Snapshot of a Far-Right Anti-Environmentalist
My Brother, Poster Child
My brother is three years younger than me, almost to the day – our birthdays are in August, four days apart. We were raised by the same parents in the same home. And yet, our world views are radically different.
I become a professional environmentalist in my early twenties when I realized we were hemorrhaging species as a result of industrialization and large-scale human activities. My political views are definitely progressive/liberal though I have issues with both major political parties and our two-party system in general.
My brother is career military and MAGA-leaning. He believes Tucker Carlson is credible and seems to somewhat idolize Elon Musk. He frequently challenges, sometimes even attacks, my environmental work and views. Before I go any further let me share that I don’t take the attacks personally. I used to, but that was before I gained a certain level of spiritual maturity and comfortableness in my own skin. I’ve done enough work (outer and inner) to feel solid in my values and also to have space to shift beliefs when I learn the old ones no longer serve. That’s a combination that has left me far less defensive than I used to be.
I’ve come to have something of an observer approach to interactions with my brother; it’s a bit like conducting an experiment, clinically observing certain behaviors and reactions.
He professes to believe that climate change is happening but that burning fossil fuels has very little to do with it. Rather, he says climate change is largely being driven by increased sun activity and changes in Earth’s orbit. It appears most Republican lawmakers and leaders realized they looked ridiculous denying climate change was real when the real-world evidence from measurable increases in ocean temps to unprecedented wildfire and flooding was right in front of our eyes. So, they, and right-leaning media, pivoted to rhetoric that climate change is happening but human activity isn’t the cause. My brother, is masters-degree educated, and he’s buying this form of climate denial.
Another common thread in the far-right approach to environmental issues is that environmentalists are anti-human or against human interests. Now in fairness I have expressed to my brother that I don’t believe humans are the only species, the only aspect of Creation, that has value. I believe at this particular point in history there are too many humans consuming too much of everything. However, my desire for healthier ecosystems, and more robust populations of non-human species isn’t anti-human but rather pro all life, including humans. It is a false choice to ask “environment or human?” You cannot have a flourishing human species on a planet with severely degraded ecosystems, water supplies, etc.
The belief that humanity can thrive independent of the rest of nature is a pervasive disconnect absolutely outside scientific evidence and, in my opinion, common sense. From my observation some of it is based in a general blindness to the interdependency of life at a biological level, a basic ecological illiteracy. Another contributing factor is human exceptionalism aided by blind faith in technological fixes. For example, my brother states scientific projections that the Earth will be absorbed by the sun several billions of years from now as rationale for not addressing climate change as well as rationale for working toward colonization of other planets, moon, etc. He has literally suggested that if humanity can expand into space we can take nature with us. I’ve tried to suggest that while it may indeed be that Earth will be annihilated some billions of years from now, it still seems to make sense to do what we can to keep it livable in the short term.
And finally, one of the most powerful themes threading through the far-right/alt-right anti-environmental worldview is that the environmental movement is part of a global conspiracy of uber-wealthy and the United Nations to take away people’s personal freedoms and establish a new world order. My brother frequently sends me image memes to this effect that he has clearly gleaned from right-wing online echo chambers. A couple times I did a bit of fact checking and in just a few minutes turned up clearly non-factual conspiracy efforts as the sources of the memes.
My instinct suggests that this fear of losing personal freedoms is one of the alt-right’s most powerful weapons of persuasion. I do find it very interesting that my brother regularly criticizes the environmental agenda as an erosion of personal freedom while at the same time supporting restrictions on a woman’s right to abortion. Alas, this human part of our journey is indeed riddled with paradox and contradiction. As I’ve shared before I struggle with the challenge of loving nature and knowingly harming nature through some of my behaviors and choices.
I decided to write about my interactions with my brother because I do indeed want a new world order. I want a world in which humanity has learned/relearned to live as a part of nature rather than apart from nature, a world order based on connection and beauty rather than consumerism. I long to be part of a human species that is a restorative rather than destructive force. In order to bring about change it’s usually useful to understand the forces opposing such change. The far-right/alt-right MAGA types are a minority in this society but they are a vocal and influential minority. For reasons beyond my understanding I’ve been given a window into this worldview and think it’s worth sharing.
P.S. I love my brother even though I don’t share his views or primary values. I didn’t want to poke at him by publishing this piece but he’s told me he won’t read my publications. I suspect this is because my opinion pieces are too far outside his confirmation bias zone coupled with pure old sibling dynamics.
P.P.S. Nate Hagens is a colleague and cherished friend. He is both brilliant and a lovely being. I found his recent short, Frankly, podcast about what he genuinely believes and what he isn’t sure of to be well worth the 20 minutes.
Life With Livvy
Olive and I have now had two agility competitions and lots of running, hiking and dog decompression time since we returned from the national championships. Every time I’ve done a major road trip with my dog our bond has deepened and this time was no exception. Livvy and I have even clearer communication now. We read each other, on the agility course and off, a little better. She’s a lot better about going potty on a leash or a quick pitstop, which is a huge help when travelling or at a competition!
She has taken to jumping up on the bed while I’m making it and pretty soon we’re wrestlin’. I smack my hands down on the bed and she flips in a lightning-fast circle then flops on her back for play and snuggles. Super sweet.
Here’s a vid of our recent winning Standard run.
This is a vid of our first-place Standard Premier run. Premier is a level that has trickier courses, with more challenging angles and backsides in which the dog has to go past the obvious entry to the jump or tunnel, and jump or scoot in from the back. Bear in mind the dog has to enter the weaves with the first pole on their left shoulder for it be considered clean. In this run I trusted Olive to take the tricky entry and wrap behind the first pole into the weaves and she did it beautifully.
She is such a great partner and our agility play together is such a joyful balancing, self-care component of my life. I am grateful.
Much love and here’s to a better world order!
Cylvia
Your brother is brilliant and interesting, only his views frighten me, because they don't seem to realize that humanity is in serious trouble.
Oh that’s right. I took note when reading and then substituted terms in my mind. Same page!