unfortunately, the problem exists because BOTH sides of the communication process on climate change are in serious denial.
Consider Michael Mann’s statement “we only have until 2036 - 21 years -- to prevent the Earth’s temperature from rising 2 degrees Celsius, the standard cutoff point for “acceptable” levels of warming.” Because of human psychology, Michael has been pushed to summarize his observations in sound bites. Due to MAJOR LIMITATIONS in how the human brain learns language, most people are not able to understand his statement. They are not able to understand complex issues with many interacting variable. The best they can do is what I call Single Sentence Logic. That’s why politics and media broadcasts are done in sound BITES – i.e. single sentences. This is why climate deniers ACTUALLY BELIEVE a cold winter anywhere is proof global warming is nonsense. They CAN’T intuitively comprehend how climate changes around the world and that this thing scientists call “average” temperature can actually mean something.
Let me re-emphasize this: THEY CANNOT INTUITIVELY COMPREHEND THIS. So, providing more data doesn’t help. It creates more confusion. Of course, people don’t want to admit it. As modern culture grew in complexity, and people were barraged with this complexity, they created “street smart” workarounds to get by. The problem is, we have now reached a level of technology and social system complexity where the workarounds don’t work anymore. With the radical extremes we hear from our government leaders and the media, it is not a stretch to say those discussions are not distinguishable from what we would hear in an insane asylum.
To understand Mann’s statement, people would have to be able to understand the significance of 2 degrees C, what it means to assign a date to that temperature change, and what impact on human lifestyles would result. Most people don’t understand any of these. And this is where climate EXPLAINERS also fall very short. I have repeatedly told climate leaders NOT to answer YES, to the question, “do we still have time to save ourselves?” It’s a bogus question. So, start out with the answer NO! Use the shock that will cause to explain what has already been lost and can NEVER be recovered even in the lifetimes of our children and grandchildren. Provide clear sound bites for this: 80% of north American wildlife GONE! 60% of coral reefs GONE; etc. etc. We no longer have time to save ourselves from those losses. They’re GONE.
The second response should outline the real crisis humanity faces at 2-C temp rise. Most people still think it just means a longer summer at the beach; or, at worst, some sea level rise. But they can care less about it because the only people that they think will get hurt are the rich people who can afford houses along the beach. They need to know why they should really be afraid of this. AT 2-C rise, agriculture in California and the great plains will FAIL! It will also fail in Africa and Asia. World wide famine will occur and BILLIONS of people will die. And no level of technology can be developed in the short time we have to grow the needed food when the water is gone. At 3 feet of sea level rise, 1/3 of the sewer systems of Miami and Tampa go under water. Hundreds of millions of people in Asia are flooded out of their homes.
The climate deniers will then REALLY become deniers. “God will save us”. Or, “nothing this bad can really happen. The climate has always been changing. Things will get better.” That’s where the climate believers have to live our belief in science. We need to create a social compact among ourselves that provides mutual support for the actions we put in place to survive, and let the deniers OPT-OUT of the compact based on their beliefs that nothing bad will happen. When this process is put in place, the arguments will STOP!
At least for awhile. As the crises become reality, the deniers will beg for help – because they didn’t know better: “there was no proof.” Unfortunately, the lifeboats won’t be able to hold more people.
And how big will this “adjustment” be? The planet currently has more than 7B people. That is, more people are alive today than ever lived during the entire 2 million year history of our species up to the year 1900. The Human Footprint Network provides studies which estimated the MAXIMUM carrying capacity of the planet to be between 1.5B – 2B BEFORE ADJUSTING FOR CLIMATE CHANGE. With climate change, it will be lower. That’s the change that’s coming, just due to pollution and natural resource depletion. And people alive today will get to see it. This is the detail required for the message that must be told.
I've said it before and I'll say it over and over. Bernie Sanders is our one and only chance for a peaceful revolution. It we can't get Bernie in the White House, nothing less than a violent, bloody revolution will do the trick. We have done it before and we can do it again. Live free or die. Ilk like the kochs and Adelson leave us little choice. They think very little of us, why should we think any better of them. It is your children that will be the new slaves in their world. I'll do as much as any for a peaceful solution but don't think we'll be given the choice unless we put BERNIE SANDERS IN THE WHITE HOUSE. Yes, I'm yelling.
“We’ve a poor way to pick a President,” I told studes even back before the nomination-then-election system got THIS awful:
. . . . . . .
Our Prez-picking Way
Our prez-picking way
dudn’t bring out their best: -
- Just hear them inveigh
‘gainst competitors to their quest.
Childish petulance is on display
in a childish ego-versus-ego-fest.
They seek to destroy, to neuter or spay
whichever opponents are currently blessed
in polling the best for the ephemeral day,
when temporarily riding the current tide’s crest.
This idn’t “leadership” that’s on display
for our choosing for whom to vote our yea.
. . . . . . .
As Thom points out, big money can easily purchase elected officials, the Supreme Court, and control our political system. Big money also buys the media, and thus controls the message the billionaires want us to hear.
For example Meet the Press just had Romney on. A truly free press, one responsible to the people, would have instead interviewed one of Romney's economic victims, someone whose life was ruined by Bain's vulture capitalism. Bush, Walton, Koch, Romney, Adelson, etc., they're all the same, too much money, and with it, arbitrary power. Tax laws should have been in place to prevent concentration of wealth on the scale we're seeing it now. The founders, had they seen this coming, would most certainly have created legislation to prevent it. Why go through all that revolutionary struggle just so a handful of piggish Fascists could destroy our liberty a mere 240 years later? Tax the bastards at a to be determined high bracket rate of 90%, that's my solution.
Clarence Thomas, Condoleeza Rice and, to some extent, Barack Obama were able to rise, in large part. precisely BECAUSE they publicly endorsed the dominant, white definition of the race problem in America and denounced their fellows. The Republicans elevated Rice and Thomas for that reason and Obama, in order to get elected President, had to denounce his pastor, Rev. Wright, and morally reproach black society in general, imitating the white, know nothing condemnations of mainstream society.
No. Not in this society. Can you imagine them adopting the British system with their whistles and chasing down some drug dealer or gang banger, "Stop or I'll toot!". Cops here are already outgunned. On the other hand, can you imagine cops here trying to do their jobs if more individuals actually complied with the police or kids where taught by their parents not to challenge cops or run away from them and do what they are asked? Now that would be a sight wouldn't it?
The lack of investment in black communities and discrimination in hiring and housing, literally for many generations, has precipitated many social problems for that community.
I was born in 1960 and even I remember when blacks could work only menial, manual labor and absolutely no more. They could NOT go any higher, there was a plexiglass ceiling. It was, in effect, slavery only the slaves were rented rather than owned.
As a result blacks not only, very naturally, had trouble generating any enthusiasm for their work and acquired, in effect, the work ethic of a slave but a second thing that couldn't but happen was that they resorted to criminal enterprise for their advancement. So much so that criminality and the criminal professions and occupations came to be admired in the black community much like abiding by the law and the "legitimate" professions and occupations were admired and respected in white society. Pimps, pushers, burglars and thieves in black society came to be admired and respected in black society much like doctors, lawyers, carpenters and plumbers in white society.
This is also true in all poor communities, black, white and otherwise although it's more the case for black folks as the discrimination they faced was much more than of any of the others. Whenever you see a prominent criminal or exceptionally corrupt, exceptionally successful businessperson or other type you can bet they grew up poor and came up the hard way.
It's always a great fallacy to try to hold different kinds of people to one, uniformed standard like holding blacks to the white standard or the poor to the middle or upper class standard, at least without making allowances for differences in experiences and challenges. It can be kind of like holding a disabled person to the same standard as an Olympic athlete.
chuckle8 ~ Well said; and, I second that idea!
I don't trust Hillary as far as I can throw the Washington Monument. That goes for just keeping the Post Office intact and none privatized, let alone keep us out of war and nominating the next Supreme Court Justice. Her silence speaks volumes. There is plenty to say. If you want to hear it, just ask Bernie Sanders. He's not afraid to speak his mind. Just imagine if Hillary is afraid to speak now, how frightened she will be to do anything when elected. Nope, I'm not falling for that silent act. All that smug little smirk on her face does is piss me off. Bernie can and will win this. We have to start believing that instead of what the Corporate media keeps telling us to think. If they had their way we would stop thinking altogether. They have neither our best interest, or the truth, in their agenda.
I vote NO because, having had several family members in the past who were law enforcement officers, they could not have done their job without being armed. When you are in law enforecement you do not know what you will run into each time you approach someone to arrest them. Whether you're a Highway Patrolman approaching a car stopped for speeding at night or whether you're answering a burglery call or gang fight, you need to be able to protect yourself.
This spate of police gunning down innocent people is a lack of training although, from what I read, perhaps bigotry thrown in, too. Where's the discipline?
Hillary sounded so much like Obama on the TPP. She said that she would be sure to do what is best for the American worker. What that actually is, is anybody's guess.
Bernie is too good. Can we create a secret service detail for him?
I totally forgot to mention during the show that today is the 800th anniversary of the Magna Carta.
I can't even vote on this. There is not a "No" option.
Choosing the Next Supreme Court judges are the Most URGENT issue of our time !!
Giving dumbya, dick, rummie, wolfie, et al, a pass on prosecution is tantamount to admitting that the Nazis were tried at Nuremberg for losing the war and not for their war crimes. the dumbya cabal should be glad to account for themselves at a war crime tribunal. After all, like the told us so many years ago to justify domestic surveillance, "if you have done nothing wrong and have nothing to hide then you have nothing to worry about".....Well it's time these bastards start living up to their words.
I think Jeb is done for .. Same for the former TX Governor. I stay well informed , always vote . I donated & volunteered for the Obama 2008 campaign.. I live on a small income- due to my husbands hard won pension being trashed. Life Savings are going fast I'm a 72 yr old widow / caretaker..but giving what I can to Warren & Sanders . I doubt Fox Rush Drudge Hannity Trump fans / followers will vote their own families best interests Its tragic..
Hey Liz! Cheer up - Bernie's gonna WIN!
What's really sad about this country is that poor people are shooting each other, instead of the Koch brothers, Adelson, and their ilk.
We can't do anything right any more, not even something as basic and fundamental as a violent uprising against oppressive billionaires.
Democracy is dead and we are all doomed.
I voted yes fo rthe first one, but the second is probably right as well beings america is gun crazy.
Liz, I do not expect another round of a Bush in the White House. I intend to work my tail off for Bernie Sanders' campaign. If his message resonates with you, I suggest you do the same. We NEED Bernie Sanders picking the next Supreme Court justices! He's the ONLY candidate I would trust with that awesome responsibility.
Thom, I think it makes a big difference whether Sanders or Clinton pick the next Supreme Court justices. Clinton is a corporatist; Sanders is not. I think you are smart enough to realize not all Democrat candidates are the same.
Seems to me that many white people remain content with the false notion that blacks have problems to face and challenges that are identical to everyone else's. I beg to differ. Legend, you are right about job outsourcing; but having black skin in America carries extra burdens with it whether you guys want to acknowledge that or not.
Yes there are white folks suffering from poverty, joblessness, homelessness, etc. Being black and poor is still worse.
Our Founding fathers are rolling over in their graves: TAA/TPA/TPP are about giving up U.S. sovereignty over to global corporate powers.
When will the U.S. fizzle out as an empire?
After the dust settles, expect Jeb Bush as the 45th President of the United States.
Will Hillary backers blame Bernie Sanders, Elizabeth Warren, who else Thom to blame for Hillary's baggage and phoney campaign to appeal to the base of her party while collecting, herself, a cool billion in campaign donations.
A lot of this has to do with letting good manufacturing jobs leave the country and replacing them with nothing. All for the benefit of a corporate few. No jobs = poverty and poverty = unrest.
Rachel Dolezal can identify with black people all she wants, but she can't identify as a black person if the DNA isn't there.
Uhmmmmm, careful about saying the house "blocked" Fast Track for Trade deals.
According to the Pen, the American People have been deceived.
Congress in fact PASSED Fast Track Authority on June 12, 2015 for trade deals like the TPP.
It would appear that they are now relying on the TPP's censorship provisions to come back for a subsequent vote to cut $900 million from Medicare to help fund the job-killing effects of the TPP.
Welcome to the new America.
http://www.thomhartmann.com/users/telliottmbamsc/blog/2015/06/deceived-congress-approved-fast-track-tpp-friday-june-12-2015