solarpunk memes

Also, for many, their livelihood and how they provide for their family is directly tied to fossil fuels and the price of fossil fuels.

IMO you're much too charitable. I think these are the reasons (at least for American conservatives), roughly in order of what I consider to be the most to least sympathetic:

• A fondness and nostalgia for fossil power. To be clear I think if this is the reason you're supporting fossil fuel use when lives are on the line you're crazy, especially when museums and motorsport categories for older engine technologies can (and already do) exist, but I can at least understand it.
• Anxiety about change. While there are lots of reasons to think that renewables will put us in a better position than fossil fuels (they're cheaper, can be less centralized, and better insulated against geopolitical instability) a lot of people are very anxious about things like EV range and grid instability. If they're a "low information voter" or have been fed a steady diet of oil industry propaganda then they probably have a very exaggerated view of these issues and a very poor understanding of how the world works.
• The entire idea of anthropogenic climate change and things like a circular economy directly contradicts the Christian worldview they're operating under. For one they don't believe in climate change for the same reason they don't believe in herd immunity from vaccines or systemic racism. Cumulative effects, dynamic systems, and tipping points aren't part of how they think the world works. Secondly, they view the world as something their god gave to humanity to conquer, dominate, and exploit. Telling them that they can't suck the world dry and throw away the husk come judgment day is tantamount to telling them their religion is fake.
• For a portion of the population the above three attitudes have metastasized into conspiracy theories and fascist ideologies. Things like a belief that "15 minute cities" means they will be put into open air prisons, or that wanting to reduce resource consumption means that they will be subjected to population control so that black people can replace white people. I don't feel like writing a giant comment examining the core of the reactionary mind, but suffice it to say that things like language and truth are very fluid for them. If something makes them feel bad then it must be bad, literally and physically. The conspiracy theories are created to justify the feelings.
• In addition to the above plenty of people want to hurt others. The fact that large powerful vehicles kill people, the fact that they're loud, inconvenient for others, and spew black smoke, makes them more appealing. The fact that oil use creates wars that kill children is a bonus. All of this is tough and manly. It makes them feel good.

Do not, my friends, become addicted to oil. It will take hold of you, and you will resent its absence!

I mean, I think it’s precious for its ability to be lit on fire

The back-fire effect explains why so many people love to watch Fox News, even when they've admitted in court that they're not news and no rational person would take them seriously. Reinforcing beliefs through propaganda is comforting - and no amount logic or fact checking is going to change it.

... yeah we're basically fucked as a species.

I don't think they're lazy cowards - or rather, I think "lazy cowards" is something lazy cowards say to explain away lazy cowards they disagree with - I think they grow up in an environment where admitting fault or even suspending judgment is something that will get you attacked or taken advantage of. Whether by parents, teachers, classmates, friends, politicians, cops, priests, or gods.

Children aren't great at lying. If they don't believe they are a good person, people will notice that self-doubt and take advantage. Believing you are axiomatically good is safer, protecting you from bullies of all kinds who are looking for someone who won't resist being punished.

Properly dealing with climate change often requires a major lifestyle change that is largely outside of people's control. It's natural that people who haven't processed their childhood schemas would respond to it according to those schemas, and that for people whose childhood schemas are centered around avoiding responsibility they respond by stall tactics like pretending climate change isn't real so people waste time proving it to them.

The rent is too damn high!

The Czechs have you covered the Moroists for Themselves are in the national parliament.

Gas prices still come second to "owning the libs"

Stepbro, I'm stuck in the Hormuz strait!

1960s "That didn't happen" Early(ish) research on climate change is buried.

1970s "And if it did, it wasn't that bad." Severity of impacts downplayed

1980s "And if it was, it's not a big deal." Oil companies form a coalition to oppose regulation."

1990s "And if it is, it wasn't my fault." Think tanks begin switch to accepting climate change but rejecting it's anthropogenic nature."

2000s "And if it was, I didn't mean it." Oil companies try to disavow their earlier knowledge of research, engage in greenwashing.

2010s "And if I did, you deserved it." BP, among others, encourages consumers to limit their carbon footprint to save the environment, despite the fact that the majority of contribution is from industrial and commercial sources.

This timeline is sloppy. There's a lot of overlap. I'm more trying to paint a picture of what happened. In reality, the research is older. Some parties are still trying to argue the climate either isn't changing or that the earth is getting colder. Chaos is an important part of disinformation.

Shaking my head my head

I like to imagine how the world would look if socialized healthcare were idealized the same way as oil/guns:

"Come and take it! 💉"

"We call 911!"

"A healthy society is a polite society"

"Better to have healthcare and not need it than to need healtcare and not have it."

"Heal, baby, heal!"

"Health is wealth."

"Domestic healthcare. National strength."

"More coverage, more jobs."

"Lower costs start with public health."