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We rarely reflect on the effects of our own natural attitudes on the way we communicate and, consequently, the results we get.
Some of us are pessimistic (or realistic, as some might say) and some are optimistic. I fall largely in the second category.
When we talk to others, our nature prevails and our message will have the same tone.
So messages out there are broadly speaking either "we are f****" or "we still have time, let's hug some trees".
Here is the thing:
Media tend to show catastrophic news and skew our own perception of reality - they do it because those news sell.
But they don't necessarily lead to action. Otherwise, we would be all down in the street protesting to stop oil.
Has a single polar bear stranded on an ice raft made anyone (besides children, who are more sensitive to these messages, and people born in the Arctic areas) resolve to change things?
No, because fear is paralysing. Additionally, when the subject of the story you are telling is remote from your audience's experience, they will switch off. It will be just that, a story.
Truth is even naive optimism that "we are going to be fine" is paralysing. We are just giving our power away to others to deal with it.
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