Amazon Death 2019

[ancianita]

From 1,700 miles away, smoke plunged Sao Paolo into night.

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[lambchopp59]

1. Ele Nao Ele Nunca

[ancianita]

2. La gente come al elefante de la destruccin un bocado a la vez. Destruyen un bosque a la vez.

[sandensea]

3. Bolsonazi the Amazonazi

Besides the strictly political (Bolso's being an unreconstructed fascist), Bolsonaro's a good example of the Law of Unintended Consequences.

This takes us to the one biggest recent U.S. mistake in Latin America policy:

The encouragement of right-wing "alternatives" to the center-left administrations in office across much of Latin America a decade ago.

The targeted governments were no "commies": most created a veritable business boom - after 20 years of stagnation in most of these countries - with 4%+ growth for 10 years (2003-13).

The most prominent victim of this policy - instigated by neo-con elements in State and the intelligence agencies - was Brazil's Worker's Party.

First, by helping the right-wing majority in Brazil's Congress mount a parliamenary coup against Dilma Rousseff in 2016 - and then by helping Moro and Dallagnol (far-right judge and prosecutor) railroad Lula da Silva in 2018.

As you know, putting Lula in jail directly led to Bolsonazi in power.

Had Lula been allowed to run, he would've mopped the floor with Bolso (up 20%+ in most polls) - and the Amazon wouldn't be going through this onslaught right now.

But that's the world we live in.

[ancianita]

4. Thank you for your great summary. It's monsoon season, too, another reason locals light fires.

There's such a spread of irresponsibility or self interest that damages the world, that scofflaws are running the world.

[sandensea]

5. You're welcome - and well said, as always.

Such is the world we live in, as you know.

[ancianita]

6. ...

On the other hand, understanding is the booby prize.

Now what. That's the next question.

[sandensea]

7. In Brazil's case, elections aren't until 2022.

A small eternity in politics, yes - but there are signs of hope in the region.

Take last week's elections in Argentina:

Macri (a longtime Trump friend and fellow-traveler) was given a drubbing - after spending four years weaponizing the judiciary against opponents and McCarthying them non-stop.

All the while, pro-government media kept calling on the opposition to "be responsible" - i.e. sit back and take it, while the president is steamrolling and railroading them.

Once the 2019 campaign season began, the opposition instead opted to campaign on Macri's own record: wild inflation, deep recession, a debt crisis, an IMF bailout, and a massive state-sponsored banking heist.

Macri's sole strategy was basically to red-herring his opponents as much as he could.

But ultimately, voters looked at the record - and gave the opposition (Beto Fernández) a 16% margin of victory. Macri may even resign before his term ends in December, such was the defeat.

Bolso's approval ratings are, you may have heard, almost as low as his friend Macri (whom he and Trump both loudly endorsed). He may just end up the same way.

[0rganism]

8. how strange to be with you all here at the end of the line

in some ways, i almost feel privileged to see the final years of mammalian life on Earth, but mostly i just get real sad.

[ancianita]

9. I feel you.

[0rganism]

10. maybe our purpose on this planet is to serve as a warning to others

fast as the decline has been, i'm glad this is all extremely well-documented
there may be AI or insectoid life that follows us up, such information could prove extremely useful to them

[ancianita]

11. I've decided that the purpose of our life is in the striving.

We just took a wrong turn into the self destruction cul de sac.

[0rganism]

12. i hope there's something for life to strive for going forward

way too easy for life to get into that cul de sac, it needs to be clearly marked as a dead end

[ancianita]

13. You'd think evolution would work that way, but

Mother Nature’s like, “Nah, you apex predators have to learn the hard way when you kill your own.”

[0rganism]

14. that's why i hope the next sentient dominant species takes our situation seriously

we failed, maybe the next bunch can learn from our example and avoid the same pitfalls

[ancianita]

15. Pretty sure sentience will be off the evolution tree. Mother

Nature lets the dead stay dead.

Have you seen all the cul de sacs?

The most sentient beings will be chimps and dogs. If we haven’t killed them off with us.

[0rganism]

16. dunno, seems like it could happen again

maybe a hive mind of insects or artificial life could handle it better than we did

[ancianita]

17. Right. Sentience. But consciousness is out.