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Nihil

(13,508 posts)
23. Spot on - "a choiceless choice" due to the nature of our belief in exceptionalism
Fri Jan 4, 2013, 06:18 AM
Jan 2013

> Because we are so invested in our 10,000 year old story of human exceptionalism,
> we will not make any choice that might result in such a decline.

> Without fossil fuels we can't maintain our existing population or the civilization that
> supports us. We need that much energy to support this level of organization and
> activity for this many people. Without fossil fuel we would have only 13% of the energy
> we currently enjoy - assuming we could even maintain industrial-scale hydro and
> nuclear power without oil or gas.

> So what do we do? Well, we probably just muddle along doing whatever we think
> might be useful, as we usually do.

Three excellent points there (albeit re-arranged from your original order).

"We" (i.e., the leaders of the nations in our global society) will deliberately choose
not to take appropriate action to reduce or offset the medium-term future crash
because of the risk of losing money and/or power in the very short term.

"We" will justify this pathetic inaction - ironically wasting even more resources
with each pointless exotic jolly for petty politicians - by thinly-disguised prayers
to the gods of "economy", "progress" and "future technology" whilst knowing full well
that every deferral, every obstacle, every call for "additional studies" not only brings
the crunch point closer (by maintaining BAU) but makes the pain more intense
and longer-lasting (by avoiding preparation).

Thanks OKIsItJustMe Jan 2013 #1
That sucking sound you hear GliderGuider Jan 2013 #2
I forwarded the Nature article off to Governor Cuomo OKIsItJustMe Jan 2013 #5
Good! The more ammunition they have against fracking, the better. nt GliderGuider Jan 2013 #8
I hope we have another Sandy ... (sort of) Vox Moi Jan 2013 #3
Looks like the gas-lovers who badmouthed the Cornell study NickB79 Jan 2013 #4
Well, to be generous… OKIsItJustMe Jan 2013 #7
That was the first thing I thought of, too. joshcryer Jan 2013 #18
Here's why I think we face a choiceless choice GliderGuider Jan 2013 #6
It's not a “choiceless choice” OKIsItJustMe Jan 2013 #9
We will not make the choice to undergo that degree of sacrifice. GliderGuider Jan 2013 #10
I don’t see where that necessarily follows… OKIsItJustMe Jan 2013 #15
You have to start somewhere? GliderGuider Jan 2013 #16
EU makes up 15% of global electrical consumption. joshcryer Jan 2013 #25
You'll pry the new smartphone I buy every 18 months from my cold, dead hands NoOneMan Jan 2013 #11
It's OK, I can wait... nt GliderGuider Jan 2013 #12
Sounds like a personal problem to me OKIsItJustMe Jan 2013 #13
Me neither NoOneMan Jan 2013 #14
Even as inhospitable as the results from IPCC RCP8.5 and the A1FI scenarios, CRH Jan 2013 #19
Yeah, I expect things to unravel a lot sooner than 2100 myself. GliderGuider Jan 2013 #20
Can't be said better than that. n/t CRH Jan 2013 #21
Funny you should mention Kevin Anderson, ... CRH Jan 2013 #28
Spot on - "a choiceless choice" due to the nature of our belief in exceptionalism Nihil Jan 2013 #23
This was being denied here just a few weeks back. joshcryer Jan 2013 #17
In that case the denial was probably the indirect defence of the wind industry ... Nihil Jan 2013 #22
That would be my assessment, too. joshcryer Jan 2013 #24
Oh, hey, the next line of defense will be that methane is a natural substance. djean111 Jan 2013 #26
seaQuest DSV. joshcryer Jan 2013 #27
Does anyone know if the leakage, ... CRH Jan 2013 #29
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