Recent polls in Europe and USA show that 45% of young people say climate change negatively impact their daily function. Worse, 75% view the future as frightening; among them, 59% believe humanity is doomed. They are being dismissed as being everything from inexperienced to fragile, but according to world renowned sociologist, Hartmut Rosa, they are not misfits, poorly adjusted, or fragile. “They simply don’t thrive because they see clearly the writing on the wall: That there is something wrong with our society.”
So, what do they see that the rest of the (adult) world does not see?
To get a feel for this complex problem, I’ll point out five aspects:
- The warning signs,
- What do we do about it?
- Why is that not enough?
- Our misinterpretation of the situation, and
- Can we do anything?
A Colossal Misinterpretation – By Torben Riise