United for Democracy

Could it be that the rise of fascism is a smokescreen for the unwillingness of richest people to give up some of their wealth to prevent global warming? And is it possible that so many people are being swept along because they are also afraid of these changes and the consequences in their own lives?

Power over ordinary people
It is an inconvenient truth that people and animals are dying or fleeing en masse because of climate change. And that our environment is being poisoned by the industries of humanity. It is much easier to say that it is a hoax, a plot to gain power over ordinary people. Easier than to face the approaching danger of an unliveable Earth and take action.

So it is no wonder that the richest among us are responsible for the rise of dictators who actually want to enslave us and pit us against each other for power. Who point to those who have fled because of climate change as scapegoats; framing them as criminals and fortune seekers. Who frame scientists as liars, as those who play a malicious leading role in conspiracy theories, as those who make people sick instead of better, and deceived instead of wiser. Who crack down harder on climate change protesters than on protesting farmers who want to keep things the same. Who are attacking the woke movement, confusing people who are insecure about changing social etiquette.

The most dangerous part of woke
What is so scary about young generations? What is the most dangerous part of woke? Who can remember the day Greta Thunberg was speaking on the Climate Conference in Katowice, saying: “you are not mature enough to tell the truth. You even leave that burden to us children”? She inspired millions to stand up against climate change.

People being gay, or wanting to change their physical gender, are not a threat. People being proud to be neurodivergent are not dangerous for the billionair class. Women rather devoting their lives to change the world than being a wife and mother can be scary to the old boys network. But millions of young people telling them to take responsibility and stop global warming? Those demands are truly difficult and expensive.

The sacred image
Children criticizing men in power about the choices they are making, about them not taking steps to save our planet, accusing them of deliberately making their lives impossible? It scares the shit out of the billionairs. For it is damaging their precious image and their fragile ego. The image of a billionair is sacred. If it stinks, he will be cancelled, loose his wealth, his security. So he will point at the critic, defame her, incite a witch hunt to protect his own image.

The billionaires, the oligarchs, are not just interested in paying less taxes, not just in having more money, more possessions, more power. Why do they build rockets for space travel, or electric cars and robots? Why does Elon Musk want to find a habitable planet to colonize? Why does the US want Greenland: for the resources?

The breaking point
The billionaires can make different choices. No, this is about being able to avoid taking responsibility. Because climate change is not a lie, not a hoax. It is the bitter reality and that changes everything. In order to survive, they will be the ones to make the greatest sacrifices and they refuse to do so. And many people who are afraid to give up their comforts, afraid of the major changes they have to make, prefer to believe the conspiracytheories, to be fooled by populists. Even if that means they will be living in a torn society full of injustice and misery. In any case, most people in a democracy have preferred more conservative politicians for decades who have “a strong economy” at the top of their list of priorities. The ones who will do anything to keep multinationals with lots of jobs and opportunities in their country.

But, what’s so important about jobs, money, possessions, opportunities, about dominant billionaires images, those fragile ego’s, if we can’t stay alive on the only planet we have? What if we have to flee to other countries ourselves and our neighbours are shutting down the borders? Where and when will we reach the breaking point? Will we still be in time to face reality and take action?

Source photo: Maja Hitij/Getty Images