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Because for many people (this author included), this topic is akin to a religion, complete with holy literature (sci-fi) and a high priesthood (scientists and s
by disneygibson 5y ago
Because for many people (this author included), this topic is akin to a religion, complete with holy literature (sci-fi) and a high priesthood (scientists and sci-fi writers.) So when a "god" like Stephenson (the word god is used in the article to describe him) doesn't preach about the imminent End of Times, everyone gets nervous.
If you think I'm exaggerating, here is an excerpt:
But a few weeks ago, at dinner, a conversation with my teenage son went awry. I was trying to talk to him about possible college plans, and he wouldn't engage. I pushed. We gotta get started, I explained. Applications. Money. Campus visits.
And he said, “Frankly, I just feel sort of nihilistic about it.”
I followed up. About what?
Well, it turned out—the whole thing, really. College, jobs, the ecosphere, the future. The boomers blasted it all into oblivion while Gen X screwed around on the internet.
Here's where I blew it. Instead of giving him the we're-all-in-this-together-change-the-future speech, I said, “Kiddo, I think there's a chance that when all this shakes out, some people will get to be inside the dome and most people won't, and I'm just hoping you'll get inside the dome before they shut the door.”
Like I said, cultish.
- krageon 5y agoI don't understand what that quote is supposed to tell the reader about cultish behaviour.
- disneygibson 5y agoI will add more of the quote. The author was talking to his son, who was feeling unmotivated about going to college because the world was ending soon. The author's reply was the section I quoted.
- krageon 5y agoWithin this context it reads as a father instructing his child about the importance of learning so they can recognise opportunity when it arises. Is it culty because of the dome?
- disneygibson 5y agoThe exact same conversation could be had at an obscure religious cult ranch in the middle of the desert. Remember, these people are completely serious. “Dad, I’m depressed and unmotivated about going to college.” “Son, the world is ending in the near future in sci-fi fashion and I want to make sure you survive in the dome.” No matter how bad climate change is, I can assure you, we won’t be living in a dome to escape the hellscape in 20 years. People who believe this are exhibiting cultish behavior.
- rini17 5y agoDo you have anything to support the assurance? If we have to spend whole lives indoors with A/C and CO2 scrubbers that is practically as bad as the domes. (It is likely that elevated CO2 levels will harm human cognition, it isn't widely known probably because it's too depressing. There are counterarguments like "oh that happens only above 1000ppm we're far from that" but they're based only on short-term experiments.)
- disneygibson 5y agoDo you honestly believe that everyone will spend their lives inside an air conditioned room and with CO2 scrubbers? My assurance is reality. Reality isn’t a science fiction novel. Interestingly you only get these absurd predictions from a very narrow group of people, which lines up quite well with what my original comment said. It’s a religious movement, not an accurate assessment of climate science.
- rini17 5y agoThe reality is that worldwide CO2 production isn't going to decline anytime soon. What's absurd about predicting that? And if it's only agenda of narrow group of people, where are the majority voices supported by research?
- disneygibson 5y ago
- justin66 5y agoHumor and hyperbole (both of which you've apparently failed to recognize) are not the central traits of cults.
- disneygibson 5y agoThe author uses the word apocalypse at least five times in the article. I don’t think he was being hyperbolic.
- deleted 5y ago[deleted]