Bill McKibben: Hyper-Individualism Blinds Us To Climate Injustice

Of the 18 articles quoting McKibben I analyzed, only two articles go beyond the consumerist solutions, include comprehensive coverage of McKibben’s messages, treat him like an expert, and convey global consciousness.

Perhaps the most important aspect of a fair socially-conscious article is including McKibben saying something like, “There’s nothing as individuals that we can do that significantly addresses climate change." Another important aspect of such articles is including the structural solution: “What we need is a law, national and international, that puts a cap on carbon and raises its price.” And to show that the stakes are high: “the planet melting, drying, acidifying, flooding and burning in heretofore unseen ways." Additional points are given to these articles for addressing “hyper-individualism” and praising a global consciousness:

They called for a widened understanding of what it means to love one’s neighbor in a world where choices made on one continent can affect people thousands of miles away, including those in poor countries least able to cope with climate shifts (Stammer).

The fact that both of these articles are from the Spring of 2010 suggests journalists are finally starting to get it and/or McKibben improved his own media relations skills.

Even these two best articles of the bunch have qualms worth mentioning. Stammer’s article only addresses moral proximity and consumerism because it has a religious focus. Are atheists relegated to nihilism? Koch’s article is actually a profile of McKibben to promote his newest book, Eaarth, so his voice isn’t delegitimized or interrupted. Is it possible to fairly cover McKibben’s voice in a traditional news article? Another one of Koch’s articles in this study, on Obama’s solar plans, offers little hope. Additionally, as a human interest piece, does Koch’s article -- like her’s on TransCanada’s pipeline -- still exude individualism? In one way or another both of these articles are selling something: religion and McKibben’s book