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> I hold an unpopular opinion that this kind of activism is fundamentally the same quest for transcendent meaning as one finds in radical Islam. I would believ
by rsj_hn 4y ago
> I hold an unpopular opinion that this kind of activism is fundamentally the same quest for transcendent meaning as one finds in radical Islam.
I would believe that more if it weren't constantly done in front of TV cameras. This is about drawing attention to yourself because you can't convince someone with rational arguments.
It is, ultimately, a tantrum as most of the world doesn't find their message convincing.
The world needs fossil fuels, as Europe is discovering right now. Rich kids vandalizing art doesn't change the fundamental reality that fertilizer is made from natural gas and higher fossil fuel prices cause mass starvation - millions or billions would die if we stopped producing synthetic fertilizer from natural gas. And the price of natural gas directly drives the price of the food that the global south needs to buy each day. It's one thing for a London Art Student to say "I'm willing to pay more for bread", but it's quite another thing to impose those higher prices on the global South, as commodities are sold in a global market.
That trumps whatever performative display these children throw.
If they wanted to do things in a serious manner, they would work on developing technologies that would allow the world to create fertilizers, heat homes, and power industry in a cost effective way with alternate mechanisms. And if they lacked the skills to do that, they could fund the work of others to find feasible replacements. Ultimately it's technology, rather than tantrums, that will determine how food is grown and factories are powered.
- nextaccountic 4y ago> millions or billions would die if we stopped producing synthetic fertilizer from natural gas Millions or billions will die if global temperatures continue to rise.
- 0x_rs 4y agoIt's interesting to me how this post is greyed out but the vacuous "ugh" reply is not.
- omginternets 4y ago>I would believe that more if it weren't constantly done in front of TV cameras. This is about drawing attention to yourself because you can't convince someone with rational arguments. I don't disagree. I don't think the two are mutually-exclusive. The public performance is very much part of the quest for transcendence, and has its equivalents in the other forms of radical ideology. > Ultimately it's technology, rather than tantrums, that will determine how food is grown and factories are powered. Quite. And to your point, the interesting question now becomes: why are they throwing tantrums instead of useful work? Every theory I have seen falls into one of two buckets: 1. They're incapable of it, or being undermined 2. It's not actually a solution they're after I think it's overwhelmingly #2. Moreover, I think the thing they're actually looking for is exactly transcendent meaning. >fertilizer is made from natural gas P.S.: Is this true? I can see how it could be, but I was not aware of this. That's quite ironic, if indeed true.
- GekkePrutser 4y ago> fertilizer is made from natural gas I wasn't aware of this but does it really contribute to global warming? It's not burned and its alternatives aren't much better. After all, manure is probably even worse. The same way using fossil fuels for plastic isn't so bad if we recycle it because it doesn't end up in the atmosphere.
- Schroedingersat 4y agoThe hydrogen is cracked off and the CO2 is vented. Plus every kg of extracted methane is accompanied a few hundred grams of fugitive methane which is equivalent to another 1-2 kg of CO2. Luckily electrolysis will soon be cheaper in parts of the world (or everywhere if we priced in externalities).