There are members of my family who are believers in the human caused global warming nonsense. This is alarming to me because I know that they are warm, loving, intelligent and caring people. How is this possible?
One of the truly great ethical thinkers of our time, whose work has definitely shaped my views, is Charles Taylor. In the following paragraph, which may be difficult to read because it starts with a long dependent clause, makes a case that I believe is significant.
“Only if I exist in a world in which history, or the demands of nature, or the needs of my fellow human beings, or the duties of citizenship, or the call of God or something else of this order matters crucially,can I define an identity for myself that is not trivial. Authenticity is not the enemy of demands that emanate from beyond the self; it supposes such demands. “ (Charles Taylor, 1992, pp 39-41)
My interpretation of this is that my family members who believe in an idea that is demonstrable nonsense are doing so because they believe they are working for the good of nature. Therefore when they sort their garbage or drive their electric car or grow some vegetables they are being good, upstanding, righteous people. They believe they are doing something that matters to the world because it is helping the forces of nature in a positive manner.
I cannot exclude myself from this Taylor analysis.
A careful reader of my blog will see that my behavior, throughout my life, has always been intended to make improvements in the social structure of the society into which I was born. That means that my nontrivial-greater-than-myself attachment is to history. A common worldview among Jews.
As a Jew we are all very conscious of the long reaches of our history. Our ancestors wrote down their own history just to make sure we don't miss what they did and what they were. We’ve been writing and talking about it ever since. Keeping records ever since.
I trust, in the future, I will be remembered in writing and other forms for my contributions toward improving the structure of the society in which I live. That makes me a ‘good, upstanding, righteous’ person.
Charles Taylor did not create the entire list of externalities that shape our lives but his list is comprehensive in terms of the people I know.
What entity greater than yourself gives meaning to your life?