What if you told your neighbour, you were dumping used motor oil in the local river? They'd think you were a monster. Yet, we apply this same absurd logic to our carbon emissions every day, and our neighbours just nod along. Why? In this talk, we delve into the uncomfortable patterns of climate inaction. Despite our genuine desire for a sustainable world, we live in a state of painful dissonance—a "chafing" between our values and our actions. To cope, we've become experts at telling ourselves clever lies. This talk exposes the most common and deceptive excuses we use to justify our high-impact lifestyles. It's not about shaming, but about revealing the flawed reasoning that keeps us stuck. This talk is a wake-up call. It is about the annoying truth that will set you free. Maria is Associate Professor of Rhetoric at Södertörn University. She is known for her research on how we think and reason around goal conflicts, tensions, value clashes, and major societal challenges especially related to climate change and sustainability. In her research and outreach, Maria asks why we have strong climate knowledge and engagement yet high per capita emissions. She is a passionate communicator, contributing with her time as a driving force behind Researchers’ Desk. This talk was given at a TEDx event using the TED conference format but independently organized by a local community. Learn more at https://www.ted.com/tedx