How Amanda Bynes and Miley Cyrus proved clean energy cures cancer and male pattern baldness

The most important issues of the day revolve around shortages of natural resources, questions about public versus private ownership of those resources, and the environmental damage that cultivating and harvesting those resources can produce.

And any trend of internet activity will show that among at least those connected to the web, the lives of celebrities trump all.

Occasionally, a cool viral video will gain some notice...especially if it involves cats.  Kid-based picture memes get shared on Facebook a lot.  And among party faithful, a good anti-Obama or anti-GOP story can get some traction.

But it takes a natural disaster to draw attention to our impact on the environment.

Can you imagine how horrible a feeling it is for an environmental advocate to hear about or see first-hand a disaster brought about by our activities, know that it was 100% preventable, and wish that you had been wrong?  We have a difficult time getting the general public to understand the problem and find a reasonable solution that meets everyone's needs, meanwhile, Amanda Bynes sentencing stands as the top trending story right ahead of anything Miley Cyrus is doing today.

And we have no one but ourselves to blame.  We do not get how to communicate.

You know who does get how to communicate?  Politicians and business leaders.  They get it.  That's why celebrities get attention.  That's why we are willing to do things that harm ourselves and others.  Because they tap into human nature...they understand what drives us, and they exploit it.

If we are going to compete, we need to adapt.  It really is not about money, and it is not about power.  It is about a story.  People like to belong.  We like to feel a part of something bigger than ourselves.  We talk about how awful the results of environmental damage can be, how much it can cost us, and we place the emphasis on how it affects each person individually.  We respond better, however, when the story focuses on inclusion.

I think we have started to get it, but it will take much more effort to make a difference.  Estimates like those in the Limits to Growth remind us that tipping points are not gradual.  We will not get a slow decent into resource scarcity during which we can adapt.  The rug will likely be pulled out from under us.  To prevent that from happening, we need to change the dialogue.  We need to mimic the success of business and politics...and we need to do it now.

But right after I read this story about Man of Steel 2.