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   Nithin Coca నితిన్ (ncoca@social.coop)'s status on Monday, 13-Jan-2025 10:25:30 JST Nithin Coca నితిన్

   I wish climate-linked disasters in other countries mattered.

   The #LAFires wouldn't be a "wake-up call" if we were paying attention when floods, typhoons, and fires hit countries like #Bangladesh, #India #Philippines and #brazil

   • Embed this notice
     Sean Bala (seanbala@mas.to)'s status on Monday, 13-Jan-2025 11:23:58 JST Sean Bala

     in reply to

     @ncoca

     Because so many Americans think they are the center of the universe. And even within the US, many people don't look over their fences, especially if has to do with someone from a different political tribe. The LA Fires are dismissed by many on the political right because it is happening in California. I know many people back home (from rural America) who talk about California as if it is a foreign country.

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     Sean Bala (seanbala@mas.to)'s status on Monday, 13-Jan-2025 11:29:54 JST Sean Bala

     in reply to

     @ncoca

     I've had a theory for a while now that people on the right in the US will not actively talk about climate change until something catastrophic and irreversible happens to major city in a red state. That way it can't be dismissed as something else. My money is on Miami, Florida but it could also be a city in Texas (not Austin). And even then, it won't be talked about directly because it is such a deep part of the culture wars.

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     Sean Bala (seanbala@mas.to)'s status on Monday, 13-Jan-2025 12:34:00 JST Sean Bala

     in reply to

     @ncoca

     Maybe not. I'd like to think it would but perhaps it is too baked in. That's why I think it needs to be catastrophic AND irreversible. Something you can't come back from. Maybe something akin to the Dustbowl in the 30s.

     Language is such a problem. People of a certain type hear "climate change" or "environmentalism" and they associated it with people they don't like. They will like many elements of sustainability but would never call themselves "environmentalist."

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     Nithin Coca నితిన్ (ncoca@social.coop)'s status on Monday, 13-Jan-2025 12:34:01 JST Nithin Coca నితిన్

     in reply to

     • Sean Bala

     @seanbala But will it? The massive flooding far inland due to a freak Hurricane #Helene in North Carolina didn't seem to have much of an impact, despite clear links to climate change. Nor the Texas grid crisis from a few years ago.

     Grew up partly in Kansas myself so certainly understand the challenge in red America.