CARBON SUPREMACY – Shadowy, Real
I’m a Carbon Supremacist. It’s similar to being a White Supremacist, only MAGNITUDES more dangerous. My uniform is not as recognizable as a red hat, or a black ICE face mask. And yet, I wear the uniform every day: Decent quality, good looking clothes. My army of soldiers are mellow, functional, dealing with kids, commuting to work, shopping for discounts, watching shows. No one questions us. No one knows what we are up to. We successfully breached all security and we’re fully integrated in society. The perfect heist has begun. Gentle souls amoung you.
And, we are, literally, history’s most savage, ruthless, out-of-control self-destructive force ever created.
We CRUSHED hope. There will be no prisoners. There will be no survivors.
How did we pull it off? Our key weapon is Mass Hypnosis. Enthusiastic Mass Hypnosis: The most devastating weapon humanity has known.
When did you sign up as a Carbon Supremacist? How did we ALL become so blind and bigoted? I never wanted it to be.
I need your help!
I need help, because I love pizza. Hot, bubbling. The smell! Intoxicating and undeniable.
So, I eat pizza. I’m a Yes to pizza! Sometimes, I haves some control. But mostly, I just go for it.
I do this while the clock is ticking. Almst every scientific report, every unprecedented weather event, every disappearing species hammers home an undeniable truth:
(AND THIS IS NOT EASY TO BE WITH) The window for restoring and sustaining biosphere conditions necessary to support Life is closing at an alarming rate.
We stand at the dual precipice of ecological collapse, and profound cultural reckoning.
Despite the undeniable data and urgent warnings, a pervasive, unexamined bias holds us captive, and literally blinds us to the true nature of our crisis.
Mass Hypnosis. Otherwise known as: Why I eat pizza. We gleefully engage in improving our hypnotics! Agile Scrum? That’s tasty. AI integration? Of course, the new revolution!! 1099 Contracts, multiple income streams, buying short, crypto leveraging, gym memberships, Tesla stations…. these are the “learned basis” Carbon Supremacism, the hidden, expanding Balrog which will kill us all.
Like the deeply ingrained cultural ideology of white supremacy, Carbon Supremacism is a pervasive, unconscious belief system that places comfort and desires above all else. Pretty easy to see: Just ask yourself, the things, the experiences you really want… the 5-star memories! The wild adventures, the off-the-hook events, shows, trips, gifts… they ALL consume vast amounts of carbon.
Do we stop to consider? No. It’s the silent assumption, we ARE worthy of this Carbon. We deserve it! Why? Because we are GOOD at stuff! We’re good at selling, or managing or being a top chef or investments or…… I mean, that’s our lives, right? WHO WE ARE. We work hard, the carbon is ours. We don’t even notice the privilege. We OWN IT.
I am in silent DENIAL. I’m trying to wake up from those unconscious learned behaviors where we just LIVE as if the biosphere exists solely for our carbon exploitation.
We Carbonists, like any racist, like any dominant force, feel justified to judge, to take, to grow. AND WE DO IT, DAILY. Carbonists act with a casual disregard for the immense suffering and destruction our carbon-centric worldview inflicts upon the less fortunate. We can read reports on severe anxiety/depression/suicide among teens. We can read reports about increasing autism, kids on the spectrum. We can be stunned by massive ice loss. But hey, this is who we are. I’m not a racist. Some of my best friends…. Just as an actual racist might ignore the systemic harm caused by their prejudice, ALL of us, as Carbonists, ignore the dire harm which, according to many deep models, has the capacity to end all life on the only planet in the known cosmos that supports life.
Unseen Addiction: Carbon’s Grip on Humanity
Consider the parallels with drug, alcohol, sex, gambling addictions and our collective carbon habit. Individuals in addiction prioritize immediate gratification and the perceived benefits of the substance over their long-term health, relationships, and well-being. They deny the mounting evidence of harm, rationalize their behavior, and often resist interventions.
Our relationship with carbon mirrors this dangerous cycle:
- The Fix: Fossil fuels provide an immediate “fix” – power for our homes, fuel for our cars, energy for our industries. This instant gratification is incredibly powerful and deeply integrated into nearly every aspect of modern life.
- Denial and Rationalization: Despite overwhelming scientific consensus on climate change, we continue to deny its severity, rationalize our unsustainable consumption, and resist policies that would curb our carbon dependence. “It’s too expensive,” “it’s not convenient,” “it won’t happen in my lifetime” – these are the echoes of an addict’s excuses.
- And the Dealers? They are GOOD! They’ve HOOKED an entire world population! And sales are UP! Amory Lovins with Rocky Mountain Institute developed HyperCar technology in the mid 1970, an amazing solution, and yet, suppressed by intense lobbying.
- From a certain perspective, The Dealers are a mass– homicidal cartel which is more evil, alien, and horrifically, blatantly destructive than any we have known in human history.
- LOOK: We have the power to destroy human history. And we are doing it.
- We are the Addicts! Yep, you any you and me. Just as an addict needs increasing doses to achieve the same effect, everyone in our global economy keeps demanding ever-increasing energy consumption, leading to more extraction, more emissions, and greater environmental degradation. Addicts don’t care.
- Withdrawal Symptoms: The thought of drastically reducing our carbon footprint can trigger “withdrawal symptoms” – fear of economic collapse, loss of convenience, and discomfort with fundamental societal shifts. So the DEALERS keep up their SuperPACS, keep up their legislative influence, keep up spinning social media and hood-winking their clients, while behind closed doors they give NO SHITS about the impacts.
Our addiction fuels (pardon the pun…) undeniable evidence of our unexamined biases:
- Species Extinction and Habitat Loss: We mourn the loss of iconic species but rarely connect it directly to our carbon footprint, which drives habitat destruction, climate shifts, and pollution. Our bias allows us to view these as isolated tragedies rather than systemic failures. WORSE, we neglect the MASS EXTINCTION of less-than-iconic species. Even as we KNOW these insects, these phytoplankton, form the very BASE of the entire food chain. We addicts express Collective homicidal denial.
- Global Temperature Rise: Despite record-breaking heatwaves, melting glaciers, and rising sea levels, many still debate the urgency of climate action, demonstrating a profound disconnect from the scientific reality and a preference for maintaining the status quo. This goes DIRECTLY back to the Carbon Dealers. The Big Bosses.
- Pollution and Resource Depletion: We often overlook the hidden costs of our carbon-intensive lifestyles – the polluted air and water, the depleted mineral resources, and the mountains of waste – because our carbonist mindset prioritizes extraction and consumption above all else. You, me… we want COMFORT. We KNOW how uncomfortable it’s going to get. But addicts… we go for the quick hit.
RECOVERY: Pathways to Hope and Healing
Recognizing carbon supremacism and carbon addiction is the critical first step. It’s a devastating truth. We MUST look at it! Acknowledging it is absolutely the FIRST STEP towards breaking free from these destructive patterns. I sure don’t want to be a White Supremacist. I sure don’t want to be a Carbon Supremacist.
The good news is that just as individuals can recover from addiction, we, as a global society, can heal our relationship with the biosphere.
That window is STILL OPEN! We simply MUST believe in the restorative qualities of our Mother Earth.
This healing requires a profound cultural shift, guided by courageous individuals such as you and me! Thankfully, blessedly, we cautiously acknowledge and allow to be true:
Powerful solutions are here. They are taking root:
- Reimagining Our Relationship with Nature:
- The very first step: Each addict must take on their own. This one takes great courage and support. We must move beyond viewing nature as a resource to be exploited and embrace it as a sacred, interconnected web of life of which we are an integral part. We get to know Gaia as a living system. We allow ourselves to feel Her pain. We allow ourselves to imagine Her health.
- Luminaries: Think of Robin Wall Kimmerer, whose work beautifully intertwines indigenous wisdom and scientific understanding, teaching us about reciprocity and gratitude for the natural world. Or Vandana Shiva, a fierce advocate for biodiversity and local food systems, challenging the industrial paradigm that has detached us from the earth. We are SURROUNDED by amazing Heroes who have done the hard work of breaking their addictions, and who use Carbon as a tool for healing.
- Decarbonizing Our Systems with Urgency and Equity: This isn’t just about technology; it’s about justice. We must rapidly transition to renewable energy, build circular economies, and design sustainable urban and rural landscapes, ensuring that these shifts benefit all, especially frontline communities most impacted by climate change.
- Luminaries: Consider Amory Lovins and the Rocky Mountain Institute, pioneers in energy efficiency and regenerative design, demonstrating practical, profitable pathways to a carbon-free future. The work of organizations like Project Drawdown also offers a comprehensive roadmap of actionable climate solutions, inspiring collective effort.
- PLEASE CHECK OUT PROJECT DRAWDOWN and Paul’s next book, Carbon, the Book of Life. Absolute roadmaps to breaking carbon addiction, healing our carbon supremacy, and re-interpreting ourselves as Earth Beings again, and not Carbonists. Stoked by these two reference materials, don’t miss them!
- Cultivating Empathy and Interconnectedness: Our Carbonist mindset thrives on separation – separating humans from nature, economy from ecology. We must actively foster empathy for all living beings and recognize our profound interdependence.
- Luminaries: Figures like Greta Thunberg, a powerful voice for climate justice, inspire a generation to demand accountability and challenge the adult world to act. Her message resonates because it speaks to a deep, inherent sense of fairness and a desire for a livable future for all.
The challenges before us are immense, but so too is our capacity for transformation. By confronting our hidden biases, acknowledging our carbon addiction, and embracing a new story of reciprocal relationship with the biosphere, we can unlock the potential for profound healing.
As a master meeting facilitator, I believe in the power of groups to navigate complex challenges, foster dialogue, and co-create a future where humanity thrives in harmony with the natural world. The time for denial is over. The time for courageous action, guided by hope and collective wisdom, is now.
David Ferrera, The Meeting Guy