Enhance your experience James Ferraro – Human Story 3

The environmentalist and the non-environmentalist.

An environmental issue that clogs opinions and value systems is the fundamental perception and stereotype of the environmentalist (liberal, whole-grain, green, friendly, and utterly useless) and the non-environmentalist (religious, fiscally-savvy, conservative, wasteful). These two sides of the coin exist in perceived polar opposite realms, stuck battling out over issues turning grey into black and white. Pros and cons exist naturally in human opinions, but this range is essential to understanding the future of environmentalism in terms of how perceptions lead to changes in environmental laws and projects. The core of the philosophy of environmentalism lies in how those support and reject it, forming values on the core attributes of each party. The following observations are general and do not reflect either side fully, as stereotypes put molds on the fluidity of opinion and personhoods.

The environmentalist is seen as, “extremists, the all or nothings… selectively informed,” and “if it doesn’t fit in their worldview, it doesn’t need to be known about.” (globaloyster, 2014). Staunch idealists keen to preserve their planet; environmentalists are inflexible with values that are sacred. This high moral integrity, whether warranted or not, creates a value system that frequently places the natural world above humans. If conservation of the earth is the key goal, than a conservative value system reflects that goal (rightwaytobegreen, 2011). Although environmentalists are tied to liberalism, and the two are often synonymous, planet conservation ideals have become liberal.

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