62 Comments on What kind of climate change thinker are you? (version 2)

joe on Thu, 2nd Jul 2009 1:45 pm


If we’re going with gut, I still think 4 is most likely 2 least.

Jenny on Thu, 2nd Jul 2009 1:54 pm


4 is most ‘attractive’ , 3 least convincing,

Dan Lockton on Thu, 2nd Jul 2009 2:05 pm


I think 1 is the most attractive, and 3 the least.

But all four can and will surely co-exist? (even if no. 4 is, unfortunately, the outcome of 1, 2 and 3 not having the impact needed)

Laura Billings on Thu, 2nd Jul 2009 2:14 pm


1 is the most attractive to me. It’s a strongly held belief of mine, and it drives me nuts that other people can’t see or don’t care about the impact our lifestyles have.

2 is the least attractive to me. Mainly because Gov’t hasn’t shown much coherent leadership on it so far, and the market forces in option 3 would seem to be a stronger influence on behaviour.

Sounds like it’s an interesting exercise, but unless you ask people why they have picked the options they have, I’m not sure how useful the data will be.

Warren Hatter on Thu, 2nd Jul 2009 2:15 pm


Like 3 most and 2 least

Simon Watson on Thu, 2nd Jul 2009 2:20 pm


3 most attractive, 2 least attractive.

Numbering them might not be a good idea as the heirarchy of the statements could lead the choice. I would also be tempted to not place number 4 last on the list – unless there is a clever reason for this.

Good luck – I like the idea

intelligentelf on Thu, 2nd Jul 2009 2:22 pm


As before – believe in1 – structure and agency is incredibly complex and has always done my head in. When you add collective action on a mass scale the puzzle seems unsolvable or the string impossible to unravel. Transformation of self in relation to our enviroment and others is the only point I think the only dynamic that produces change.

3 is the least attractive sounding like empty rhetoric

Not a silly exercise

Anand on Thu, 2nd Jul 2009 2:28 pm


3 most attractive; 4 least attractive. Good luck with the project.

Anna on Thu, 2nd Jul 2009 2:41 pm


For me 1 is the most attractive and 3 the least.

Really look forward to hearing the outcome, will be a fascinating experiement.

Best wishes,

Anna

Mike Amos-Simpson on Thu, 2nd Jul 2009 2:43 pm


1 = most attractive, 2 = least attractive on the basis that its that thinking which panders to ego’s who subsequently appear to profit from the issue ultimately damaging the cause.

re. the exercise – interesting I think, although I can imagine finding subsequent debate tedious if not well managed and depending on who you end up sat next to Definitely not silly though.

Vivs Long-Ferguson on Thu, 2nd Jul 2009 2:44 pm


3. most appealing
1. Doh! doesn’t work for me

intriguing rather than interesting

will on Thu, 2nd Jul 2009 3:00 pm


Like 3. Dislike 2.

V. interesting, look forward to seeing results….

Rich on Thu, 2nd Jul 2009 3:08 pm


3 most 2 least

interesting and silly

If you want people to go with instinct, might be best to go with an issue people are less familiar with?

Sharliza on Thu, 2nd Jul 2009 3:46 pm


1 is best. 2 is not great because it sounds like we’re palming off the problem to powers that be.

Brian Hughes on Thu, 2nd Jul 2009 4:11 pm


3 for me please. 1 is for wishful thinkers who can’t divide the circulation of the Guardian by 6 billion…

“the whole exercise” is “interesting” but that doesn’t prevent it from also being “a bit silly” particularly if applied only to a self selecting, unrepresentative sample of the population (ie people who show up on your blog or at your meeting)..

Tim on Thu, 2nd Jul 2009 4:48 pm


3 most, 2 least

Mark on Thu, 2nd Jul 2009 4:50 pm


3 most attractive, 2 least attractive (by which I mean: the incentives to make 3 happen in the real world in a useful way are far more powerful than the incentives to make 2 happen in the real world in a useful way, even if we manage to get a summit together).

MIchael in UK on Thu, 2nd Jul 2009 6:32 pm


Prefer: 3
(I think it is the best hope for progress on climate change, in the world as it is is, not as we would like it to be)

Like least: 1

Tessy Britton *FRSA* on Thu, 2nd Jul 2009 7:39 pm


2 most effective. 1 least effective.

3 is the most optimistic and includes 1 and 2 possibly. Most attractive.

Confused? Me too…

Reminded me of Alex Steffen’s New Environmental Spectrum with Bright Green, Light Green, Dark Green and Grey – as he says there ‘you can’t divide people’s thoughts neatly and simply into categories. Certainly one can believe simultaneously in the need for changes in systems, individuals and communities’.

http://www.worldchanging.com/archives/009499.html

Kate Andrews on Thu, 2nd Jul 2009 8:22 pm


1 most attractive
3 least attractive

Jamie on Thu, 2nd Jul 2009 9:25 pm


I tend towards 1, and dislike 3.
But of course 2 is probably as important as 1 – I just feel less of an affinity with it.
Really interesting to read other people’s views.

Michael Devlin on Thu, 2nd Jul 2009 9:31 pm


So Matthew, I read this out to my partner and my sister as well. I must admit there was a bit of discussion around the exercise itself before squeezing out an answer from my sister.
We all agree that the most likely solution will come from a mixture of all of them – people change, government leadership and market incentives to support business with a few fatalists thrown in as a reality.
Rob’s response is that whilst 3 is the most likely it is the least attractive and 1 is the most attractive but the hardest as society is at a level of individualism rendering change without incentives unlikely.
I think 2 is most attractive as it is needed first and 3 least as it will not achieve 1 as quickly.
Jenny said that if she had to make a choice 1 is most attractive but most difficult and 3 is least attractive.

Kate on Thu, 2nd Jul 2009 11:16 pm


3 – 2

Judith on Fri, 3rd Jul 2009 6:05 am


Most favourable: 1
Least favourable: 4

But I’m also with Laura in thinking that 2 is as fatalistic as 4.
If we’re already doomed and need the government to save us from ourselves then we’re doubly doomed.

Interesting exercise to engage in this way with cultural theory. What will the results mean? Where will they go?

Max Hogg on Fri, 3rd Jul 2009 6:18 am


Most attracted: 1, least: 2.

With reference to RSA rebranding – perhaps part of the purpose of the RSA is to help people to think all of these things (or at least 1 – 3) at the same time?

Tom Freeman on Fri, 3rd Jul 2009 9:28 am


I’m not quite sure what you mean by ‘attractive’. I find (4) the least pleasant and (1) the loveliest, but (4) the likeliest to be true and (1) pie in the sky without wishing the means.

Also, the “if it is real” aside in (4) means that it lumps the deniers in with the pessimists.

Vibeka on Fri, 3rd Jul 2009 9:40 am


1 is the best – it gives me the responsibility for tackling climate change
2 – least attractive

Ann on Fri, 3rd Jul 2009 9:57 am


3 is the one in which I have most faith although would like to think 1 was possible
2 (the one in which I have least faith)

Mairi on Fri, 3rd Jul 2009 10:22 am


1 appealed most gut instinctively
Though I think 2 will be needed too
3 attracts least as it ignores the ethical dimension of the problem
It ’s an interesting exercise as it does get you to think about how idealism will have to meet pragmatism if we really want to find a workable solution

Iona Joy on Fri, 3rd Jul 2009 10:55 am


No 3 most attractive, no 1 least attractive. Although of course no 1 is true.

Quite like this process but what are you trying to achieve?

Liz Holme on Fri, 3rd Jul 2009 11:20 am


1 most
2 least

But I struggled a bit with the use of ‘attracted to’ and ‘least attractive’. I suspect it biases opinion against 4, which could not really be described as attractive. Perhaps asking people which option is closest to their view would work better?

laura on Fri, 3rd Jul 2009 1:23 pm


I prefer 1.
I think people in developed countries should
start today – if not yesterday to change
the very high carbon footprint they produce
and start sharing some of their wealth
with people living in poverty.

I also prefer 4 because that is a fact and
can be observed.

My least favourite is 2. I agree with Anne
(Blog v.1) that we shouldn’t act in a certain
Way because we are told to.
It will work only if it is bottom – up coupled With
top-down. But given that in the same world there seem
to be different civilisations that live in different time
periods i.e. massive heavily industrialised agriculture competing
Artisanal, “hand-made” agriculture and some
Other forms in the middle the global agreement is an absurd concept.

Interesting theme because vital.

Tom Allen on Fri, 3rd Jul 2009 1:44 pm


4 is most convincing, am working hard to not make it so, but that’s gut feeling!

3 is least convincing.

Gustaf on Fri, 3rd Jul 2009 3:18 pm


3 most, 2 least.

Interesting execise, constraint on 4 surprising.

Noticing how much comment you’re getting, if you’re doing this for a presentation you’ll probably want to elicit preferences in a constrained way to prevent reservations. explanations, etc.

Andrew Trickett FRSA on Fri, 3rd Jul 2009 3:19 pm


I think that 1 is the most attractive as I think that we need to change our perceptions about this little blue planet we live in – never best exemplified as we look back at our exploration of the moon and see ‘earthrise’

2 is the least attractive based on your criteria – I don’t hold out much faith in government action being truly effective to deliver a global solution based on their current track record and the need to be re-elected in most cases or to just avoid civil unrest because of demographic pressures in their country and differing levels of industrialisation.

4 strikes me as the counsel of despair – and would be the least attractive if the choice was given.

By the way I think that it is a good idea to take this approach – wisdom of crowds etc etc

Joan Keating on Fri, 3rd Jul 2009 3:53 pm


3 most attracts, 2 least.

Much influenced by an exhibition at the Science Museum that my kids took me to – the Science of Survival. Made me much more optimistic.

Help me make a fool of myself : Matthew Taylor’s blog on Fri, 3rd Jul 2009 4:01 pm


[...] to everyone who helped out on my cultural theory challenge yesterday. I am still hoping for a few more replies but so far options 1 and 3 are doing well with options 2 [...]

Noel on Fri, 3rd Jul 2009 5:02 pm


Interesting experiment

Most prefer 1 and least prefer 3.

People talk about our attitudes to climate change being like the equivalent of keeping the family warm while the house is burning down. So in that sense, option 1 is about taking away all those flammable items that we really like that but we know are dangerous. Option 2 is not doing anything because you know the fire service will stop the fire, option 3 is like hiding flammable items inside boxes – it might take longer for the fire to come out of the box, but once it does it will spread throughout the house. Option 4 is waiting to see what will happen and then jumping from the roof

Janet Flanagan on Fri, 3rd Jul 2009 5:06 pm


1 It’s the way I live and feel very strongly that w should all change our lifestyles. Politians will respond to our actions, not the other way round.

3 least attractive. Too slow, do we have time to wait to see incentives, I hope that humanity has more ethics than that statement implies

Alison Berry on Fri, 3rd Jul 2009 5:22 pm


Option 2 most attractive because at least its action-focussed. Option 1 least attractive because it isn’t. Difficult to say whether the exercise is interesting or silly before we see the outcome.

John Field on Fri, 3rd Jul 2009 5:46 pm


1 = is most probable

2 = least attractive

3 risks being complacent

4 – I certainly hope not

Anthony Zacharzewski on Fri, 3rd Jul 2009 7:13 pm


Liked 2, disliked 1. Interesting experiment.

Sam on Fri, 3rd Jul 2009 11:00 pm


Very interesting!

Surprised but heartened by the responses to option 2.

But realistically, global issues such as climate change require a combination of international collaboration, active state intervention and radical transformations in the behaviour and thinking of people.

But the question seems more interesting than simply which option is likely to be most effective. The question is which of the following statements is ‘most attractive’, which is not the same thing.

Most attractive: option 3 – tough battle with 1 but 3 would seem to have greater hope for collective as well as individual agency. The criticism that it is too idealistic is part of its value for me!

Least attractive: option 2 – its negation of human agency (a kind of residual fatalistic determinism) put me off.

Chris Dymond on Sat, 4th Jul 2009 11:07 am


Most attractive: 3 – we need to create a virtuous feedback loop. Least attractive: 2 – although it may still be necessary to help regulate freeriding if the economic advantage from pursuing option 3 takes too long to accrue. The exercise is a useful thought aid, i think – nice one!

Josh on Sat, 4th Jul 2009 5:11 pm


What about an option for those of us who know anthropogenic climate change is an asbolute lie, and I will be increasing my energy consumption from now on just to annoy climate change alarmists, and I will be cremated to stick a metaphorical middle finger up to them once I’m dead

Mike Gottschalk on Sat, 4th Jul 2009 10:59 pm


Hi- I just came across your site having Googled, Roberto Unger. I’m interested in your work; I’m working at developing something similar in Minnesota, USA.

I like option 1, but I would include in the idea of our “relationship to life” an idea of the way we feel ourselves as substantive in our relationship to life and to each other is going to destroy us in the end. (The theory is that we compensate for a lack of a powerful and meaningful sense of being by accumulating stuff.)

Option 2 is my least favorite. I think it’s time that we create life together from the bottom up; I think we care to be more creative and generative than those few at the “top”.

This is an interesting exercise; it reveals the mindsets who have to be engaged.

Just in case anyone has read this far down. let me get your opinion on an idea: how about instead of classifying a social strata by upper, middle and lower, we begin classifying ourselves as, exploitive or aesthetic? This denotes one’s way into the world as paramount to ones finances, and, makes discernment of the ultimate value of a project like a business or its executives etc., part of the on going social fabric.

Leigh Caldwell on Sun, 5th Jul 2009 4:41 am


3 appeals most
1 least

Interesting to see the reactions – I made some instant assumptions about correlations which aren’t really borne out by the responses.

In terms of improving the question, option 4 feels out of place – not necessarily a problem except for the confusing rule forbidding us from choosing it.

Definitely more interesting than silly so far. Look forward to seeing the next stage.

david butter on Sun, 5th Jul 2009 11:01 pm


This is a terrific idea for groups – an excellent structure for engagement, debate and decision. Here’s a further suggestion if you have more time and want a deeper debate. After the first vote, randomly allocate the 4 points of view to four sections of the audience. Give them a few minutes to prepare the case for their allocated pov. Then ask one or two representatives of each of the four to briefly summarise the rationale for their allocated case to the whole audience. Then re-vote, see how the proportions have changed ( which they will), and draw conclusions.

matthewtaylor on Mon, 6th Jul 2009 7:34 am


Thanks David. This is more or less what I was going to do. But I wanted to test the ideas first. I am gong to analyse the findings properly today but I have learnt two useful things before I take the idea on the road.
First, you can’t give people the fatalistic option (4) as one they can choose as their least favourite as people will overwhelmingly choose that option. This, I think, is because we are all prone to fatalism and act on it often but but it isn’t – at least in our culture – acceptable to admit to be being fatalistic.
Second, the least chosen and the most frequently rejected of the ‘active’ options s by far the hierarchical (statist) one. This may be the way I have phrased it or it may reflect a general dislike of seeming to trust Government. I am going to try this out as with an audience in front of local government officers. It will be interesting to see if they collectively like ‘2′ more.

matthewtaylor on Mon, 6th Jul 2009 7:38 am


Hmm Josh. I fear you will be in an even smaller minority soon. I am told we are about to see a spate of announcements about this year returning us to the path of highest ever temperatures with major consequent problems for crops and food prices.

Mike Amos-Simpson on Mon, 6th Jul 2009 7:56 am


You could argue its not necessarily a mistrust of Government so much as a feeling that people need to take more personal responsibility for their actions and consequences – even perhaps a rebellion against the ‘nanny state’. Certainly personally I think much more should be done to encourage more personal responsibility in all sectors of our lives – its been a trend with groups I’ve worked with over the past 10 years or so to blame everything on ‘the government’ with little consideration to how they could take matters into their own hands.

It will be interesting to see if those in Government prefer option 2 which would back up my own theory that it panders to ego’s (in my mind anyway)

Janine on Mon, 6th Jul 2009 12:53 pm


I find this interesting because it’s difficult to answer: I agree with all the positions and would rank them differently depending on what type of “attraction” I consider.

Most attractive / aspirational:
3 most (4 least) – I would most like to believe this and for this to come true. It fits the logic of my day job.
Most automatic / natural:
1 most (3 least) – I seem most deeply convinced by this (in my bright green is “all nice and good, but…” moments)
Most effective solution:
2 most (4 least) – without 2, 1 and 3 would take far too long.
Most realistic / likely:
4 most – the it’s too late part rather than the sceptical element – (2 least). Call me predictable!!

Emma on Mon, 6th Jul 2009 1:42 pm


I am most draw to 1 (but believe a combination is the way to move forward)
and least to 2 (because of the words ‘will ONLY be solved’)

This is a useful exercise. I think option 4 could be reworded to make it less obviously different (i.e. mildly antagonistic) from the other positions, which may result in more people choosing it.

Is there a reason that you didn’t ask people to list their opinion in order of preference, e.g. 1, 3, 2, 4?
Even if you are ultimately interested in their first and last choice, knowing the order of preference may point to other trends.

Lucy Wills on Mon, 6th Jul 2009 8:41 pm


What an interesting exercise and an encouragingly varied range of response. I chose very quickly and yet felt moved to give more of an explanation.

Instinctively I chose 1. As a climate campaigner I believe that a fair carbon ration is the new bottom line that all enterprises projects and individuals should morally and practically take into account. There already exist mechanisms for making the required reductions in emissions in a fair, and measurable way such as Contraction and Convergence.

I do not like but fully recognise the importance of 2. I would surmise that many of those who respond to this survey/quiz/brain hack are independent freethinkers (damn good thing too). Less engaged individuals and those in the commercial world may need this carrot/stick.

As a creative consultant, designer and rampant futurist I see in 3 the great opportunities to create the exciting and effective products, networks and services that make sustainability attractive.

As a RSA fellow, I agree with Max , and also believe that the ideal solution combines all 3, while respecting individual choices and personal freedom. We should work together to reframe these points into a simple attractive and cohesive strategy – with clear and compelling calls to action.

Though by nature an optimist, I fear we may well already be at 4, and yet unaware of it. Let’s ask ourselves – are we collectively willing to take on board the responsibilities that our liberties entail?

Matthew, for this exercise – If you are looking for a spread of approaches, and select accordingly, how accurate and effective would the survey be for you?

For live events, If it’s truly instant reactions that you are interested in, perhaps it would be best to create a button-hitting rapid fire quiz delivered online or via mobile?

Andy Sawford on Tue, 7th Jul 2009 5:39 am


you said don’t think about it too much, my instinctive response is 3. Government’s must act of course, and in a global context that will make a difference, but ultimately I think individual action has the greatest potential for impact. We are trying to take action to localities and to individuals with our work on Carbon Trading at the LGiU, some of which builds on the RSA’s work on personal carbon trading.

matthewtaylor on Tue, 7th Jul 2009 7:21 am


And which one do you like least?

Lucy on Tue, 7th Jul 2009 12:14 pm


They are clearly not mutually exclusive – and no doubt mutually dependent. But if you are looking for emphasis I would go with 2, next 4 – the difference between them perhaps lying in the technological innovations embedded in 3. Appealing to individual responsibility without external help seems least likely to get us anywhere.

joe on Wed, 8th Jul 2009 8:53 am


I think the problem is deeper than most people think.

I believe most people will actually do nothing – or almost nothing – about climate change. The reason is that it is hard to arouse people to action when a problem is large, and we’re generally very lazy.

The mechanics of this is that people look at the problem and then see that their little contribution would make almost no difference on its own. And they briefly consider the effect on their lifestyle the change would make and decide that if nobody else is going to do anything very much, then neither are they.

So then we move into a phase where an enlightened minority believe that a change can truly be made if they change themselves and force the government to change. Unfortunately the enlightened get discouraged and the government fiddles because of many other pressures.

Then we realise it is all too late anyway.

Alex H on Wed, 8th Jul 2009 5:09 pm


1 most attractive, 2 least convincing.

How to tackle climate change - the result : Matthew Taylor’s blog on Wed, 8th Jul 2009 5:55 pm


[...] for me to update on the cultural theory survey I ran last week. In all – at the time of writing – seventy people participated. Thank [...]

Aubrey Meyer on Sun, 12th Jul 2009 9:50 pm


Contraction and Convergence [C&C]

Lucy – Here are two references re C&C that may help: -
http://www.tangentfilms.com/GCIEAC.pdf
http://www.tangentfilms.com/GCIjul6.pdf

The propositions are: – contraction:concentrations [urgency] and within that contraction:convergence [equity].

A survey of approaches at this stage seems a little late. Applying the C&C principle at the raight rates is the issue.

James Hetherington on Sat, 18th Jul 2009 10:21 am


3 most, and then, since in the new rules I’m not allowed to put 4 least, then, 1 least.

As I said in the previous thread, although I favour 3, a succesful 3 will require lots of 2 and incentivise lots of 1.

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