ABSTRACT
In this chapter, the authors correct for this media blackout by using our structural-realities narrative, with its focus on the class system, to explore these issues. They consider how the class structure relates to the development of political polarization and gridlock as well as global warming, climate change, and extreme weather. In the people review of media accounts that deal with global warming, climate change, and extreme weather, they find a common narrative theme stated or implied: these phenomena and their effects on their lives, now and in the future, are part of an emerging new normal in the natural world. In contrast to media narratives that say global warming and climate change are driven by uncertain causes and that they are part of an emerging new normal natural world that the people must learn to accept and deal with, the structural-realities narrative offers a different view.
