This Changes Everything: Capitalism vs. The Climate in Science and Inquiry

Oct 04, 2015 Charlene rated it it was ok

Shelves: climate, economics

This is a difficult book to review. It gets 4 stars for passion, understanding the economics behind climate change denial, and for trying to understand the science behind climate change itself. However, it gets one star for it's understanding and presentations of science and scientists in general.

There exists a huge dichotomy in this book between the authors desire to pick and choose the science she likes (and suggesting that means she is "following the science") and a complete misunderstanding This is a difficult book to review. It gets 4 stars for passion, understanding the economics behind climate change denial, and for trying to understand the science behind climate change itself. However, it gets one star for it's understanding and presentations of science and scientists in general.

There exists a huge dichotomy in this book between the authors desire to pick and choose the science she likes (and suggesting that means she is "following the science") and a complete misunderstanding and denial of science in general. It's really interesting to witness. Klein was trapped in a lot of either or thinking throughout the book and rendered a largely logically inconsistent book. She did her best to understand the science of why climate change was happening. She paired an understanding of how economics works in big business. The science was fairly light but her examination of the economical motivations for actions that promoted climate change were excellent.

She was fond of saying something akin to, 'Here is what the science tells us. We must follow the science,' only to later really misunderstand the science behind things. Take GMOs. She was unable to separate greed and pesticide concerns from the science of GMOs. For example, if a company like Monsanto wants a monopoly on the seeds they produce through GMO technology, that is about greed and policy-- not the science of GMOs. If a GMO makes a crop more resistant to pesticides, then label the pesticide or make a policy about the pesticide, not GMOs in general. virtually any reputable scientists will tell you that we have always had genetically modified food and that GMOs are safe. Being anti-GMO is a lot like being an anti-vaxxer.

More than that, she often confused scientists with greedy corporate climate deniers. She really dislikes that scientists are attempting to spend any of their efforts in figuring out solutions if global warming can't be brought under control. Almost every scientist I know, and know of, is very interested in taking steps to lessen carbon and methane emissions and is in favor of making policies that will help promote better care of the earth. Yet, they are not unrealistic enough to imagine they can control the world. They know full well that people with money and power have a lot of say. So sure, we can fight against large corps. But it's a pretty damn good idea to start thinking about a Plan B incase the corrupt, who have a lot of money and power at their disposal, win.

I was extremely excited about reading this book. But in the end, the science and logic were so lacking that it ended up being a huge disappointment.

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Dec 14, 2014 Jimmy rated it it was amazing

Shelves: environment

In 2008, Newt Gingrich and Nancy Pelosi did a tv spot together pledging to combat climate change. Can anyone explain to me what the heck has caused this Republican insanity? Is there a single candidate from the Grand Ol' Party who even believes in it any more? And why not?

Our brains tend to filter new information to protect our belief system.

The groups fighting climate change are not science groups. They are right wing organizations like ALEC, the Cato Institute, the Ayn Rand Institute, the Ch ...more

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Aug 14, 2015 Michael Harry rated it it was amazing

Shelves: favourites, current-affairs-and-opinion

Very well written and well sourced. It's depressing and demotivating to be sure, but necessary reading I think.

I read it through from cover to cover and it works like that because you get the theme of the thing and many sections are dependent on knowing others. But I could still keep some sections for future reference also. ...more

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