Will Southern California Have To Go Up In Flames For People To Take Global Warming Seriously?
Well, that's all I've got. I'm in no way wishing for this, but we might actually be better off as a planet if 70,000 houses burn up next week in San Diego, or if Georgia runs out of water. A big disaster early on--only the barest hint of what might actually be in store for us, of course--might be the only thing that will really get people's attention and help us start seriously thinking about how to avoid a near-future environmental apocalypse.
The best thing, of course, would be if we woke up to the threat before some warming-related disaster. But we're just not really going to do that, are we?
So keep buyin' those SUVs, folks! Al Gore is awkward and smarter than you, so it's o.k. to discount any theory he advocates!
Well, that's all I've got. I'm in no way wishing for this, but we might actually be better off as a planet if 70,000 houses burn up next week in San Diego, or if Georgia runs out of water. A big disaster early on--only the barest hint of what might actually be in store for us, of course--might be the only thing that will really get people's attention and help us start seriously thinking about how to avoid a near-future environmental apocalypse.
The best thing, of course, would be if we woke up to the threat before some warming-related disaster. But we're just not really going to do that, are we?
So keep buyin' those SUVs, folks! Al Gore is awkward and smarter than you, so it's o.k. to discount any theory he advocates!
posted by Winston Smith at
11:36 AM
2 Comments:
Winston, it occurs to me that what you're saying here is something like the environmental equivalent of those leftists who hope we "lose" Iraq. Not that I can't see where you're coming from, or assume that because you're saying this you secretly want modern society to burn down to the ground - clearly, there's something to be said for the fact that most people (myself included) only change their behaviors when the negative consequences of their current actions become apparent.
But it's easy to see how someone could take something like this and blow it way out of proportion, and I guess it underlines how hard it is to make the point that negative feedback can have positive consequences without having that read as "I think negative feedback is, in and of itself, good."
Well, Chris, I absolutely agree. That's why I started out by saying "I'm in no way wishing for this." Some people will always insist on attributing the worst motives to people, but there's really nothing for me to do but make it as clear as I can that I'm not hoping for California to burn up.
If I had access to a magical machine that would put out any fires, I would use it to extinguish the SoCal fires.
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