The Daily Show: Why Aren't People More Worried About Climate Change?

[Rhiannon12866]

Roy Wood Jr. sits down with author Dan Gardner about why humans just can’t seem to viscerally care about the effects of climate change.

[at140]

1. I think there is a simple answer to that question...

Most people hate cold weather more than hot weather? That probably explains why they are not bothered by global warming.

[Rhiannon12866]

2. But it's not just warmer weather - it's colder weather, too - and terrible storms and flooding

Here in New York, the winters have been unusually severe, record low temperatures all over. We had our last snowstorm during the first week of April - and I'm not convinced it's over yet!

[at140]

3. From what I hear, global warming causes extreme

weather, and man is certainly not causing global cooling. So it all starts with excessive release of CO2 and methane.

[Rhiannon12866]

4. Thanks! And I agree, we're seeing more severe weather all over the world

From the melting in the Arctic, hurricanes, earthquakes, wildfires and flooding. But I have to disagree with the premise here. Just yesterday on MSNBC they said that the biggest concern of Democratic voters for the next election is climate change - with health care a close second.

[smirkymonkey]

5. Thanks Rhiannon! I love Roy Wood, Jr.!

Seriously, though. I think until people start experiencing the real, devastating effects of climate change personally, they just won't take it seriously enough to do much about it. It's too abstract and far away for them. Unfortunately, it's closer than they think and we are all going to go down with the ship unless something is done soon on a massive scale.

It's too bad that the effing republicans see any effort in turning this around as a plot to curtail their profits and ability to exploit as much of the planet as possible. Unfortunately, all the old geezers will be dead before the shit really hits the fan, which is I suppose why they don't care in the first place.

[Rhiannon12866]

6. He's my favorite, too, of the current correspondents

And these are truly scary times since it sure looks like Trump is doing everything he can, including rescinding Obama's safety rules and initiatives, to make things worse! And doesn't he have grandchildren??

[JI7]

7. probably has a lot to do with lack of understanding and knowledge of Science

and the media also does not report on this as much since most news people are just news readers and celeb pundits. so there is lack of actual discussion.

[Rhiannon12866]

8. The news outlets really should do a better job reporting on it

There are plenty of science reporters who could explain it in ways that viewers could understand. Unfortunately, we no longer get the same kind of news that we used to - we no longer hear about floods and tsunamis and earthquakes elsewhere in the world. All we seem to hear about these days is Trump's latest outrageous offense or gaffe - that's what drives ratings.

And just yesterday I heard on MSNBC that the two biggest concerns of Democratic voters are climate change and health care - in that order.

[JI7]

9. yup, if you watch BBC or other foreign news sources they do report on actual

important things going on around the world.

the US tv news is closer to reality tv shows than serious news reporting.

[Rhiannon12866]

10. I know, it's seriously gone downhill since Trump came on the scene

His antics drive the ratings and we're fortunate to hear important breaking news, let alone international news - except for PBS, but the mainstream news is stuck on Trump.