General Discussion

Nihil

(13,508 posts)

87. We affect those things that we can affect.

Thu Sep 11, 2014, 05:49 AM

Sep 2014

I totally agree with you about the difference in scale between what we as individuals
can do and the effect of the war machine (and also the pollution from the extraction
of the fossil fuels themselves, never mind just from burning them).

The underlying problem is greed - the desire to get more of "whatever" for oneself .

The war machine is a means to an end: it uses people & things to feed the greed of the
decision makers.

The overpopulation issue is an accelerant: it amplifies the effect of each individual's greed.

The disparity of wealth is a reinforcement, a positive feedback mechanism that ensures
that the plutarchy stays on top and that their decisions are carried out.

The issue driving all of these is greed ... and that isn't going away until the world changes.

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89 replies

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The Rude Pundit: How Fucked the Climate Is in Two Photos (Updated) [View all] meegbear Sep 2014 OP

The language being used in the scientific community has shifted from prevention to mitigation. Warren Stupidity Sep 2014 #1

Yup. :( LiberalLoner Sep 2014 #3

Nothing wrong with mitigation . . . freedom fighter jh Sep 2014 #13

Exactly, and there are still those, even 'liberals,' who.... blackspade Sep 2014 #2

Like our big brain will get us out of this mess. CrispyQ Sep 2014 #20

"Like our big brain will get us out of this mess." Believe it or not, it can. AverageJoe90 Sep 2014 #42

Only thing is, the latter is actually factually true. AverageJoe90 Sep 2014 #44

Kicked and recommended a whole bunch! Enthusiast Sep 2014 #4

The Fundies will only love this. PADemD Sep 2014 #5

There's gonna be more wailing an teeth-gnashing pscot Sep 2014 #76

K&R secondwind Sep 2014 #6

Imagine Hemingway writing "The Snows of Kilimanjaro" today marym625 Sep 2014 #7

Climbed Kilimanjaro in 1984. The snow and ice were beautiful. Not so much today. kairos12 Sep 2014 #11

so sad marym625 Sep 2014 #12

By the time he wrote it, the glacier Indydem Sep 2014 #24

I realize we started really killing our world marym625 Sep 2014 #28

Depends on how many millennia back you mean to go caraher Sep 2014 #72

hardly any Monarch butterflies on eastern Long Island. Haven't been many in last few years KittyWampus Sep 2014 #8

Same here. tecelote Sep 2014 #17

k&r for the truth, however depressing it may be. n/t Laelth Sep 2014 #9

Anyone who is still surprised GliderGuider Sep 2014 #10

Rachel Carson Dont call me Shirley Sep 2014 #14

Yep people poo pooed Rachael Carson newfie11 Sep 2014 #15

"We'll keep doing what we do until we can't... alterfurz Sep 2014 #16

Good cartoon and so true. Louisiana1976 Sep 2014 #77

Do something? freebrew Sep 2014 #18

A lot of 50+ types saying all the models predict disaster after they're dead so they don't care. Spitfire of ATJ Sep 2014 #19

broadbrush much? way to try to ignite intergenerational fighting magical thyme Sep 2014 #21

I'm part of the 50+ crowd and it's a FACT that many of them are products of the Reagan Era. Spitfire of ATJ Sep 2014 #26

well then speak for yourself and your friends magical thyme Sep 2014 #27

I'm going to REVEAL what we're up against. Otherwise this place becomes a bubble. Spitfire of ATJ Sep 2014 #29

So you think "we're" up against me and my friends? magical thyme Sep 2014 #30

"I live in an area surrounded by 60+ year old organic gardeners and small farmers." Spitfire of ATJ Sep 2014 #31

you're the one in the bubble, and you are broad brushing "us" from your bubble. magical thyme Sep 2014 #34

Off topic, but I love your dressage horse .gif AllyCat Sep 2014 #37

lol, I am a dressage rider and trainer magical thyme Sep 2014 #38

That's awesome! AllyCat Sep 2014 #39

I had a chance to do a little driving when I was 20 or so magical thyme Sep 2014 #41

Oops, embedded response on wrong line. Too lazy to retype! AllyCat Sep 2014 #40

I said "a lot" and you ASSUMED that meant "all" or even "a majority". Spitfire of ATJ Sep 2014 #56

and I said that was painting a lot of people with a "broad brush." You also didn't cite magical thyme Sep 2014 #60

You're damn right I'm painting them with a broad brush.... Spitfire of ATJ Sep 2014 #64

Oh FFS, now you've changed the subject again. First it was over 50s. Now it's white males magical thyme Sep 2014 #65

I'm too busy laughing that you thought I was including you to the point that you got insulted. Spitfire of ATJ Sep 2014 #66

BTW: Keep in mind that a majority of White Males voted for RMoney in the last election. Spitfire of ATJ Sep 2014 #59

so now it's about race and gender instead of age? magical thyme Sep 2014 #61

LOL! You just can't accept that there are A LOT of RWers out there who don't care if earth fries. Spitfire of ATJ Sep 2014 #62

he does have a point BlindTiresias Sep 2014 #54

that's strictly anecdotal and doesn't match my experience at all magical thyme Sep 2014 #58

Well, to be fair to them BlindTiresias Sep 2014 #63

You hang out with a lot of older Republicans? hootinholler Sep 2014 #22

Americans as a whole care about it but not the ones who have the microphones.... Spitfire of ATJ Sep 2014 #25

Look at what they've done to the economy. Similar story. nt Romulox Sep 2014 #23

I'm 52 and can only speak for myself. The unfolding climate disaster terrifies me. lady lib Sep 2014 #33

I'm mid 50s with no kids but I can visualize an extinction level event.... Spitfire of ATJ Sep 2014 #55

51 tazkcmo Sep 2014 #43

I assume everyone HERE cares. Except the trolls. Spitfire of ATJ Sep 2014 #57

Oh. tazkcmo Sep 2014 #70

Not me. chervilant Sep 2014 #67

What gets me are the ones who think it's impossible for mere man to affect "God's creation". Spitfire of ATJ Sep 2014 #81

As well as, chervilant Sep 2014 #89

K&R Tell it like it is Rude. nt raouldukelives Sep 2014 #32

the sad thing is BobbyBoring Sep 2014 #35

But Al Gore has a big house, and he flies in a plane! OnyxCollie Sep 2014 #36

The essential problem, SheilaT Sep 2014 #45

+1 progressoid Sep 2014 #46

Well, I'm sure that the Christian fundy efforts to close women's health and Cleita Sep 2014 #51

Even though I absolutely appreciate SheilaT Sep 2014 #73

I know that, but short of war, famine and pestilence, which is how we controlled populations in Cleita Sep 2014 #74

That's true. SheilaT Sep 2014 #75

My post 79 was meant for you. Cleita Sep 2014 #80

Well, there's still the war, famine and pestilence option. Cleita Sep 2014 #79

Yep. Just look at what's going on right now with Ebola, SheilaT Sep 2014 #88

Perhaps someone can provide some details here SnakeEyes Sep 2014 #47

K&fuckingR.... daleanime Sep 2014 #48

K and R! hifiguy Sep 2014 #49

It doesn't just rain here anymore. louis-t Sep 2014 #50

Phoenix had yearly floods like that back in the 70s mwrguy Sep 2014 #52

Not like this dbackjon Sep 2014 #69

The bible thumpers answer to everything: blkmusclmachine Sep 2014 #53

a seriously depressed k and r niyad Sep 2014 #68

Kicked and recommended. Uncle Joe Sep 2014 #71

If something drastic isn't done global warming will mean the end of the world as we know it. Louisiana1976 Sep 2014 #78

Yes, because that's just what... ReRe Sep 2014 #82

If only there were something we could do, almost immediately flvegan Sep 2014 #83

We rarely hear about the "other" human sources of climate change defacto7 Sep 2014 #84

We affect those things that we can affect. Nihil Sep 2014 #87

K&R… MrMickeysMom Sep 2014 #85

Mahalo Rude.. meegbear! Cha Sep 2014 #86