Today, I learned about the “Moral Equivalent of War” speech. And it’s intriguing.
During the Energy Crisis of the 70s, President Jimmy Carter addressed the nation to prepare them for rough times ahead.
- New reality
- New policies
- New sacrifices
The most exciting bit is the philosophical question underpinning this speech: William James’s concept of the “Moral Equivalent of War”.
The question he asked: How to sustain political unity and virtue in the absence of war or a credible threat?
These questions are more relevant than ever:
- How can we make people start to care about climate change?
- How do people start acting now while the consequences of climate change might hit them further down the road?
- What are the necessary narratives that will inspire people?
- What are easily understood goals that everyone can start reaching for?
- What is the equivalent of the “man on the moon” for climate?
The ideas are great but how can we re-package those ideas into something inspiring?
