McKibben's "Worried? Us?"
Here is the space to respond to McKibben's article. Just chose a question from the book and respond.
Here is a link to an online version of the article: link.
Some other questions you may want to consider: What are your feelings about Al Gore's film An Inconvenient Truth? Do you think the U.S. should join the Kyoto Treaty? What kind of life do you imagine for people 20, 50, or 100 years from now?
Feel free to respond to these questions in lieu of the questions in the book.
33 comments:
1.) McKibben uses his opening metaphor to explain his attitude toward the conversation about global warming by comparison. He is saying that no matter how much information and proof that scientists put out there for the public to become aware of they just never really grasp it. Global warming is a huge issue affecting our planet and scientists try so hard to make that known to everyone but where there is no visual or physical proof, the human civilization remains naïve and unconcerned about the issue. Scientists know that the world is in trouble but they cannot make that clear to everyone else who just writes global warming off as another small issue to blame on the government or another topic to debate over in political conversations. In the opening paragraph McKibben sounds calm and strongly opinionated, however, the tone of the title sounds sarcastic and naïve (just like the way civilizations view global warming). By the end of the essay, McKibben’s tone has changed because his strong opinions have turned into facts backed up by evidence, he becomes more assertive and almost angry. He was trying to get readers to realize that global warming is a huge problem whether they want to realize and acknowledge it or not.
Krysten A
McKibben says in the essay, to support his case in global warming is a major threat of survival, is when he explains the facts about the earth in the first two paragraphs. He says that the earth is getting warmer and that the amount of carbon dioxide has increased as well. In paragraph he explains how serious it actually is that the earth’s temperature has gone up one degree. Although one degree may not seem like much, it really is. He also explains the book that he wrote and published in 1989 which was concerning global warming, and explaining the science of it. McKibben is a credible expert subject because he studies the earth and people. He has written a book and been in interviews explaining his findings and thoughts regarding this threat.
-Christine L.
I this piece, McKibben is obviously extremely concerned with the topic or epidemic of global warming. He says that the earth is heating because of the amount of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere. Only recently have we discovered that this is actually affecting our earth and that 15 years ago it was a hypothesis. He makes devastating predictions that are 10 and 20 years away and this amount of time is insignificant compared to the life of the planet itself. With this in mind life for people in 20 or even 50 years may begin to become difficult. If the climate of the planet changes the entire ecosystem could be affected. I couldn’t imagine thinking 100 years away because the change it could have on the earth could change people’s way of life the way he uses the introduction. He says this could possibly be the world’s gravest issue. It is interesting because the title is Worried? Us? I think he uses this because people don’t worry about it and don’t lose sleep over something so potentially dangerous.
Francis Adams
McKibben uses his opening metaphor to explain the attitude about Global warming by comparing it to a more common experience that everyone can relate to. The bad dream was a really good way to grab the attention of the reader, and was also a great metaphor because nearly every reader who reads this will have a similar experience, and when he can get that many people to relate to an experience it is viewed as a more common problem than people think it is. McKibbens tone at the beginning of this piece is surely more neutral than it is as it works its way toward the end of it. The reader can tell from the beginning of this that global warming is an important issue to the writer and is not receiving the deserved attention. By the end of the story, the writer is far more harsh and focus on the outcome and punishment for our misuse of the world we were given. The tone of the title is layed back and in no hurry to fix the issue. Obviously nobody is worried.
-Tia P.
McKibben feels really strongly about global warming and presents alot of good facts to support his opinions. McKibben talks about how over the next hundred years the worlds temperature will rise 5 degrees. He also says that major landscapes will no long be around. Including that Montana's Glacier National Park will lose its last glacier by 2030. The snows on Kilimanjaro will become the rocks of Kilimanajaro by 2015. McKibben established himself as an credible expert on the subject by giving many facts and examples on the subject. He also relates global warming to Presidents Clinton and Bush. Such as how President Bush will not sign the Kyoto Treaty, which would be smart to sign. I think that McKibben is a very credible expert on this subject.
---Jenna Elliott
Question #1.) In this essay, McKibben uses a metaphor comparing global warming to a dream to explain his attitude toward the subject. He gives information about global warming and tries to show that no matter how much information, evidence, and warning we receive from scientists, people still will not be able to accept it or realize what is actually happening. He says that only a small percentage of people understand the seriousness of it and how it is going to affect the earth. In the opening paragraph, McKibben sounds serious about the issue of global warming and has many concerns of the threats of global warming. However, in the title of the essay, he comes across as being sarcastic. By the end of the essay, McKibben changes from stating mostly his opinions to writing more about the facts and evidence about global warming.
Erin P.
Mckibben uses the opening metaphor to explain scientist and the media are trying to warn people of global warming. He uses the metaphor to explain how even though something can be so dangerous but people choose to turn their head. He explains how global warming is real but people may not belive it because it is not happening at a rapid pace for anyone to notice. Even though scientist have been studying these changes for many years, it is something society needs to see to believe. McKibben's tone at the begining is not to serious, he is trying to get the basic principles across to the reader. He gives more of a backround on how global warming came about. He also provides facts about how the earth has changed due to what scientist believe is global warming. I think the title has a sarcastic aspect to it because he is directing it towards the people who don't care to take global warming serioulsy. It's saying people won't worry until its to late. Towards the end McKibben gets more serious by saying there is no way to spot it, but we can try to prevent it. By the end I think he is fed up with society and is trying to enforce that the earth will change drastically if there are no changes.
-Kim Austin
This essay stresses McKibben's strong concern with global warming. He makes valid points such as the earth is heating up because of all the carbon dioxide in the air. He predicts that with all destruction that is going on, that in 10 or 20 years that the amount of life on earth will have drastically decreased. Also McKibben predicts that Montana's Glacier Park will lose its glacier by 2030 and the snows of Kilimanjaro will become by 2015 the rocks of Kilimanjaro. This piece establishes McKibben as a credible expert on the subject of golbal warming by the fact that he has done research and studies. He uses facts and evidence to suppor his thought and hypothesies.
Amanda B.
#2.) M Kibben supports his case that global warming is a major threat to our world today by using credible examples and facts. The one thing that really made me agree was when he stated that by 2015 the snows of Kilimanjaro will be the rocks of Kilimanjaro, and, Montana's Glacier National Park is predicted to lose its last glaciers by 2030. He is very pursuasive in his piece by stating influenctial examples and key facts. In the begining he is just stating this of the sort, but by the end he is really using feelings and making us feel this emotion of fear and loneliness, while backing us these feelings with credible evidence and supports his emtion, not only with his own insight.
Lauren Chetta
1. In McKibbin's opening paragraph he uses a metaphor. He uses the metaphor to try and show how people there is this huge topic of global warming today and there are all these scientist trying to get the message out to the public. But even with all their efforts to prevent this froming happening they can just see the effects of global warming coming. In the first paragraph his tone is sincere. The tone of the title is very sacastic. He is saying that or culture today would never be worried about something that might not affect us today. I think that by the end of the essay his tone has changed to concern. Concern that nothing is being done to prevent this from happening as the effects grow every year.
Anthony Erz
McKibben states the consequences of our actions on global warming and how the worlds temperature will keep rising over the next hundred years and it will become hotter than it had been for over 400 years. He has "scientific projections" and states other credible sources, this makes him a credible expert on the subject.
-Maria D.
It seems to me that McKibben did a lot of research before he wrote this essay. I personally didn't know what Global Warming was prior to reading the essay, but after I read the essay, I now know that global warming is a major threat to our survival. People like me hear about global warming all the time but we never pay attention or even took the time to find out what is was. McKibben pointed out a lot of important things to show the world how serious this issue is. He pointed out that humanity has raised the planet's temperature by about one degree Fahrenheit. Other countries are working on decreasing the problem but the U.S hasn't done anything major yet to solve the problem of global warming. Denmark built banks of windmills to help the case and China and India are still building power plants and motorways. What has the U.S done so far? Well a few people bought hybrid cars to do what they can but while people are buying smaller cars the Gov. is rejecting Kyoto treaty. All of these issues that McKibben brought up, plus his confidence gave him credibility because even somebody who didn't know anything about the topic like me believed him.
Nordian D.
1. McKibben's opening metaphor explains that he feels global warming is being ignored. By comparing it to a dream, where one person is desperately trying to get the attention of another person before something "bad and imminent" happens,he is saying that people are ignoring this oncoming global fate.Throughout the essay, McKibben's tone changes. In the beginning he seems to be making light of the situation. Then towards the end of the essay, he starts to emphasize on how important global warming really is. The title, "Worried? Us?" is kind of a sarcastic tone. McKibben is stressing the way people look at global warming, meaning that global warming is an issue that should be taken very seriously, but people don't seem to realize that.
-Sarah C.
McKibben says a lot of valid points in this eassay to support his case that global warming is a major threat in our society. Some of this points are, the build up of carbon dixoide, ice melting in the Arctic, sea levels rising, and temperature increasing little by little. He explains how people are not helping this situation, and compares us to the astroid that crashed into the earth which caused extinction. He established himself as a credible expert on this subject was through his own book "The End of Nature." That book was the first book for people to read about global warming so it proves he has studied a lot on this topic and did not use a lot of others resourses.
-Meghan K
Mckibben uses his metaphor in the beggining to show his views on global warmer. Right then and there he states what side or position he is taking. He supports his argument by using the metaphor at the beggining. His tone at the beggining is more on both sides like staying in the middle. His tone changes at the end of the story. He is more straight forward and repremanding. He explains what the outcomes will be about global warmer. He ends the story with a harsh tone.
Sarah S
Kristina B
What kind of life do you imagine for people 20, 50, or 100 years from now?
I think the most dramatic changes are going to come in 50 or 100 years. By then most people will probably be driving Hybrid cars and windmills will be everywhere. I think people are still trying to ignore how dangerous global warming really is because it is more expensive to deal with it. I think there are going to be a lot more natural disasters in the years to come because of global warming. I agree with McKibben completely when he says “New ways of behaving, of getting and spending, can still change the future”. People do control the future and the way they live can have the biggest impact on potential problems.
In response to question number one, Mckibben had a clever way of grabbing the readers attention right away in the first paragraph with his discription of the dream, which the reader can relate to easier and is able to put themselves in similar situations. Then, he opens into his attitude and feelings towards global warming and how large of an issue it is for us now. He is able to use many supporting facts for his attitude towards global warming, which immediately grab more attention from the reader. Towards the end, it is very obvious how McKibben is being more stern on the subject and insists on change to take place. Otherwise, it will only get worse. Not enough people seem to be worried enough to make a stand, which explains the title well.
Jessica Wood
1) McKibben is pretty much just saying that the world is oblivious. No matter how much supporting information there is, the people won't be able to comprehend how bad global warming is. To them it's just another media topic, but really, it is something incredibly important. In the beginning of the essay, he sounds serious. His title, "Worried? Us?" is sarcastic. He's mocking how unconcerned the people are about global warming. He's showing how no one is worried that the earth is heating at an incredible rate, when we really should. Towards the end, McKibben reveals more of the facts, vs. his own opinion. Either way, we should really be worried.
~~Heather C.~~
McKibben uses a metaphor about a man who appears to be oblivious to an oncoming train, about to run him over. This is an appropriate metaphor to use, considering the world is the man, whom is about to be pummeled by global warming, or the train. The world remains completely oblivious to the fact that global warming is indeed a serious issue, which will only worsen if it is left ignored. In the beginning of this essay, his tone has a sort of sarcastic feel to, although not too edgy. Throughout the essay his tone becomes more harsh and realistic, as if to say “wake up America, notice the world changing around you; it’s not rocket science to recognize bad changes when they are in front of your face.” His use of this certain tone to help his readers become more aware of the change in the earth, and it sure helped me to think about what he had to say. I think the title also has a cynical message, as if to say Americans and most of the world seems to think that by ignoring this important issue it might just go away. As if he’s saying “yeah right, like we need to worry”.
J. Haley
Mckibben uses many examples explaon to how global warming or "climage change" as president Bush likes to call it is going to affect our world. The worlds temperature is going to rise five degrees over the next one hundred years, Mt. Kilimanjaro's glaciers will be rocks by 2015 and the last glacier in Montana's national park will melt by 2030 are just some examples to his theory. He states many examples so he has done extensive research of the topic making him a credible source of information.
2. McKibben uses many examples of how the temperature has affected our earth already, like the permafrost deteriorating and how it will be affected in the future. He also uses projections about the future which are drastic. These serious predictions for example the temperature will raise 5 degrees over the next 100 years, makes the reader realize that global warming is a major threat to our survival. He establishes himself as a credible expert by stating his previous books on global warmingcalled "the end of nature".
Jon Manning
In Mckibbens essay he explain the impact of our surival due to global warming. He explains how the temperture change of just one degree could affect us greatly, even more than we think. The one degree could cause glacier melting which leads to higher sea levels. Besides the world getting warmer and something we can't control, the amount of carbon dioxide has increased more than ever. Due to the fact that we have cars and industries causes the atmospheric level to rise and leads to more temperture rising. He is credible on this subject because he has studied enviromental studies throughout his college years and has written one of the earliest books on global warming in 1989.
-Leslie S
2. McKibben specifies several things to support his case that global warming is a major threat to our survival. He discusses the increase in wind speeds, sea levels rising, ice caps melting, flooding, decrease in rice fertility, and the possiblity of Gulf Stream failure resulting in significantly colder seasons. He firmly establishes his credibility through years of work and research on the material. He even wrote a book in the late 80's before there was significant scientific support of the subject matter. I feel McKibben was the Al Gore of his time. Although few believed or supported McKibben when he first began research of the topic, many are probably singing a different tune now. The same could be said for Al Gore. In the years leading up to the release of "An Inconvenient Truth" he didn't have much support in his movement towards environmental awareness. Post-release of the film, he has really created a buzz and gathered a following of supporters. Although we have some pretty intense predictions (as seen in "An Inconvenient Truth") there's still a chance many large nations will eventually do their part by cleaning up their acts. 50 years from now I hope that automobiles no longer run on fossil fuels, and we are getting our energy from more natural sources such as wind power, dams, and fuels made entirely of corn and other agricultural products.
Questions 1
In the opening lines of McKibben's, "Worried? Us,?" McKibben applies a metaphor to explain his attitude toward the conversation about global warming. The metaphorical dream explains that no matter how hard you try, scream, or shout about Global Warming, the world will not hear the desperate cry. The world will simply smile, nod, and no more will be said. McKibben's use of this metaphor was one that readers can identify with. A fascinating true one at that. The tone of the opening paragraph is set to a rising tension. McKibben makes it clear that global warming is a serious matter like no other. He is certain that global warming will become just another issue, translucent to the eyes of many. The title, "Worried? Us,?" portrays the tone of being nonchalant. You know, you don't care, and frankly, you don't think it concerns you. Comparing the beginning tone of the story to the end, McKibben's tone sounds helpless. McKibben has done all he can about the subject, but yet, many don't take him seriously or put the issue into consideration to care enough.
-Christine Lam
In his opening metaphor, McKibben uses comparison to explain his attitude towards global warming. His tone in the opening paragraph is, that he is trying to explain that everyone in society is aware of global warming but they aren't aware enough to care, or they don't really know it is a problem. I think and also from what McKibben is trying to say is that society views is as the people who are the ones speaking out global warming can get no one to listen to them. In retrospect if you think about it is a difficult thing to get a handle on, that you can be doing all of these things to hurt your planet just by living your life. It is something that most people can't falthom, which is why it is going to be tough to get people to live a better lifestyle for themselves and the planet. The tone of the article, i think is that he is trying to inform without sounding utterly obnoxious because when most people write on a topic like this, they tend to use the scare tactic which i feel seldom works. Towards the end of the article it seems to me like he is informing us of the dangers in a friendly manner because well maybe that what we need to get people to change, to have this be presented in a friendly manner rather than in a scolding manner.
-Samantha S
McKibben uses his opening metaphor to explain his attitude about global warming in a way where his readers might understand. He probably feels as though some of his readers have had a dream where they are trying to warn people about a certain problem. This is a great way for him to draw in the reader. His tone in this paragraph is calm and understanding. He sets his topic at ease and really tries to make the reader feel involved. I think the tone of the title "Worried? Us?" is extremely sarcastic. I think he portrays his title as a way of saying that Americans aren't worried when they know they should be because of this global warming problem. By the end of his essay, his tone has changed dramatically from a calm tone to a demmanding tone, telling readers that they must do something about this issue quick or we are basically doomed and it is all our fault for not taking action.
--Ashley d'Entremont
#2 Mickibben feels global warming is a major and upcoming threat to our world. He backs himself up when he talks about Kilimanjaro losing its snow. Also he feels all the carbon dioxide in the air is heating up the earth. He uses a strong emotional appeal when he states that within 10-20 years life on earth with be drastically reduced. He provides his credibility through his apparent research shown by his facts and figures.
-Sam Wilcox
The opening metaphor that McKibben uses helps his attitude toward global warming. The metaphor desribes that no matter how much we talk about global warming, the world around us will not understand everything. The tone in the paragraph is strong yet at an ease so the readers pay attention and understand what McKibben is trying to get across. The tone of the title also shows what McKibben is trying to get across. The tone is very sarcastic because not enough people are worried about global warming. By the end, the tone has changed drastically to a stern and demanding tone. The world needs to take global warming seriously because it can affect us all and no one understands that.
Jamie R.
2. In McKibben's article he supports his case by giving the reader shocking facts that most people either wouldn't know or wouldn't care about. I have heard how Global Warming is a powerful thing and how it is harmful to the earth but until this article i wasn't really aware or how serious it is. The article really but things in perspective for me, he used examples that i could picture in my head and facts that really made me nervous. When McKibben talked about the temperature raising and that the snows of Kilimanjaro would melt so that it would become the rocks of Kilimanjaro I was shocked. Or when he mentioned that Montana's Glacier National Park would loose all its remaining glaciers by 2030 i was shocked, 2030 is part of my life time and to me something like this is scary. McKibben also establishes himself as a credible expert on this subject not only by giving examples and facts but also by talking about the role the presidents have played in global warming. He also mentions other various articles and books on the subject.
Question 2:
In McKibben's essay "Wooried? Us?" he states that global warming is a rising and important issue concerning the planet and the things living on it. In the essay McKibben uses stats and issues as example of how our world around doesn't see how important this issue really is. For example, McKibben said, "we believe that the world is big and that we are small...the opposite is true. Each of us is big enough to produce our own cloud of carbon dioxide." I think that this is very true becuase many people see themselves as jsut a lilttle part of the world that couldn't cause much harm to the planet, but in reality they really are big enough to effect the world. he also claims if this issue doesn't get the awareness it needs then sooner than later the world will be extinct.
Branden Morris
McKibben establishes himself as a credible expert on the subject because he spends a lot of his time researching. Also, he wrote a book in the late 80's so the reader has the impression that McKibben is experienced, intelligent, and all-knowing in the subject of global warming. He says that carbon monoxide is responsible for the earth's temperature rising. He says that by the next 23 years some of our country's glaciers will be completely melted. He states that in the next 100 years, the temperature on the earth's surface will be 5 degrees higher and uses other examples to show how important the issue of global warming is.
Alyssa S.
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