ABSTRACT
Aristotle specified that every tragedy has an “unraveling” that starts the moment recognition of ignorance changes to knowledge. Whereas Oedipus’ unraveling takes 24 hours, the unraveling of humankind is still in progress. The question humankind confronts is “How do we avert environmental collapse?” Time and again the narrower question, “How do we stop climate change?” is substituted for it. This question is so difficult to answer that the easier question, “How do we stop greenhouse gas emissions?” is often substituted for it. Every substitution makes it harder to see the full scope of our looming tragedy. The question shifts also give the false hope that our nations, states, cities, businesses, and non-profit agencies can fix things without us ordinary mortals having to do much more than change our light bulbs, forego plastic straws, and drive electric cars.
