Face it, this is all YOUR fault...

[Subdivisions]

The damage from oil spills, nuclear accidents, climate change, pollution, war, greed, GMOs, and ...well... nearly everything we tolerate...is YOUR fault. It's MY fault.

We exchanged our humanity for comfort and stuff. We tolerate these things so we can drive our cars and power our homes. We tolerate these things because it makes our lives more comfortable.

YOU are to blame. I am to blame. Period!

[Cronus Protagonist]

1. I blame the people that went before us and left us this fucked up system

You can't blame the heirs for the founder's work.

[frazzled]

7. Oh, what people would that be?

You're probably thinking of the boomers, right? People like me (I just turned 60.) I attended the first Earth Day, in Central Park. My husband and I own one car, a Prius that gets 50+ mpg combined, and that we drive once or twice a week (we take public transit and walk a lot). We've never owned a SUV or pickup truck. I take my own bags to shop for food, and buy local and sustainable where possible. I've been recycling religiously since the 1980s. I grew up in a household of parents from the Depression, so we were taught to conserve on everything: an inch of water in the bathtub, turn out the lights whenever you leave the room, turn the thermostat down. We thought it was hell.

Do we old folks still use too much energy? Sure, lots too much. But I bet a lot of our habits are at least as good as whatever generation you claim allegiance to.

[Cronus Protagonist]

15. Your parents' generation

Simple. Greediest people ever to be born on this planet.

[frazzled]

22. Actually, not

My parents' generation grew up during the Depression, as I said, and were terribly stingy with resources. They knew what deprivation and waste was. They also lived through war rationing and know how to consume moderately. They don't own tons of electronic devices and other goods. They didn't grow up with styrofoam cups and disposable plastics.

My husband's mother used to wash out those thin clear plastic bags from the grocery and resuse them ten times. It used to amaze me.

Sorry, don't pit one generation against another here. We're all in this together.

[dmallind]

2. So let's go back to subsistence farming and walking everywhere. Yeah for the 17th Century! NT

[anarch]

20. well, that will happen anyway, without any effort on our part

if we don't find a sustainable way to live on this planet, and in particular if we don't do something to lessen our dependence on fossil fuels.

[dmallind]

26. Yes - somehow all our engineering and technical knowhow will disappear

after all only fossil fuels could possibly be used for modern conveniences, right?

[anarch]

38. I sure hope not

which was exactly my point: we need to be applying said know-how to prepare for a future in which we won't have such easily accessible fossil fuels.

What concerns me most of all is the heavy use of petroleum products in agriculture. I'm certain that there are viable alternatives, but we needed to have been working on them starting about 20 years ago to avoid some serious "inconveniences" over the next 20 to 50 years.

[TwilightGardener]

3. Sorry, not gonna feel guilty that I don't live in a yurt and beat clothes on rocks.

[laughingliberal]

4. BS.

WE have little control over those who put the systems in place. Witness the overwhelming election of Democrats we reasonably expected to stand up for the people who continue to cater to the corporate interests. Your premise would only work if those we elected actually were doing what we elected them to do.

[SammyWinstonJack]

17. +1 nt.

[obxhead]

25. Indeed

[barbiegeek]

5. I'm seriously at the point where i'm so tired of trying to help

people. I'm losing my empathy.

[katandmoon]

6. What en ego you have to want to claim all this credit.

[BeFree]

8. Nonsense

This could have been prevented. Some of us have been intolerant to the processes which lead up to this moment. Have you?

[The2ndWheel]

14. What could have been prevented?

[BeFree]

16. The size of the release

Profit making gambles are what lead to this.

Not enough prevention measures were instituted because they would cut into profits.

[The2ndWheel]

30. Ok, just wasn't sure what you meant by the word "this"

The way I see it, the oil was going to mix with the environment even if the rig and pipe worked perfectly, with every possible precaution taken into account, regardless of cost.

The whole point is to get the oil out of the ground. Once we get it, does it really matter if the oil goes pouring into the ocean, or if it goes toward sustaining our civilization? One we call a disaster, the other we call growing our economy. What amounts to the same act, we give it two different definitions.

"Not enough prevention measures were instituted because they would cut into profits."

There are so many ways to read that sentence. So many ways it can apply to so many different situations, in the past, the present, and the future.

[greencharlie]

9. lol...

what's the option?

[Silent3]

10. I blame opposable thumbs

They've led to nothing but trouble.

[Zoeisright]

19. LOL! [phone]

So true.

[liberal_at_heart]

11. It's certainly our fault for not pushing our politicians harder

Consumers have let their opinions be known. More people recycle now more than ever. The Toyota Prius is the most popular car on the road. Sales of energy efficient light bulbs are up. The green industry is doing well, but the lobbyists for the oil industry have bought our politicians. I remember learning about alternative fuels when I was in elementary school thirty years ago. Why is our government not implementing changes to use more alternative fuels? and why aren't they putting stronger regulation on the oil industry? Why aren't there natural gas pumps, ethanol pumps, electric chargers, and hydrogen cell pumps along side the oil pumps? California is doing it. Why can't the rest of the country? I think the consumers are responding. I think it is our government that is not and we need to hold them accountable for it.

[liberal N proud]

12. I have few choices

Our country is spread out, I have to travel great distances to my job. Could I get a job near home? Maybe if there was one!
My car only gets the gas mileage required by the government at the time it was built. Do I need a car? See the first line.
I can't run out and buy a new car every time they introduce one the get a few miles/gallon better than what I currently drive. What would that do to the environment?

My home, not new, was built with the latest construction techniques at the time. However well insulated it is, it still requires heat in the northern climate. When it came time to replace the heating system, I purchase the most energy efficient system available that would retrofit my existing homes technology. Could I have used solar or geothermal? City ordnances where I live prohibit it.

I don't think it is my fault that the greedy of this nation had to destroy our environment for their profit.

Give me an affordable method to convert to energy use that heats my home and gets me to work and I am there. But anytime new technologies have been presented attempts have been made to develop them, the oil companies along with help from their bought and paid for congressional representatives and city councils have subverted the efforts.

Greed is what is responsible for the Gulf Disaster. GREED!

[NeedleCast]

13. LOL. No.

You're welcome to your collective guilt if it helps you sleep better at night but this is not my fault.

[Dogmudgeon]

18. Damn! My hair shirt is at the cleaner's today!

--d!

[laughingliberal]

39. Lol!! nt

[inna]

21. -1. Way to transfer the blame and responsibility from the predatory corporations to the 'little guy

[cliffordu]

23. You are exactly right.

[deacon_sephiroth]

24. I know what you're trying to say

I could have done more in my life time as could other people. However I'm not going to impotently point fingers at humanity and even myself. One simply has to learn from it, grow and hope against hope that others do the same. Perhaps as a race, some day we will mature. Spread the word, stay informed, arm yourself and everyone you can with knowledge, apply elbow grease where possible and applicable and next time you won't have to feel so guilty. Next time your kids might not blame you as vehemently as you now blame your parents.

[RedCloud]

27. car industries blocked alternative fuel vehicles for decades.

Just saying.

[CBR]

28. I agree. It is my fault. I willingly take the blame.

I am finally actively taking steps to play my part in reducing my consumption. Collective action and collective responsibility.

[Subdivisions]

34. 'Collective action and collective responsibility.' You get it. Thanks.

My whole point is that WE need to take first collective responsibility and then take action. Now, I've said here before that not everyone can give up their car because they have to get to work. I realize there are things for some people that are just impractical to give up. But for those of us that can do so, we should give up EVERYTHING WE DON'T ABSOLUTELY NEED. In my case, I got disgusted with being a part of the problem by helping to build major projects like Terminal D at DFW airport (for those of you passing through, the north end of that roof was under my foremanship) where I got a first-hand look at the intensity of our species. So I taught myself a new trade (I now manage an online store selling alternative energy products, helping divert some energy sources away from fossilt fuels) and I now work from home. That eliminated a 100+ -mile daily commute. It eliminated all manner of consumption from fuel to breakfast to lunch (so that I'm not eating as much junk and am healthier for it) to wear and tear on my vehicle and other things picked up along the way just because it was convenient based solely on my being on the road every day.

Also, I am beginning to find local sources for some of my food. I base my spending now on what I truly need and not mostly on what I want. Again, I realize not everyone can do these things. For instance, I can't have a garden because I don't have my own space for it. For those of us who can make changes to reduce our negative impacts on nature, we should do so. Just think of the positive effects we could have if we took collective responsibility for the DEMAND side of the equation that led to the gusher under the Gulf of Mexico and were we to take collective action in reducing that demand..

[Rebubula]

29. LOLZ

This tired old shit again??

Feel free to blame whomever you desire.

The world is much bigger than me and I cannot shoulder any blame for things I did not do. And no....using gas to get to work and turning on my A/C at home does not make me culpable for other crimes.

No wonder so many people here are angry - they try to internalize every transgression that occurs on a planet of 7 billion people.

[Wednesdays]

31. I know. I did it. I did it all.

I'm going to somehow find a way to pay back the several hundred billion in damages. :cry:

[chillspike]

32. Speak for yourself....

I'll be living entirely off grid in about another year and NEVER wanted this fossil fueled world.

[Subdivisions]

35. I would like to speak with you in private. My only public comment would be...

BRAVO! :yourock:

[FedUpWithIt All]

33. I accept that i played a part in this. I am ashamed of my previous level of consumption and waste.

We are working hard to change that. We will continue to try and reduce our consumption and waste while learning to provide for most of our needs in the least harmful way.

[Subdivisions]

37. This is all I'm saying. Bravo! Thank you. n/t

[RedCloud]

36. LIAR!. I just heard it was San Andreas's fault!

[county worker]

40. Join the community guild crowd.

Is it some kind of mental problem we have here or what? This is the second guilt dump I've seen over this,

Just go put on some sack cloth and ashes and get a sign and a soap box, go downtown and sell that shit.

[TK421]

41. It wasn't me...it was a one-armed man