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climate change might be the biggest threat facing humanity.
Just about everyone has heard that the end of the world is coming if we don't drastically change our system.
so why is there no panic? why don't you care? we see celebrities and politicians warning us
about our impending doom but the plain fact is the average everyday person does
not concern themselves with climate change. the reason for this can be linked
to Abraham Maslow's hierarchy of needs which explains the psychology behind
human motivation on the bottom of the pyramid our physiological needs basic
things we need to survive like oxygen sleep water and food above that our
safety needs things like health security employment and resources above that is
our need to love we seek friendships intimacy family and a sense of
connection above that our needs of esteem status respect freedom and
recognition at the very top of the pyramid is self-actualization the need
to be the most that one can be as we examine this hierarchy we can see that
the bottom is our most basic fundamental needs to survive as we move up the
pyramid the needs become less about survival and become more about
satisfying our emotions and need for purpose the need to save planet Earth is
at the very tip-top of the pyramid what could be a more noble purpose than
that but one cannot pursue their higher purpose until all lower needs are met
how can you truly worry about global warming when you yourself are struggling
with your relationships struggling to pay your bills struggling to eat or
sleep or survive the fact of the matter is about 700 million people across the
world live on less than $2 a day 70% of people are finding
initially vulnerable or struggling to get by 260 million kids worldwide are
out of school 30% of people are malnourished nearly 1 billion suffer
from some kind of mental health disorder we have an ever-growing homeless crisis
addiction epidemic refugees diseases racism war zones toxic relationships
broken homes dysfunctional families and unsatisfying careers every single person
is dealing with their own battles our psychology is designed to ensure our
survival and deal with the most immediate threats first when we struggle
with our own personal battles it is very difficult to worry about the problems of
others let alone the problems of the entire planet someone like Leonardo
DiCaprio or Elon Musk has their needs on the pyramid met so they are free to move
forward and tackle existential issues like climate change or space travel
however for most of us we are dealing with battles far lower on Maslow's
hierarchy it is not until climate changes directly impinging on our basic
needs that we will be forced to try to solve it for most of us watching this
video this has not happened yet our home is not under water we still
have food and water the temperature is not unbearable in fact most of us like
warmer weather throughout recorded history warm weather has always been
associated with times of abundance and wealth so the thought of warm weather
being a good thing is deeply ingrained in us doubt is another major reason
people don't care about climate change with an issue as immense as climate
change it's certain that doubt will creep into our global consciousness many
of the early predictions of climate change have not panned out the coastal
cities are still above water and our grocery stores still have produce for
sale politicians and scientists keep warning us about invisible threats but
life seems to roll on with business as usual climate change deniers often say
that the climb is always changing which is absolutely
true natural forces are always altering our climate from the Sun to the oceans
to volcanoes earth has gone through countless changes before we started
burning fossil fuels these doubts have given rise to uncertainty and
uncertainty allows people to dismiss the present reality furthermore climate
change has become such a political hot-button issue that is no longer seen
as a science has become a political agenda when politics get involved in
science the integrity of science crumbles and all that's left is the
underlying agenda even most people who do seem to care about global warming
those who tend to land high on Maslow's pyramid don't truly care they make
Facebook posts about recycling and drive electric cars but sadly these actions
are often done to appear virtuous 91% of the plastic we throw in the recycling
bin does not actually get recycled but that's okay so long as our conscience is
clear corporations celebrities and politicians
use their platforms to preach about how we should behave but is all this moral
posturing really about saving the planet or is it actually about boosting their
public image we should value our planet because it's our home not because it
boosts our ego we wanted to create a video that was not bombarding you with
scary studies and facts aimed to convince you that climate change is real
we are not telling you how to live your life or that you need to change your
behavior in order to save the planet these are things that most of us have
grown tired of hearing because these problems seem far beyond our control and
our own personal battle seemed so much more visible real and urgent so what's
the solution how do we get people to care about issues that are beyond their
personal problems the answer goes directly back to Maslow's hierarchy in
order to get people to care they need to be uplift
from the struggles at the bottom of the pyramid we can all be rich we can all
have a home we can all be healthy and educated and have positive relationships
billions do not have to suffer in order for a few to be wealthy caring about
earth should not be exclusive to a privileged few we can all satisfy our
needs on Maslow's pyramid and move from the bottom to the top start by
addressing the absolute most fundamental needs of survival drink clean water get
proper sleep and eat healthy food exercise do yoga meditate get your mind
and body as healthy as possible moving up the pyramid work on your
relationships with your family create wholesome friendships surround yourself
with positive productive honest people then find your purpose and life do not
pursue short-term happiness pursue meaning pursue a life worth living the
key takeaway here is this save yourself and you will save the world love
yourself and you will love the world we cannot change the world until we change
ourselves Ghandi said you must be the change you want to see in the world as
human beings our greatness lies not so much in being able to remake the world
that is the myth of the Atomic Age as in being able to remake ourselves if you
change how you think then you will change how you feel and what actions you
take and so the world around you will change if you become better the world
will follow
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