This Changes Everything Part 1

Naomi Klein's This Changes Everything is a god book to read following Merchants of Doubt. It seems to tackle similar issues of dealing with the public's doubt of climate change, fear of socialism, and issues with the free market that was portrayed by Singer and Sietz. The prose of this book is much easier to get through in this book, although the anger inducing sections are still apparent in this piece. For example, it was hard to read about the Heartland group saying that we should let poorer countries fend for themselves with climate change while we just all buy air conditioners. However, this book does call into question our beliefs and notions about how to handle climate change and the opportunities that the solution presents.

Like the previous book, Klein directly blames Republican free market ideology for the current state of the environment. Governments are so obsessed with economic growth through the attainment of resources that we have decimated the planet. Klein encourages a complete overhaul of the current system to fix climate change, not just buying electric cars and putting up a few windmills. It is really striking how radical Klein appears to be here. And yet she admits to her ideas being radical. I can't imagine people actually being supportive of the radical changes in economic systems. Instead of changing people's opinions, this book might just be used by people like Singer and Sietz to prove their points about green is the new red. I can already hear the neigh sayers calling Klein a hysterical communist using terms like social justice and redistribution of wealth. How dare she claim that the rich are to blame not the lazy poor. It's sad to think that many people on the right will view this work as liberal propaganda and not the eye opening read that I find it to be.

Although Klein does blame the right for many of the environmental problems, she doesn't leave the left free of blame. This is where I find this read much less biased as Merchants of Doubt. She has mentioned about Obama's failure to go green as well as the left wing policies in South America still living an extractivism lifestyle. She calls into question not just right wing policies, but the ideology most people have about buy, buy, buy, I want, I want, I want. We all seem to over consume our resources regardless of our political affiliation. For the world Klein wants to be a reality to succeed, it is not just the right that has to change its ways, but all Western culture.

Another thing I call into question is the feasibility of the changes Klein states that we need to make. Even though she makes really good points, people resist change, especially and complete shift in ideology that they have supported for their entire lives. Also with the fossil fuel companies being as powerful politically and monetarily, it's hard to see governments being able to control them. They have too much lobbying power. She seems to be an idealist and think that making a radical change in our economic structure will fix all our problems. Although it looks good on paper, will her steps really fix the economic inequalities the way she says it will. It almost seems too good to be true. Although I think it would be worth it to save the environment, I'm not sold that everything will be as smooth and utopian as she seems to think.

Overall so far I am enjoying this book much better. It is long and slow at some points, but is still much easier to read. There have been some personal moments from Klein, such as her visiting the tar pits in Canada and her wish for her son to have the same experiences she has had. The style of writing does make it more accessible due to her journalistic background.