The Collapse of Western Civilization

In the “Interview with the Authors,” Naomi Oreskes asserts that climate change is undeniable and visible—“We are sure that climate change is happening—we already see damage—and we know beyond a reasonable doubt that business as usual will lead to more damage, possibly devastating damage” (75). The damage referred to is explored through The Potential Consequences of Unchecked Climate Change. When considering the potential consequences of climate change, many people look to the accompanying weather and environmental events; while Erik M. Conway and Oreskes touch on these potential events, they focus their thematic discussion on the social and indirect consequences of climate change.

That climate change has already started is represented through the real-world weather events that occurred in 2012—Russia experienced intense wildfires, Australia experienced flooding, and the United States had an unusually mild winter. While the devastation in Russia and Australia portrays the typically ominous consequences of climate change, the mild winter weather in the United States demonstrates that, in some areas, particularly in the Global North—which holds many of the world’s wealthy, industrial nations—climate change may have positive impacts. This may result in further climate change denial in the highest-emitting countries, illustrating the inequality in both climate change causes and effects.

The collapse of the Western world is the most dramatic social consequence portrayed in the story. The climactic changes and the extreme weather events disrupted agriculture, which, in turn, resulted in the destabilization of society. The historian lists several indirect consequences stemming from climate change and the resulting Mass Migration:

Mass migration of undernourished and dehydrated individuals, coupled with explosive increases in insect populations, led to widespread outbreaks of typhus, cholera, dengue fever, yellow fever, and viral and retroviral agents never before seen. Surging insect populations also destroyed huge swaths of forests in Canada, Indonesia, and Brazil (25).

These projections align with real-world predicted consequences. Social and indirect consequences, as with weather-related consequences, have become visible. Changing weather patterns in some locations, particularly in warmer areas, are making agriculture difficult; in turn, immigration is intensifying and causing national and international tension in the areas most impacted, such as along the southern border of the United States.

By drawing attention to these consequences and connecting them to the idea of climate action, the authors suggest that the worst implications of climate change may be avoidable if humans act to mitigate climate change, creating more sustainable societies.

The historian identifies numerous logical fallacies within the philosophies of neoliberalism and market fundamentalism, and these fallacies contribute to both climate change denial and climate change. Capitalism is portrayed as inherently illogical and destructive because of its reliance on consumption. Capitalistic success is measured using the gross-domestic product, or GDP, concept. The GDP measures the consumption of goods and services; more consumption is considered more success. Market fundamentalism holds that the free market will regulate itself, and this is further exacerbated by neoliberalism, which argues that any governmental interference is corrupt.

The authors argue that the idea that this system will preserve overall well-being is a logical fallacy. Since the system is evaluated based on consumption, people living under capitalist regimes are motivated to produce as many goods and services as possible, and the raw materials and energy required are extracted from the Earth and are carbon-intensive. This idea is further exemplified through the discussion on bridges to renewables, which are suggested temporary adjustments, such as burning natural gas instead of refined fossil fuels. These so-called bridges have public appeal, as they allow life to continue largely unchanged while continuing to supply the fossil fuel industry with high profits. Through these presentations, capitalism, as it is currently known, is portrayed as inevitably causing environmental degradation and climate change.

The Logical Fallacies of Neoliberalism and the Free Market are also discussed independently of climate change, which emphasizes the notion that these philosophies are detrimental for the majority of individuals. A real-world example of market failure appearing in the text is the Great Depression, which took place in the United States and Europe throughout the 1930s. The historian describes the Great Depression: “Brought on by the collapse of unregulated financial markets, it led to widespread questioning of capitalist theory” (58), but this skepticism was relatively short-lived. The historian writes that in the late 1900s, “the lessons of the Great Depression had been forgotten, many of the protections put in place dismantled, and a veritable frenzy of consumption (driven in large part by fossil fuel combustion) ensued” (58). Through this emphasis, the authors argue that the free market does not benefit the majority; rather, its self-regulatory processes result in increasingly drastic disparities in resource and power distribution.

The discussion of the Great Depression combines with the concept of societal collapse to reflect the notion that history tends to repeat itself. However, it also expresses hope that humans have the potential to overcome cyclical self-destruction. In the process of overcoming its self-destructive tendencies, humanity will address and potentially mitigate climate change.