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I'm increasingly getting worried about the stability of the current situation. We have a tremendous collapse of the construction industry (housing starts at a 5

I'm increasingly getting worried about the stability of the current situation. We have a tremendous collapse of the construction industry (housing starts at a 50 year low, at least here in germany) and many commentators are predicting ever increasing rents. This in the face of a fertility collapse across the developed world and a rapidly aging population. Most of the youth is waking up to the idea their pensions will be worthless when it comes retirement age. A lot of social services are feeling the strain (and exploding costs). It really is the biggest issue of our generation.

hotpotamus 3y ago
If I was a kid today, I'd be pissed about those things yes, but I'd be more pissed that we're destabilizing the global climate system. I'm not so surprised about the fertility collapse; I'm more surprised that anyone still has children at all.
- dpeckett 3y ago
  Ironically enough I'm more optimistic we can mitigate the worst impacts of climate change (as it's more of an engineering and technology issue). Sure the transition will be expensive but we're making solid progress [1] and we still have a bunch of unused tools in our tool belt (geoengineering, cloud brightening, carbon capture etc). Demographically (and by proxy politically) though things are far from improving, we are just getting started. Just look at the massive social unrest caused by European states attempting to raise pension ages. God forbid we try and unwind some of the ZIRP associated housing inflation (in a democracy where the older homeowners hold a political majority it will never happen willingly). 1. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pvlq3oMvEm8 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pvlq3oMvEm8
  - hotpotamus 3y ago
    I live in South Texas and the heat this year really broke me. And we're not exactly that far into the climate change experience. I feel like if you don't live in the heat, then it's a lot easier to dismiss it. And globally speaking, carbon emissions only ever increase. I don't disagree that there are potential engineering solutions and the advancement of green energy has been quite impressive. I myself plan on getting an electric car likely before this year is done to hopefully reduce my personal transportation emissions. I feel that it's all too late however. I've always found it odd that societal/financial problems are seen as insurmountable when they are really just human inventions; we could forgive all/some portion of debts, and all the people and infrastructure who exist today would be exactly the same tomorrow. But the very air we breathe contains a third more carbon today than it did when my parents were born; it's an awesome (in the bad way) feat of humanity that we've altered the very atmosphere of our planet in such a dramatic fashion, and there's no simple way to remove it.
    - dpeckett 3y ago
      Yeh I live in Germany but was born in inland Australia, most people have no idea how crushing heat can become (part of why I'm living somewhere more temperate). I suspect geoengineering will be on the table a lot sooner than most expect, in-fact it's already quietly underway [1]. > I've always found it odd that societal/financial problems are seen as insurmountable when they are really just human inventions. Very true! 1. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qjya_arTWjs https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qjya_arTWjs

hotpotamus 3y ago

If I was a kid today, I'd be pissed about those things yes, but I'd be more pissed that we're destabilizing the global climate system. I'm not so surprised about the fertility collapse; I'm more surprised that anyone still has children at all.

dpeckett 3y ago
Ironically enough I'm more optimistic we can mitigate the worst impacts of climate change (as it's more of an engineering and technology issue). Sure the transition will be expensive but we're making solid progress [1] and we still have a bunch of unused tools in our tool belt (geoengineering, cloud brightening, carbon capture etc). Demographically (and by proxy politically) though things are far from improving, we are just getting started. Just look at the massive social unrest caused by European states attempting to raise pension ages. God forbid we try and unwind some of the ZIRP associated housing inflation (in a democracy where the older homeowners hold a political majority it will never happen willingly). 1. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pvlq3oMvEm8 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pvlq3oMvEm8
- hotpotamus 3y ago
  I live in South Texas and the heat this year really broke me. And we're not exactly that far into the climate change experience. I feel like if you don't live in the heat, then it's a lot easier to dismiss it. And globally speaking, carbon emissions only ever increase. I don't disagree that there are potential engineering solutions and the advancement of green energy has been quite impressive. I myself plan on getting an electric car likely before this year is done to hopefully reduce my personal transportation emissions. I feel that it's all too late however. I've always found it odd that societal/financial problems are seen as insurmountable when they are really just human inventions; we could forgive all/some portion of debts, and all the people and infrastructure who exist today would be exactly the same tomorrow. But the very air we breathe contains a third more carbon today than it did when my parents were born; it's an awesome (in the bad way) feat of humanity that we've altered the very atmosphere of our planet in such a dramatic fashion, and there's no simple way to remove it.
  - dpeckett 3y ago
    Yeh I live in Germany but was born in inland Australia, most people have no idea how crushing heat can become (part of why I'm living somewhere more temperate). I suspect geoengineering will be on the table a lot sooner than most expect, in-fact it's already quietly underway [1]. > I've always found it odd that societal/financial problems are seen as insurmountable when they are really just human inventions. Very true! 1. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qjya_arTWjs https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qjya_arTWjs