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This is one of the reasons it's such a big problem that the US government is a gerontocracy. Old people don't care about climate change because it won't affect

This is one of the reasons it's such a big problem that the US government is a gerontocracy. Old people don't care about climate change because it won't affect them.

chrisseaton 5y ago
> Old people don't care about climate change because it won't affect them. Old people discovered climate change and tried to warn us.
- minikites 5y ago
  And now they're doing everything they can to stop any progress: https://www.nytimes.com/2019/02/22/climate/feinstein-sunrise-green-new-deal.html https://www.nytimes.com/2019/02/22/climate/feinstein-sunrise... Conservatives in government don't believe in climate change and liberals in government say they believe in it right up until they actually have to do anything. The common pattern is that they're all in their 60s, 70s, and 80s and will be dead before the most dire consequences arrive.
  - chrisseaton 5y ago
    If they don't care what will happen after they die and they're already successful people... why would they be working at all? Surely they'll be at home burning through all their money and not worrying about anything?
    - minikites 5y ago
      That's an excellent question and I think it's some combination of hunger for power (eternally unquenchable) and using staffers/aides as elder care workers, like Robert Byrd did.
    - solarengineer 5y ago
      I think they like staying in power, and enjoying making money as a habit.
- lostapathy 5y ago
  A minority of the old people, sure. But the majority of the voting old people don't believe in climate change.
dexterdog 5y ago
Most old people, yes. Most young people don't care about climate change (regardless of what they say) because doing something about it will affect them.
minikites 5y ago
I regret the initial wording of my comment and I would like to follow up with evidence of my point: https://news.gallup.com/poll/234314/global-warming-age-gap-younger-americans-worried.aspx https://news.gallup.com/poll/234314/global-warming-age-gap-y... >The second-largest age gap comes with the belief that global warming is caused by human activities. Denying the human nature of climate change hinders any action we can take. We need to be honest about the cause in order to work on a solution. Another good link with similar findings: https://www.pewresearch.org/fact-tank/2021/05/26/key-findings-how-americans-attitudes-about-climate-change-differ-by-generation-party-and-other-factors/ https://www.pewresearch.org/fact-tank/2021/05/26/key-finding...

This is one of the reasons it's such a big problem that the US government is a gerontocracy. Old people don't care about climate change because it won't affect them.

chrisseaton 5y ago

> Old people don't care about climate change because it won't affect them. Old people discovered climate change and tried to warn us.

minikites 5y ago
And now they're doing everything they can to stop any progress: https://www.nytimes.com/2019/02/22/climate/feinstein-sunrise-green-new-deal.html https://www.nytimes.com/2019/02/22/climate/feinstein-sunrise... Conservatives in government don't believe in climate change and liberals in government say they believe in it right up until they actually have to do anything. The common pattern is that they're all in their 60s, 70s, and 80s and will be dead before the most dire consequences arrive.
- chrisseaton 5y ago
  If they don't care what will happen after they die and they're already successful people... why would they be working at all? Surely they'll be at home burning through all their money and not worrying about anything?
  - minikites 5y ago
    That's an excellent question and I think it's some combination of hunger for power (eternally unquenchable) and using staffers/aides as elder care workers, like Robert Byrd did.
  - solarengineer 5y ago
    I think they like staying in power, and enjoying making money as a habit.
lostapathy 5y ago
A minority of the old people, sure. But the majority of the voting old people don't believe in climate change.

dexterdog 5y ago

Most old people, yes. Most young people don't care about climate change (regardless of what they say) because doing something about it will affect them.

minikites 5y ago

I regret the initial wording of my comment and I would like to follow up with evidence of my point: https://news.gallup.com/poll/234314/global-warming-age-gap-younger-americans-worried.aspx https://news.gallup.com/poll/234314/global-warming-age-gap-y... >The second-largest age gap comes with the belief that global warming is caused by human activities. Denying the human nature of climate change hinders any action we can take. We need to be honest about the cause in order to work on a solution. Another good link with similar findings: https://www.pewresearch.org/fact-tank/2021/05/26/key-findings-how-americans-attitudes-about-climate-change-differ-by-generation-party-and-other-factors/ https://www.pewresearch.org/fact-tank/2021/05/26/key-finding...