The Climate vs. Capitalism

Heres a good and long article by Naomi Klein about why right wing idealists are so adamant that climate change is a myth and what it means for our economic ideologies if we want to get serious about slowing global warming. Its a good read.

http://www.thenation.com/article/164497/ca...limate?page=0,0

Heres a good and long article by Naomi Klein about why right wing idealists are so adamant that climate change is a myth and what it means for our economic ideologies if we want to get serious about slowing global warming. Its a good read.

 

http://www.thenation.com/article/164497/ca...limate?page=0,0

Thanks for the link.

It was a very good article... but boy did it make me angry.

Telling a consumerist about climate change is like telling an African about the dangers of AIDS while he is in the middle of a shag. (33 million people in the world have HIV and 22 million of them live in Africa).

Telling a consumerist about climate change is like telling an African about the dangers of AIDS while he is in the middle of a shag. (33 million people in the world have HIV and 22 million of them live in Africa).

Don't really see the analogy....

Don't really see the analogy....

That's the problem!

I remember being in Los Angeles in the '80s and passing huge signs on the freeways made up of thousands of lighbulbs that lit up to say "Save Energy!"

Don't try to convince a man driving a huge car and with a massive house that needs a lot of heating and air-conditioning that he should reduce his energy consumption. He's having too good a time!

That's the problem!

 

 

I remember being in Los Angeles in the '80s and passing huge signs on the freeways made up of thousands of lighbulbs that lit up to say "Save Energy!"

Don't try to convince a man driving a huge car and with a massive house that needs a lot of heating and air-conditioning that he should reduce his energy consumption. He's having too good a time!

Probably a bit more PC...

Well John, some people would stop mid shag and reevaluate. Enough of them? Probably not but it's better than sitting on your butt ranting about it. And you are absolutely right in that people in the developed world (aka rich enough) do consume more and emit more carbon. A change in lifestyle is in order. The problem is the developing world wants to emulate the developed. China should've stayed with the bicycle tranport of the pre 80s era. We have to stop specializing our equipment. In the 80s as a teen, I had a pair of shoes for sports, trainers, which also double dutied as my casual sneaks! In the 90s, I had one for each sport (4), 3 for running in different terrains etc. We've been programmed to want more like sheep!

Fortunately , it's bad economic times that people consume less. However, there are enough people with the resources as a market that slowdowns almost don't matter.

Bleak but the good news is it is possible to change.

At the end of the day its like Naomi says, its not about reducing our carbon footprint or changing governments, its about completely revolutionizing the basis of our civilization, our kids are going to be living in a very different world then us, and it could be scary... I just think some common sense is in order, ie localizing food production and using more sustainable energy and consuming less would be a good step forward, change is possible, its just a matter of how shitty the world is going to get in the meantime... Unfortunately for China and India theres not enough room in the world for them to achieve the western standard of living, sad but true... Free market capitalism IMHO is a myth, and america needs to get over the fact that big corporate interest are not steering our world in the right direction.

In the 80s as a teen, I had a pair of shoes for sports, trainers, which also double dutied as my casual sneaks! In the 90s, I had one for each sport (4), 3 for running in different terrains etc. We've been programmed to want more like sheep!

How about I give you 10 pairs of sneakers for that new RED setup you have.

I have just finished reading the Red Azaleah and The Court of the Red Czar. We must thank Mao Zedong and Jo Stalin for keeping their populations out of the market for so long!

50 years of post-War communism made me rich!

Too late Jeff. It's gone. Try again in 4 mths Plus you wouldn't like it anyways... you have to use PL or Canon lenses for best results.

China should've stayed with the bicycle tranport of the pre 80s era.

Who gets to decide where everyone else has to stop on the road to a greater standard of living? If carbon emissions must be reduced, is it an absolute number for each person or is it a percentage?

We have a "global" issue, but someone decided to give China and India a pass in Kyoto. What's the point?

If we could only get rid of this free market capitalism nonsense, the world would have less carbon emissions. And no dive industry. And no Red cameras to lust after, since no one would have created it.

That's about right, George. The world doesn't want to change. Even those who do try to change aren't doing enough. I've calculated I've cut my CO2 emissions 35% from just 8 years ago, with fewer flights, trips and purchases etc. Compared to a villager in say the Transkei in South Africa or Indonesia, I'm still about x00k% over him.

That's about right, George. The world doesn't want to change. Even those who do try to change aren't doing enough. I've calculated I've cut my CO2 emissions 35% from just 8 years ago, with fewer flights, trips and purchases etc. Compared to a villager in say the Transkei in South Africa or Indonesia, I'm still about x00k% over him.

You damn 1%-er you!

Actually I don't think I do qualify, what's the cut off? I was down at Occupy LA but no one could tell me the exact figure.

Then again, it was so confusing there that I'm glad they didn't go the way of Zuccotti Park and work with hand signals!

Well John, some people would stop mid shag and reevaluate.

The skills of the Hollywood porno star are not available to most of us...

... coitus photographicus?

Tim

Sigh.. the decline of civilization now starts with the forums!