Steeped in Science, Submersed in Story

Dr. Kiehl brings together three elements important in his life to explore reactions to global warming: Jungian psychology, Buddhism, and climate science. This mix is a little strange to the ear, but there are valuable insights in the text. It's hard to say who will benefit from this book. Those who need to read it the most, who fear making adjustments for climate change, will most likely not read it. Those most likely to read it are those who already believe that we should be facing climate change and making those changes. So in essence it will help us understand the fear that we are dealing with on the other side of the debate.

The reasoning here reminds me of that old joke about a psychologist changing a light bulb -- the light bulb really has to want to change. There is deep-rooted opposition to hearing the warning signs of global warming, and this book doesn't change that. The insight I felt was most inspiring for me was that we, meaning scientists aware of climate change, are called upon to make the invisible visible. We have a responsibility to bring a message of climate change to fearful people and to ask them how they're feeling while we're at it (nope, I've never done that, and I probably should). Even when people do take in the message that action is required, and now, there's only so much they can absorb because their brains are reeling with emotion. We could deal with that by ignoring it or denying it, but discussing it would be better for everyone involved.

I got a free copy of this from Net Galley.