Excellent article in Time magazine describing the problems with how the human brain is wired as a reason for why we can’t seem to accept the reality of the climate crisis and act on it.
http://science.time.com/2013/08/19/in-denial-about-the-climate-the-psychological-battle-over-global-warming/
Sigmetnow, thanks for this reminder.
As
ivica says "Let me give you an elementary example from my locality"
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From Sophomore Psychology or was it Sophomore Sociology of >50 years ago.
Emotion versus Logic: A rather simplistic example; Not that dramatic.
Disclaimer: I have no proof this experiment was ever conducted.
In the time before television, "parlor games" were entertainment for people in group situations. Also, before "hazing" became unacceptable there were some "initiation rites" derived from parlor games or children's games.
One was "Walk the Plank - Blindfolded" where a piece of wood (a plank), typically a 2x4 or 2x6, eight feet long or more, was placed on the floor or ground. Large spring-loaded "mouse traps" were placed in at least six locations on the "plank." A person was "blindfolded" with shoes removed to be barefoot or in socks-stocking and required to walk through the hazards on the "plank."
Most people would accept the challenge, walk slowly with a foot sliding on the "plank" to dislodge-remove the trap without activating it. Some people, a low percentage, would refuse to try it.??. One person in the group would use some sort of tool to "spring the mouse traps" one at a time just before a foot or toe could get to it. Usually easy and a lot of fun.
Now modify the "game" to where the plank, twice as wide, is placed between two objects at least 30 feet (10 meters) high and challenge people, without blindfold, to walk it.
Most people will refuse the challenge, including the ones who walked the narrower plank while blindfolded. A small percentage will accept the challenge such as skyscraper construction "steel-walkers" - circus performers,,, etc...
Logically knowing they could successfully do it why would most refuse to attempt it?
Emotionally they could visualize themselves losing their balance, falling through the air and going splat on the ground below.
Also, a more eloquent version by Willie Gayle in his book "Power Selling"
http://www.amazon.com/Willie-Gayles-Power-Selling-Gayle/dp/1258124203How do you recall - refute all the human emotional energy expended on the world is going end in fire by super-natural causes and not man made (anthropogenic ) causes?
Brain-Storming for a solution as could be said we're doing here.
Or, modify it to "barn-staining" - keep picking up piles of that stuff, fling it against the wall, and sooner or later something will stick. Does this lead to a lot of vociferous posts or risk becoming overly verbose as this comment is becoming.