December 2020
The Yale Program on Climate Change Communication (YPCCC) does regular national polling on public perceptions, attitudes, and beliefs about questions related to climate change. It found in a 2014 survey that individuals’ attitudes are shaped by personal and social factors beyond knowledge of climate change alone. One such factor is cultural worldviews, or values regarding how society should be structured and the role of government in addressing problems.
YPCCC has identified two significant types of cultural worldview: egalitarianism and individualism. People with a more egalitarian worldview tend to believe that society should promote equality, social justice, participatory democracy, and diversity, and they are generally more concerned about environmental issues like climate change. However, people with a more individualistic worldview are more likely to believe that society should promote individual liberty, autonomy, and opportunity. They tend to be less concerned about environmental dangers and favor greater freedom for industry, often opposing government intervention and environmental regulations. …
Public responses to two questions are particularly interesting in relation to Maitreya’s priorities (even the fact that the questions were asked at all!).
First, liberal Democrats increasingly say all basic needs (food, housing, healthcare, education) should ideally be guaranteed by the government for everyone. In 2020, about half of registered voters polled (47 per cent) agreed with this statement — of whom about 83 per cent of liberal Democrats and about 59 per cent of moderate/conservative Democrats agreed. Only 32 per cent of liberal/moderate Republicans and 11 per cent of conservative Republicans agreed. From 2008 to 2020, liberal Democrats’ support for this statement increased significantly, while support for the statement decreased among Republicans.
On the second question, Democrats increasingly say the world would be more peaceful if wealth were divided more equally among nations. In 2020, nearly half of registered voters polled (46 per cent) agreed with this statement of whom 72 per cent of liberal Democrats and 66 per cent of moderate/conservative Democrats held this view. Conversely, only 31 per cent of liberal/moderate Republicans and 16 per cent of conservative Republicans agreed. Similarly, support for this view among Democrats increased significantly from 2008 to 2020 and either decreased or remained stable among Republicans.
The takeaway from the polling is that views are polarized, but even without Maitreya’s public appeal, many intelligent people are clearly already thinking along the lines He recommends. …
(Source: climatecommunication.yale.edu)
