Thread by @clim8resistance

You see images of a wildfire from a far-off place you have never been to, that you have no connection with, and have no understanding of its politics, culture or economics... What does the wildfire signify to you:

A. Gaia's revenge

or

B. A failure to properly manage land

?

Now try the other way around. Your house burns down. Do you blame:

A. a fossil fuel company for selling you petrol/diesel, or providing your electricity

or

B. the local authorities, which failed to manage the risks of spontaneous combustion or arson spreading to properties

?

It is interesting that other people's tragedies become the objects of a story that we would not accept from our own politicians.

You lost your job? Not my problem - climate change did it.

Infrastructure failure destroyed your home? Not my problem - climate change did it.

"But Ben, that's a false question. Maybe higher temperatures made politicians/officials jobs harder!"

How could it possibly be harder for today's politicians to manage water and fire than for the politicians of the nineteenth century to build all that infrastructure?

Moreover, there exists very little evidence that wildfires have got more frequent, etc. (Ditto floods).

We are far wealthier, & have much better tools & infrastructure than 100 or more years ago, but we are reluctant to intervene in nature, & reach for irrational explanations.