This is a poor metaphor. A lot of the CO2 is for producing stuff for the western world. So your neighbor is saying: If I don't beat my kids, they won't come

This is a poor metaphor. A lot of the CO2 is for producing stuff for the western world. So your neighbor is saying: If I don't beat my kids, they won't come over to you and do slave work, and you'll have to beat your own kids again. Or we can just agree that this metaphor doesn't work.