Photo by Armin Lotfi on Unsplash
Trump calls his opponents and perceived enemies by stupid names. Yeah, he does the name-calling thing. And for some reason, people listen to him and actually care. Well, some people. Not me. Because, you see, I’m not 4 years old.
That said, although names other people call me don’t matter, I think what we choose to call ourselves DOES matter. It can be really helpful, especially when those of us who care about the Earth and our children and the future are being marginalized by morons who call us “impractical” and “unrealistic” and even “radicals.”
Think about that: people who are making excuses for destroying the climate and ending human civilization are calling those who want to SAVE the species and the planet “radicals”! I’m not upset about this in the least, but I am amazed!
In any case, those of us in the reality-based community (which I hope includes YOU, dear reader) need to define ourselves, and not simply allow us to be defined by others. I think we should call ourselves “Saners.”
Why?
Because destroying the habitability of the planet you live on and dooming your own children is insane, and we stand for the exact opposite. Whether it’s speeding doom as fast as possible (GOPers) or doing it slower, recognizing the dangers and doing it anyway and perhaps feeling a little bad about it (Democrats), it’s simply insane. Literally.
It’s denial of reality and stubborn assertion of the false. And since physics and chemistry and biology doesn’t respond to that kind of human stupidity, the attitude of those people, literally insane people, provides no protection against the massive murder/suicide currently taking place.
The fact is, no political or business or institutional leader on Earth will save us. They have failed consistently for decades. And, even now, they are looking at expanding the use of fossil fuels while talking about doing the opposite. Stopping the insanity is up to US, we the Saners.
Why Use This Term?
Using the term Saner defuses the absurd gaslighting that we’ve been tolerating up to now. Yeah, we’ve actually been arguing with people, with INSANE people, about the climate. This is like arguing with an institutionalized guy who thinks he’s Napolean about whether he should attack Wellington. It’s crazy to take such a guy seriously. It’s extra crazy to do so when the insane asylum is on fire. There’s an emergency and you must GET OUT and also, if possible, save the crazy guy, too. Talking with the insane guy? No time for that.
So, “Saner” establishes that we are facing reality and those who do nothing about the climate crisis are who they actually are: insane people who are in denial. This is a whole world view in a single term. It’s compact and powerful. It’s like a sound byte that establishes a new, and more accurate, world view.
Origin of the Term
Back in July of this year, I wrote A Climate Declaration, a document to summarize what people who care about the Earth and their children are feeling and what they should do — which is remove and replace failed leaders who are destroying everything, and institute a worldwide science-based emergency program to stabilize the climate.
This is what any sane person would do, or at least try to do. That’s why A Climate Declaration starts with the phrase: “We, the sane people of Earth.” I was trying to clarify that this isn’t a battle of good against evil (although that’s maybe a part of it), but more precisely a situation of sane people overcoming foolishness being practiced by the insane.
We are trying to remove the insane people from positions of authority in the asylum.
I also published a discussion guide for A Climate Declaration, an eBook called “We, the Sane People of Earth.” Although I later revised the text of the Declaration, the opening words remained intact. I still feel they capture something important.
“Sane People” doesn’t quite work, so I’m thinking we can use “Saners.”
What do you think? Do you want to be a “Saner”? Are you one?