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But what individual can afford to think 50-80 years in the future? People have to do what is best for them in their life time. To be able to think 50-80 years

But what individual can afford to think 50-80 years in the future? People have to do what is best for them in their life time. To be able to think 50-80 years in the future is just an incredible luxury most do not have, particularly most small farmers, and particularly, I would think, most small farmers in a developing country.

mikewarot 5y ago
>But what individual can afford to think 50-80 years in the future? Parents think that far into the future, as do thoughtful members of a productive society. MBA driven obsession with the next quarterly earnings report isn't a universal infection, yet, thank goodness.
- tpoacher 5y ago
  In defense of the parent poster, they're making an altogether different point. Their point, as I take it, is that investing in future welfare at the risk of current welfare rarely makes sense to people's minds, and in fact often jeopardizes future welfare as well as current, due to the fact that any harm it causes now may in fact carry over into the future. What you're talking about, on the other hand, is about corporate greed and indifference. Very different scenario. E.g. A struggling parent buying cheap bread for their kids today rather than starving them for a month to save money and feed them more nutritious food later, is not the kind of decision one would attribute to MBA driven obsessions. Nor is this parent a worse parent than a more affluent one who can afford such an investment without starving their children.
  - pawelmurias 5y ago
    They are a worse parent than an identical but more affluent parent.
- lotsofpulp 5y ago
  > Parents think that far into the future, as do thoughtful members of a productive society. Ironically, thinking that far into the future results in many choosing not to become parents.
ceejayoz 5y ago
> People have to do what is best for them in their life time. Kim Stanley Robinson's recent novel "Ministry for the Future" had an interesting take on this; that our future descendants may need legal standing in the court system, and lawyers tasked with defending their needs there.
- kettleballroll 5y ago
  This is are already happening. eg in Germany, young Friday-for-the-future activists won their court case arguing that currently lenient climate goals are unfair to future generations ( https://www.theguardian.com/world/2021/apr/29/historic-german-ruling-says-climate-goals-not-tough-enough https://www.theguardian.com/world/2021/apr/29/historic-germa... )
- genewitch 5y ago
  If this existed (or does) I would seriously consider getting a law degree and passing the bar.
after_care 5y ago
Hopefully nations can think 50-80 years in the future.

mikewarot 5y ago

>But what individual can afford to think 50-80 years in the future? Parents think that far into the future, as do thoughtful members of a productive society. MBA driven obsession with the next quarterly earnings report isn't a universal infection, yet, thank goodness.

tpoacher 5y ago
In defense of the parent poster, they're making an altogether different point. Their point, as I take it, is that investing in future welfare at the risk of current welfare rarely makes sense to people's minds, and in fact often jeopardizes future welfare as well as current, due to the fact that any harm it causes now may in fact carry over into the future. What you're talking about, on the other hand, is about corporate greed and indifference. Very different scenario. E.g. A struggling parent buying cheap bread for their kids today rather than starving them for a month to save money and feed them more nutritious food later, is not the kind of decision one would attribute to MBA driven obsessions. Nor is this parent a worse parent than a more affluent one who can afford such an investment without starving their children.
- pawelmurias 5y ago
  They are a worse parent than an identical but more affluent parent.
lotsofpulp 5y ago
> Parents think that far into the future, as do thoughtful members of a productive society. Ironically, thinking that far into the future results in many choosing not to become parents.

ceejayoz 5y ago

> People have to do what is best for them in their life time. Kim Stanley Robinson's recent novel "Ministry for the Future" had an interesting take on this; that our future descendants may need legal standing in the court system, and lawyers tasked with defending their needs there.

kettleballroll 5y ago
This is are already happening. eg in Germany, young Friday-for-the-future activists won their court case arguing that currently lenient climate goals are unfair to future generations ( https://www.theguardian.com/world/2021/apr/29/historic-german-ruling-says-climate-goals-not-tough-enough https://www.theguardian.com/world/2021/apr/29/historic-germa... )
genewitch 5y ago
If this existed (or does) I would seriously consider getting a law degree and passing the bar.

after_care 5y ago

Hopefully nations can think 50-80 years in the future.