First posted on Facebook, 10/09/2018.
I’m trying to come up with an analogy for the environmental situation we are in. Here’s one attempt:
Suppose you live next a guy you just can’t stand. You both enjoy many of the same sports and activities, but neither of you can agree on the rules. Over the years, the antagonism between the two of you grows, to the point, that you argue about anything, constantly.
One day you and your neighbor, call him Donald, are at the backyard fence yelling at each other. It’s just one more log on the fire of accusation and denial.
Unrelated to your feud with Donald, a fire starts in Donald’s basement. It spreads slowly and then more rapidly. You both see the smoke billowing out of the basement windows. You try to tell Donald that his house is on fire and that he/we need to call the Fire Department.
Donald won’t even look at the smoke because he’s too busy arguing with you. He thinks you’re trying to distract him so that you can gain an advantage.
The fire spreads. Now there is danger that not only Donald’s house will burn down but so could yours and your neighbors. If nothing is done the entire block is threatened.
At some point you simply ignore Donald and call the fire department yourself. While waiting for them to arrive you break out your garden-hose and spray Donald’s house. More neighbors join and, soon, they’re slowing the spread of the fire. All despite Donald’s attempts to tun off water spigots.
The firemen and police appear. Donald tries to interfere with them as they fight the fire and eventually Donald is arrested for criminal obstruction.
In the end, the neighborhood is saved by cooperation and caring for each other. Even Donald benefits from his neighbors’ efforts; his house was damaged but salvageable.
Later, after the typical fire investigation, we discover that Donald had intentionally set the fire for the insurance money.
His greed could have destroyed the block.