Dr. Guenther Twitter Thread

First, it seems to me, they have no faith that collective action–people rising up en masse and using techniques like civil disobedience, general strikes, public critique, "consumer voting," etc–will do anything to influence government policy.

2/n

— Dr. Genevieve Guenther 🇺🇸 (@DoctorVive) January 28, 2019

Lots to say about this, but suffice it to point out here that the idea that government doesn't respond to democratic pressure is not a historical truth, but a symptom of the neoliberal ideology that claims the government has no role in public life.

4/n

— Dr. Genevieve Guenther 🇺🇸 (@DoctorVive) January 28, 2019

But this ennui, as it were, about democracy is *worse*, I think, among upper-middle-class progressives than it is among any other American class. I'm not sure why yet (although I do know the academy has helped foment this attitude).

6/n

— Dr. Genevieve Guenther 🇺🇸 (@DoctorVive) January 28, 2019

So educated progressives have been disenfranchised by the ideology that manipulates them into giving away their democratic power.

But there's another reason these parents seem not to want to take action on climate change: they don't want to stop flying. I'm not joking.

8/n

— Dr. Genevieve Guenther 🇺🇸 (@DoctorVive) January 28, 2019

Even when I hedged (because despite how I bang on here, I agree it's more effective to soft-pedal the flying issue with "civilians"), they would fixate on not flying as a hard limit beyond which they wouldn't sacrifice.

10/n

— Dr. Genevieve Guenther 🇺🇸 (@DoctorVive) January 28, 2019

So then, throwing social niceties to the winds, I would talk about what our kids will face in their lifetimes if we don't transition to a safe energy system asap. (These are parents who are *extremely* invested in their kids.) But that didn't really work either, because…

12/n

— Dr. Genevieve Guenther 🇺🇸 (@DoctorVive) January 28, 2019

(Incidentally, this is why I'm super excited for @dwallacewells's new book to come out. He's going to say brilliantly how bad it'll get and how soon.)

Cuz people need to hear this!! Over and over!! From lots of trusted sources!!

So, yeah: #EndClimateSilence

14/n

— Dr. Genevieve Guenther 🇺🇸 (@DoctorVive) January 28, 2019

So, in sum: the work of critique now should no longer be to expose the oppressive essentialisms of identity, but to dismantle the political ideologies that disenfranchise us. Right @BrunoLatourAIME?

16/n

— Dr. Genevieve Guenther 🇺🇸 (@DoctorVive) January 28, 2019

Ok, well, there's my report "How I Spent My Weekend."

Off to do some required work.

Be well, all! And remember: #EndClimateSilence and #ActOnClimate with a #GreenNewDeal 💚

— Dr. Genevieve Guenther 🇺🇸 (@DoctorVive) January 28, 2019