Question 3

Michael Maniates' article addresses a dilemma that faces activists of all kinds.  Environmentalists, human rights activists, and pretty much anyone involved in advocacy for a given issue must decide how to go about raising awareness.  However, inspiring change is not easy in a society that has an increasingly short attention span and, as Maniates says, glorifies all that is easy.  When an issue appears too overwhelming and cannot be resolved with methods that are simple and convenient, the public seems to simply look the other way.  The dilemma is then whether to appeal to the public by conveying a simplified version of the problem and offering solutions that seem doable, believing that some change, even if minimal, is better than nothing, or to tell it like it is and risk complete avoidance by the public.  On a personal level I agree with the last paragraph of Maniates' article, but I'm just skeptical that the majority of Americans would be willing to change their lives in ways that may be inconvenient for the sake of the environment (or for any reason that doesn't provide immediate gratification).