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Why are small gestures for the planet dangerous?

Because they allow us to buy a good conscience at a low cost.So, in practice, they help strengthen the group that actually acts according to the policy of 'out of sight, out of mind'.

The perversion of small gestures

When we have succeeded in creating a positive image of ourselves by accumulating small gestures, if someone tries to present us with a serious solution, we are likely to be more eager to convince ourselves that it is illusory than interested in understanding it. We may also feel a strong urge to discredit the person who suggests such a solution.The cheaply obtained good image of oneself is one of the privileges that is hardest to give up.

Do not underestimate the major difficulty in getting out of this

Attitude 1: performing small gestures that are not up to the scale of the challenge, perhaps even pretending that it will eventually work, that it is better than nothing, that if everyone did the same it would already be not so bad, that moderation is important, etc.

Attitude 2: searching for solutions that match the scale of the problem to solve, and implementing them.

It is important to understand that the main difficulty in effectively saving the planet lies in the huge gap in personal attitude towards life that exists between these two positions. Indeed, they correspond to nothing less than the two opposing options at the level of the general questionHow to succeed in life?.

This difficulty is very well illustrated in the following testimony:

↣ Testimonial 'From eco-responsible, I went to unattendable'

Go deeper

First, consult the related questionWhat is difficult to obtain from one's surroundings?.Also seeWhy is minimalism desirable?which discusses the issue of personal attitude, without addressing the whole question ofHow to succeed in life?.

Then refer to the general questionHow to satisfy the ecological constraint?'