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The entire "it kills birds" feels like such a canard, to me. I don't understand to whom this kind of appeal is directed. It seems to me that the primary inter
by hotsauceror 3y ago
The entire "it kills birds" feels like such a canard, to me. I don't understand to whom this kind of appeal is directed. It seems to me that the primary interests at stake are 1) the myriad financial interests in the extraction, distribution, and consumption of petroleum-based energy products, and 2) the negative impact on the environment of these same activities.
So let's just have that discussion, on those terms?
I cannot believe that someone like Donald Trump, for example, actually gives a shit about birds, and that that is what informs his opposition to the use of wind turbines. It seems unlikely, although possible, that that argument would persuade others of a like mind? And there have been other, similarly pitiful positions advanced, such as that an increase in the use of solar and wind power increases our exposure to UV radiation and skin cancer, from the sun?
I just don't understand why these arguments are made, and to whom. I cannot imagine that either 1) they would convince anyone who cares about the debate, or 2) that the population of people who WOULD be convinced by such arguments, would amount to much - either in the size of the population or the force of their support.
- djleni 3y agoBased on the people I’ve heard make points like this, I don’t think it does convince anyone. I think this type of argument fills a totally different role: “I don’t believe or care about climate change and would like to keep my life as is, but this creates cognitive dissonance when someone shows it’s bad. I can use this argument to say your idea is as bad too! Dissonance lessened.” At least when I’ve heard it it’s that context. The person saying it doesn’t really care if it’s accurate or equivalently bad, just that they have a gotcha to say when presented evidence for wind being good.
- hotsauceror 3y agoYes, right. It seems like some sort of desperate, last-minute thing to fling in someone's face. "Oh yeah? If you care about nature so much how come you're in favor of these giant things that slaughter birds? I guess we can safely disregard all your arguments."
- jiggawatts 3y agoDonald Trump specifically hates windmills because they were being installed off-shore near one of the golf resorts that he owns, and he felt that it was "ruining the view". So basically it's a billionaire complaining that we should stop saving the entire planet because his millionaire friends might not get a pristine view of the ocean at their exclusive club. The bird thing is just a talking point he latched onto.
- hotsauceror 3y agoTo be fair though, there were similar complaints when they wanted to put a wind farm off of Cape Cod or Martha’s Vineyard or some wealthy leftist outpost like that. As you say, rich people don’t want their view spoiled.