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It's interesting to compare and contrast climate change and nuclear war. When I grew up it was common knowledge that the world could end at any point in time vi

It's interesting to compare and contrast climate change and nuclear war. When I grew up it was common knowledge that the world could end at any point in time via nuclear holocaust. It was more or less the most direct existential threat to humanity the world had ever seen. It did spawn some nihilistic artistic movements and general detachment, but I'd say that the anxiety people felt was much lower than what you hear from the younger generations re: climate change. Even on this site, you'll see many people say that they don't want to have kids because of climate change. I don't recall people in the 80s saying they wouldn't reproduce due to the future threat of nuclear war. I'm not sure what the exact cause is but I suspect it has something to do with the how the different generations process authority and media messaging. Earlier generations being much more skeptical of what they are told.

delecti 7y ago
Having kids didn't make nuclear war more likely. Having kids does increase your effective carbon footprint.
- dragonwriter 7y ago
  > Having kids does increase your effective carbon footprint. Only for an odd definition of “your”.
hjkthkrleh 7y ago
> how the different generations process authority and media messaging The big difference is that the current generation gets it's information from Instagram/..., from peers, not authority, thus at the same time they can be skeptical of authority while totally believing whatever circulates on Instagram (for example the recent fake fact how "Amazon, the lungs of the planet, are burning", the fake fact being that Amazon generates 20% of the world oxygen)
- goatlover 7y ago
  Also the fake fact that the Amazon rain forest was being burned down instead of an increased fraction of the forest was being burned this year to clear for more farmland over decline in the percentage in recent years. Which is an issue, because it's best if as much of the Amazon is preserved as possible, but not the apocalyptic one of the entire rainforest going up in smoke.
deleted 7y ago
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delecti 7y ago

Having kids didn't make nuclear war more likely. Having kids does increase your effective carbon footprint.

dragonwriter 7y ago
> Having kids does increase your effective carbon footprint. Only for an odd definition of “your”.

hjkthkrleh 7y ago

> how the different generations process authority and media messaging The big difference is that the current generation gets it's information from Instagram/..., from peers, not authority, thus at the same time they can be skeptical of authority while totally believing whatever circulates on Instagram (for example the recent fake fact how "Amazon, the lungs of the planet, are burning", the fake fact being that Amazon generates 20% of the world oxygen)

goatlover 7y ago
Also the fake fact that the Amazon rain forest was being burned down instead of an increased fraction of the forest was being burned this year to clear for more farmland over decline in the percentage in recent years. Which is an issue, because it's best if as much of the Amazon is preserved as possible, but not the apocalyptic one of the entire rainforest going up in smoke.

deleted 7y ago

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