3 ms·

I think it's OK to say "hey we need to really think about our usage of pesticides" and less ok to say "anyone with eyeballs can tell". I don't recall there bei

I think it's OK to say "hey we need to really think about our usage of pesticides" and less ok to say "anyone with eyeballs can tell". I don't recall there being more/ less insects at any given point in my life, I haven't noticed anything at all in that regard. I'm completely willing to believe that insecticide use is bad and that there are less insects, fwiw.

mandmandam 5y ago
> I haven't noticed anything at all in that regard. ... My jaw drops. Try not to be too offended, but, do you go outside? Do you have eyes and ears, to see the extreme drop-off in bees, moths, fireflies, crickets, mantises? Do you really have no experience with other people talking about this stuff? I can't think of anywhere on the planet where these issues could have passed you by.
- esyir 5y ago
  I'm in one of the heaviest pesticide laden areas of the world. I haven't noticed any notable drop.
- staticassertion 5y ago
  I've lived in numerous parts of the US, hiked and camped, and traveled across Europe. I don't think insects have ever come up as a conversation of topic. I'm not really offended at all because, again, I don't find this whole type of argument to be compelling or valid. You're also entirely off base in your implication that I don't go outside (this last year is obviously exceptional). It's interesting that this seems to come up for you quite a lot, but I don't find it compelling in terms of evidence, which is what I stated earlier. Again, I'm entirely willing to believe (and would even naively assume) that pesticides and human behavior have negatively impacted insect populations, even greatly so. But "open your eyes" and "do you go outside?" are not helping anyone.
- pfdietz 5y ago
  > ... My jaw drops Apparently anecdotal evidence is only valid when it agrees with you. You see the problem now with the "open your eyeballs" approach to science?

mandmandam 5y ago

> I haven't noticed anything at all in that regard. ... My jaw drops. Try not to be too offended, but, do you go outside? Do you have eyes and ears, to see the extreme drop-off in bees, moths, fireflies, crickets, mantises? Do you really have no experience with other people talking about this stuff? I can't think of anywhere on the planet where these issues could have passed you by.

esyir 5y ago
I'm in one of the heaviest pesticide laden areas of the world. I haven't noticed any notable drop.
staticassertion 5y ago
I've lived in numerous parts of the US, hiked and camped, and traveled across Europe. I don't think insects have ever come up as a conversation of topic. I'm not really offended at all because, again, I don't find this whole type of argument to be compelling or valid. You're also entirely off base in your implication that I don't go outside (this last year is obviously exceptional). It's interesting that this seems to come up for you quite a lot, but I don't find it compelling in terms of evidence, which is what I stated earlier. Again, I'm entirely willing to believe (and would even naively assume) that pesticides and human behavior have negatively impacted insect populations, even greatly so. But "open your eyes" and "do you go outside?" are not helping anyone.
pfdietz 5y ago
> ... My jaw drops Apparently anecdotal evidence is only valid when it agrees with you. You see the problem now with the "open your eyeballs" approach to science?