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https://theconversation.com/leading-by-example-how-the-rich-and-powerful-can-inspire-more-climate-action-255168>
"In a survey covering the UK, China, Sweden and Brazil, a majority of people
agreed that we need to drastically change the way we live and how society
operates, to address climate change. Another study involving more than 130,000
people across 125 countries found that 69% said they would donate 1% of their
income to climate action.
However, when asked in the same survey what proportion of others in their
country would be willing to do the same, the average estimate was only 43%.
This underestimation of others’ concern is known as pluralistic ignorance.
This fuels a vicious cycle: silence begets silence. People hesitate to advocate
for policies like cycle lanes or meat taxes, fearing social isolation, while
politicians avoid championing measures seen as “career-limiting”. The result is
a democracy trapped by unspoken consensus.
Research on UK MPs reveals how this plays out. Even climate-conscious
politicians frame low-carbon lifestyles such as avoiding flying or eating meat
as extreme, wary of hypocrisy accusations if their personal choices fall short.
This “greenhushing” isn’t just political caution – it’s a failure to recognise
that most people are primed to follow bold examples.
When leaders visibly adopt low-carbon behaviour, they can help address
pluralistic ignorance. For instance, MPs who cycle or opt for the train instead
of taking short-haul flights don’t just reduce emissions; they signal that such
choices are normal, desirable, and shared."
Cheers,
*** Xanni ***
--
mailto:xanni@xanadu.net Andrew Pam
http://xanadu.com.au/ Chief Scientist, Xanadu
https://glasswings.com.au/ Partner, Glass Wings
https://sericyb.com.au/ Manager, Serious Cybernetics
