Santa drawing

Though it is not yet officially winter here in the Pacific Northwest, we’ve already had more than a few previews of the weather La Niña will be bringing us in the next few months. And as I research and re-read family correspondence about Oysterville’s weather of 100 years ago, there is no question in my mind that “Climate Change” is upon us. So, it was a bit of a puzzle when I read a headline about two prominent national politicians saying one “believed” in climate change and one did not.

Perhaps it’s because I’m already into Christmas planning, that the word “believe” in that article immediately took me back 83 years to 1941. I was in first grade and a classmate had scoffed at me for saying something about Santa Claus. So that night I asked my father who I knew would tell me the truth.

First, he told me about another little girl named Virginia who had written to the newspaper and asked the man in charge the same question I was asking. And then, in words I could understand, my Daddy told me what the editor of the New York Sun had responded way back in 1897. He talked about love and about hope and about knowing the difference between right and wrong — all the things a little girl could feel and understand were true, but couldn’t necessarily see. And he said that Santa Claus was a “symbol” of all those good things. People could choose to believe in Santa or not — much as they could choose to hope for the best or to do the right thing.

Believing or knowing?

Either those disbelieving politicians do not understand the whats and whys of climate change or they aren’t smart enough to think we can do something about it. Or could it be that those who don’t “believe” in climate change never had anyone in their most formative years who explained what believing in something was all about? Perhaps they have never understood what “belief” is and when using that word just doesn’t make sense.

I’m so glad it wasn’t one of those folks who was the editor of the New York Sun back in 1897. And I wish all those who don’t understand what “believe” means had had a father like mine. On the other hand, I have no doubt that those politicians who are arguing over whether or not climate change is real were taught, somewhere along the line, how to use a dictionary. It is simply a no-brainer these days to find out the difference in meaning between “believe” and “know.”

A few finger-taps on my keyboard revealed this on my computer screen: ”Believe” means to accept something as true, often without complete proof or certainty, while “know” means to have direct, verifiable evidence or understanding of something, leaving no room for doubt; essentially, believing involves a level of uncertainty, while knowing implies absolute confidence based on facts.

Is belief a requirement?

So… back to “believing” or not believing in climate change. Like many other phenomena of our natural world, our climate can be analyzed, explained, and even predicted by processes that we call “science.” Science isn’t like fairies or the Easter Bunny or Santa Claus. Science doesn’t require us to believe in it for it to exist. Science is what we call the process of finding answers to questions we don’t completely understand. There is nothing to believe in — or not to believe in. You either understand the process or you don’t.

So, the way I interpret what the “non-believers” will do to stave off the effects of climate change is… nothing. Even when confronted with the scientific evidence and heartbreaking facts of escalating climate “events,” they will no doubt claim as they did about Covid (and anything else that might disturb their complacency or their pocketbooks): “It’s a hoax.”

After years of teaching and seeing success after success with students of all abilities, I know that nearly everyone can learn. I also know there is no cure for “stupid.” Stupid is a choice just like being a bully or a cheat or a liar. And for a politician to say he/she doesn’t “believe” in climate change is stupid, pure and simple. Dollars to donuts they don’t believe in Santa Claus either.