One of the extraordinary conditions under which we, in the U.S., are living is the fact that we have a president who refuses to accept the universally accepted fact that we are faced with an existential threat to our very existence on this planet — the threat of climate change. But it’s not only a threat; it’s a present reality: the floods, the droughts, the severe rise in temperature in many parts of the world, the rise in sea level that threatens the existence of coastal communities, the extinction of species, all of which are due to global climate change.
President Donald Trump refers to climate change as a hoax, sometimes calling it a “religion.” Most of us know by now that climate change is caused by the emission of carbon dioxide in the burning of fossil fuels, basically oil, gas, and coal. The necessary response to that knowledge is to expand, as quickly as possible, the development of “clean energy,” by the use of sun, wind, and possibly nuclear power.
Mr. Trump, however, is opposed to the transition to clean energy. He promotes, rather, further development in the use of oil, coal and gas. He is promoting an increase not only in oil drilling, but also expanding the number of oil wells in various locations in the U.S. We could speculate about why he promotes these destructive policies, but it’s probably safe to say that he’s protecting the oil, gas and coal industries, serious contributors to his political campaigns.
Another extraordinary aspect of our political situation is that our government was shut down for over a month, with serious consequences for various segments of our population. Was Mr. Trump trying to work with the warring parties in Congress, the Democrats and the Republicans, in order to come up with a resolution to their differences so that the government can get back to work? No, he is currently focused on destroying the east wing of the White House, so that he can build his vanity project, a huge, elaborate $300 million ballroom, which he probably expects will be named after him, to add some luster to his presidential reputation. No one else matters to the narcissist. How deep and powerful does his narcissism go!
The best label I have heard to describe the personality of our current president is that of “malignant narcissist.” We know what malignant means — having harmful intentions toward others. Narcissism refers to that psychological condition in which the individual has a very low opinion of himself, feels inadequate and unworthy. In response to these feelings, he presents himself to the public as all-knowing and all powerful. In addition, a narcissist thinks only of himself. Trump’s focus on building a fancy ballroom at the present moment, with crises both national and international facing the nation, rather than focusing on resolving the government shutdown, is a clear manifestation of his profound narcissism. And we most likely will be living under this president’s influence for another three plus years!
What can we do about this dangerous situation we are in, with respect to the climate crisis? We can connect with one of the local climate-focused activist groups that work to persuade state level officials to support the climate-related bills that come up for a vote in the State House. One local western Massachusetts group is called Climate Action Now (CAN).
There are also a couple of national organizations that provide opportunity for older people to become involved in climate work. They both have branches in Massachusetts. One of them is called Third Act. Their local chapter can be reached through their website at ThirdAct.org.
Another one of these national organizations is called Elders Climate Action (ECA), which also engages elders in climate action; they also have a Massachusetts branch (ECAMass.org).
Two other important national groups, focusing on climate change, are Indivisible and Mothers Out Front. Both are doing important work on the climate issue. Citizen engagement has always played an important role in addressing important public issues in our country. This is certainly a time when citizen engagement is necessary to protect the health of both the human population and our planet.
Sylvia Staub is a retired clinical psychologist, co-editor of “Psychology and Social Responsibility: Facing Global Challenges” and contributor to “Handbook of Refugee Experience: Trauma, Resilience and Recovery.” She lives in South Hadley.