29 ms·
Maybe, but I just don't understand how a politician can come up with a plan like this: "Hey, you know what, why don't we make everything more expensive, so tha
by Udik 8y ago
Maybe, but I just don't understand how a politician can come up with a plan like this:
"Hey, you know what, why don't we make everything more expensive, so that we can do more than everybody else in solving a problem that is global, is caused mostly by other people, and doesn't really affect us that much yet?"
I mean, there are things you do because you have to do them, because they're the right thing: and yet maybe they're not what excites you most. Especially when you're trying to sell the idea to a continent that has much more serious, immediate, specific problems: increasing divide between rich and poor regions, excessive regulation, corruption, falling economic competitiveness, negligible political weight on a global scale, etc. To me, the fact that a problem so vast and abstract is put in front of others, so obvious and compelling, is already the sign of a serious departure from reality.
- ForHackernews 8y agoThe reasoning you're outlining is pretty much why I don't think climate change will be addressed in any meaningful way. The recent UN report says we have 11 years to cut global emissions by 50%. It's extremely unlikely that will happen: https://www.vox.com/2016/10/4/13118594/2-degrees-no-more-fossil-fuels https://www.vox.com/2016/10/4/13118594/2-degrees-no-more-fos... As you say, everyone will continue focusing on "immediate, specific" problems, and then it will be too late (if it's not too late already). Our children and grandchildren will suffer droughts, wars and famines for our short-sightedness.
- lixtra 8y agoNumber one reason for our grandchildren to suffer will be that there are so many of them. As long as the population grows without limit you will have wars and famines eventually.
- bobthechef 8y agoA lot of that "overpopulation" scaremongering is purely simplistic Malthusian nonsense. Consumption doesn't scale like that with population. Per capita, large families are more efficient. Besides, the population is predicted to hit a maximum of 9 billion, and the EU is aging rapidly which is a major problem. Instead of peddling unimaginative and lazy claims about overpopulation, people should focus on real issues like the glut of consumerism and the grotesque waste of very large quantities of food.
- ForHackernews 8y agoDeveloped countries where women control their own fertility don't have an overpopulation problem. Maybe we could help other nations reach those milestones? But again, realistically, not enough time.
- frabbit 8y agowhy don't we make everything more expensive What is wrong with making things expensive? There are too many things being produced. If we are staying with a market solution then the only way to reduce consumption and its consequences is to price appropriately to achieve the desired behavior. a problem that is global, is caused mostly by other people Europe is a leading contributor to GHG emissions. It absolutely needs to reduce its own emissions. This will have a major impact on the developing economies. a continent that has much more serious, immediate, specific problems A decade to avoid the destruction of the comfortable, profitable and cosy climate we have known for millenia seems pretty damn pressing to me. You won't have to worry about any of the other trivial issues you list if it isn't sorted out. I honestly do not know why there is not mass panic right now.
- ForHackernews 8y agohttps://rebellion.earth/ https://rebellion.earth/