Bill Clinton calling Jay-Z is the third of my three aspirational and fictional ideas that are (relatively) cheap, that would make concrete environmental gains, that could be accomplished almost instantaneously by motivated people in positions of power (by phone calls, in two cases), and that would immediately set an agenda for the next election.
In July, 2008, Bill Clinton calls Jay-Z, and asks him to help change the world. More than a movie star, more powerful in the imagination than a mere politician, Jay-Z embodies lifestyle to a vast audience.
Taking responsibility for cultural ideas produces rapid results, as shown by Arnold Schwarzenegger’s conversion from the world’s first Hummer-marketer to determined protector of California’s climate. It’s only through that kind of evolution in leadership opinion, driving consumer opinion, that the assembly lines will retool, that the coal generation plans will be replaced, and that the U.S. will regain bargaining strength with China on future emissions cuts.
One way or another, there’s going to be another version of America in the next decade, as the economy and culture shift off of fossil fuel. Jay-Z is an icon to millions, and he is an opinion-shaper where it matters, with people’s ideas of themselves and what to aspire to. His life, self-made, grounds his message. He is moving in a socially conscious direction. The steps already taken on the Jay-Z/ United Nations “Water for Life” tour are big — but then, what about this? Or this?
We are in a remarkably unsettled moment. Is global warming urgent? Is it worth asking candidates about? Should it be left to MIT undergraduates to solve?
The three wishes I’ve outlined have been a daydream, but I think each of the major players above already believe climate is a serious issue, and they only need to step into their natural roles to build momentum for change.