Enlightened False Consciousness: Why Climate Consciousness Is Not Followed by Action

Abstract

The article discusses enlightened false consciousness by focusing on the denial of the climate crisis. It approaches this idea by first emphasizing the role of emotions in connection with actions, arguing that a classical rationalist perspective falls short of grasping this. The article is divided into four parts. First, it focuses on the relationship between emotions and knowledge in relation to the climate issue. This leads to a discussion of the ways in which cognitive dissonance can be managed, that is, the ways in which recognized but uncomfortable knowledge can be bracketed so that it is not felt as disturbing. This is the background for the third part, which singles out the importance of maintaining normality or, more technically, protecting one's habitus from challenges. We conclude by asking how, despite this insistence on normality, one can understand and present oneself as progressive and climate-conscious.