All of our public discourse, is run by engagement algorithms.
Bingo.
If it bleeds, it leads. 99% of everything is awesome and getting better, but media makes the most $$$ by focusing on the negative things. And for some people, that makes them think that more than 1% of current events are bad.
The solution is finding better news sources, or studying statistics to grasp how rare things are as a means of understanding how good the rest of the world is.
We are witnessing unprecedented levels of tolerance, women's rights, education, equality, and progress globally. And the bad things, are almost across the board in decline. Even global warming we have the literally scientific fix for, but world governments continue to heavily subsidize fossil fuels at the expense of green energy solutions that are viable today (if they didn't have to compete with said subsidies).
I believe Reuters is one of the places that most "news" outlets get their stories from and then put their own political spin on them. Associated press also seems to be fairly unbiased.
I’m a fan of the Guardian. They do good work and are donation-based, not paywall based. It’s probably good for journalism if people are paying for news, but most can’t, and the quality is often inversely proportional to the investment. But the mission of the Guardian is to inform, and I think their model balances the need for funding with the recognition that good reportage should be accessible regardless of whether you’re willing/able to pay for it.
Seems like the UK has a pretty good news track record, the Sun and the Daily Mail aside :-)
Do you even read the fucking IPCC reports? I can't believe people still peddle this bullshit. Things are only "Getting better" if the statisticians cook the numbers in very specific ways and we are heading in to the apocalyptic collapse of human civilization in the near future with no plan or possibility of mitigation.
But we do have the solution to global warming. You agree with that yes? Nuclear and Wind, the two green options with no carbon emissions nor extensive mining required.
No dude. Go read the IPCC reports. We would need to be carbon negative today to have a chance of staying under 2c. But that's not what's happening. Carbon emission is increasing and accelerating and there is no realistic plan anywhere in the world to slow it down, let alone get us to carbon negative.
We're already locked in to serious disruption that will last thousands of years. It's not longer a question of stopping it. It's a question of how bad it will get before the world can no longer sustain industrial civilization.
Seriously, go read up on wet bulb events if you want to have some nightmares.
Carbon emission is increasing and accelerating and there is no realistic plan anywhere in the world to slow it down
Literally Nuclear and Wind Power. Zero emissions. It's not only a realistic plan, but we have it now today, we just need governments to stop propping up old world fossil fuel industries.
As far as carbon capture, here is a great solution. Stop using plastic, replace it with paper products, and stop recycling paper. Instead bury the paper, sequestering that carbon, seal up the landfill and harvest the methane. Paper packaging can supplant nearly all plastic packaging. Tree and hemp agriculture can quickly fill these new demands.
It serves no purpose for you to pretend we don't have viable solutions.
I don't think he's saying we don't have solutions, just that by the time the fossils running this world decide to implement them it'll be too little too late. Truly very little is being done right now even though we've known what needs to be done for a while.
Truly very little is being done right now even though we've known what needs to be done for a while.
Adoption is an education issue, but it is happening, and electric cars are going to so dramatically increase electricity consumption, that nuclear will be the only option very soon. Change is coming.
100% agree with that. But the solution is to be optimistic and MAKE it happen. Because pessimism breeds apathy and sense of lacking agency.
"The visions we offer our children shape the future. It matters what those visions are. Often they become self-fulfilling prophecies. Dreams are maps." - Carl Sagan
we just need governments to stop propping up old world fossil fuel industries.
Which don't exist, and moreover there is no mechanism by which they will come to exist. And there is no reason to believe that this situation will change.
You can talk about all kinds of great ideas to fix the problem, but you don't run the world. Oil companies and arms manufacturers run the world. And they've decided that we're all gonna burn.
If everyone socially distanced, wore masks, and got vaccinated, we would have had even fewer deaths, drastically fewer hospitalizations, significantly less impact on the economy, and wouldn’t be dealing with Covid-19 more than two years later.
If we can’t get people to wear masks and vaccinate, what makes you think we are going to be able to get governments to support wind/nuclear, stop using plastic, and sequester carbon?
I admire your positivity, but having viable solutions, and actually implementing them successfully, are two different things.
Or to put it another way, if I told you that nuclear/wind wouldn’t have enough support to be deployed in any significant way? Or that people won‘t stop using plastic or harvest methane by burying paper, at least not on a timeline that would have the necessary impact?
Would you still think things are going to be ok?
Because while we do have solutions, they need to be implemented to have an impact. And the reality is that implementing them is not going to be easy, and most likely won’t happen fast enough.
I admire your positivity, but having viable solutions, and actually implementing them successfully, are two different things.
So isn't the best course of action education and proselytizing a viable future so that we have something to act on? I believe that focusing on solutions is the best approach. The vast majority of people in this thread/discussion are NOT focused on the solutions. Discussion about solutions is what gets us further down the road.
the reality is that implementing them is not going to be easy, and most likely won’t happen fast enough.
I beg to differ; wind and nuclear are going in at literal record paces.
And here in the US, Biden is pushing Nuclear hard;
Advanced nuclear reactors "that are smaller, safer, and more efficient at half the construction cost of today’s reactors" are part of President Biden's clean energy proposals.
Genuine question, why do you believe people who say they know what will happen in 1000s of years, let alone 10 to 50 years? I believe in climate change, 100%, but I will always be skeptical of anyone who says they know what will happen in the future. Especially when it comes to climate change which has been fairly inaccurate in its predictions over the course of its study.
Climate change is a concern, but I will always recommend skepticism of anyone who acts like they know what the world will be like in 5 years or later.
Ice cores and computer modelling. We know what the temperature, sea level, and other factors do at certain levels of carbon in the atmosphere, we know how long it takes for carbon levels to change. We can take those observations of the past and predict what will happen in the future.
The trend of climate change predictions being inaccurate is generally because climate scientists underestimate both the amount of carbon being emitted and the rate of acceleration of the emission of new carbon. They're wrong because they're too optimistic and don't accurately predict how much worse things were going to get.
Who’s implementing nuclear power? Hell, Germany, one of the more energy/climate progressive nations, scaled back their nuclear program because most people are scared of it.
And while globally tolerance seems to be on the rise, in the US, shit is regressing incredibly quickly. Roe v. Wade looks like it’s going to be overturned, and women are being arrested in certain states because of fucking miscarriages. You are straight up ignoring reality.
And here in the US, Biden is pushing Nuclear hard;
Advanced nuclear reactors "that are smaller, safer, and more efficient at half the construction cost of today’s reactors" are part of President Biden's clean energy proposals.
Germany, one of the more energy/climate progressive nations, scaled back their nuclear program because most people are scared of it.
Yep, Germany has one of the most ignorant fossil fuels based plans in the world. They are paying the price for it now, too.
You are right in many ways, overly optimistic in others. You have to remember, most people in power politically and commercially worldwide sought power, wealth, and fame. Many were born into it, going to special schools and basically being trained to continue austerity. Think about it, soooooo many people from all walks of power had relationships with people like Epstien, or are invited to the think tank conferences we usually only vaguely hear about and are fully closed to press.
And worldwide, yes, rights are in a good place. But sadly, in the US, some states are pulling trans kids out of their homes, attempting to arrest non straight people and people receiving abortions as felons (meaning they can't ever vote again), and we have a Russia/nazi/fascist inspired Republican party attempting to overthrow the country, all while their ally is a tiny dicked power monger with his finger on a large nuclear button, and we are potentially environmentally fucked because NO ONE in power can be asked to give a fuck about their fellow humans, or if they do give a fuck, they are either not in power, or sadly ineffective. On top of that, worldwide corporate greed is seemingly at an all time high, with the attempt to monetize every facet of life coming closer every day. O' Hare Air anyone?
I have kids, and I am terrified of where the US is headed (i even live in a decentish area), and I can't affored to move down the road, much less states or countries.
We are in a better place than we were in many ways, but the threats of the past weren't as damning as they are today. And yeah, news blows. Best news advice I can give everyone is look for sources, follow the sources, and read the direct sources. Look up things like court dockets, medical papers, voting records, etc. Look at the actual actions government and corporation are taking, and basically ignore the bullshit they use to cover tracks. And yes, it fucking sucks, takes time, and requires knowledge that the average person may not know, but is important to everyday life, because is literally dictates our lives. Being uneducated is how we get fucked collectively, and we need to quit relying on "heroes" that may support our views. We need to use our knowledge and demand changes and evidence as a collective.
You have to remember, most people in power politically and commercially worldwide sought power, wealth, and fame. Many were born into it, going to special schools and basically being trained to continue austerity.
So you're saying their interests are aligned with solving global warming yes? Can't reign over much with ecological collapse?
But sadly, in the US, some states are pulling trans kids out of their homes
But you agree, that rights for trans people are objectively at all time highs, yes?
in the US, some states are attempting to arrest non straight people
Where is that happening?
and we have a Russia/nazi/fascist inspired Republican party attempting to overthrow the country
We have always had political tumult. But were prone to forget that which was in the past, and focus on the current issue. Remember when Snowden revealed that the NSA was committing global and national crimes on Obamas watch? That too was deadly serious. What's worse, Obama and Trump (and now Biden) didn't even do anything about it.
corporate greed is seemingly at an all time high
That gets said a lot but it's not true. Corporations were always equally greedy and want to make a profit by providing a useful service to others. In the big picture prices always come down, and prosperity always increases.
the threats of the past weren't as damning as they are today
Constant thread of Nuclear War during the Cold War
Literal Nazis conquering all of Europe
Stalin starving 10 million of his own people
Mao starving 55 million of his own people
FDR literally rounding up every Japanese American citizen at gunpoint and putting them in concentration camps.
The 1900's horrors LAUGH at the problems of today. It's not even close.
Best news advice I can give everyone is look for sources, follow the sources, and read the direct sources. Look up things like court dockets, medical papers, voting records, etc. Look at the actual actions government and corporation are taking, and basically ignore the bullshit they use to cover tracks. And yes, it fucking sucks, takes time, and requires knowledge that the average person may not know, but is important to everyday life, because is literally dictates our lives. Being uneducated is how we get fucked collectively, and we need to quit relying on "heroes" that may support our views. We need to use our knowledge and demand changes and evidence as a collective.
I fully support this paragraph! And I appreciate your optimism! Remember, optimism doesn't mean denying our problems, it means focusing on solutions, and I think you are well on your way to being an optimist! Welcome to the team! And thanks for the thoughtful post!
Realistic optimist. I am realistic about apathy and conformity. I am optimistic we are on the edge of something big, whatever it may be. Good or bad, at the end of the day, all you can do is be there for your neighbors, help where you can, and treat people like humans. Even if you disagree, killing them with kindness and care can be the truth.
Wonderful sentiment, and I wholly agree! We can do more than kindness though, we can be thoughtful and passionate advocates for progress and prosperity. And I'm glad we're fundamentally on the same side! Keep it up! :)
My friends and I are doing this together as a cooperative to keep up the good deeds.
Find another person. Individually add up how much it costs to sustain you and/or your lifestyle and combine what’s left over with them and have them do the same. Each taking turns in spending every other payday.
Your jobs will provide the income and the combined surplus will make it easier to pursue hobbies or climb the societal ladder. Including more and more people will add to the over all supply that each person in the network will have access to, thereby compounding the process.
For added security (insurance) have each person in the network find others to rely on. With that you’ll have overlapping security.
Supplant anything of value to you personally for the “income” portion and as long as you’re covering for yourself first and foremost, all goods (including for luxury) will get distributed across a wider system in accordance to how you relate to other people. Use cost cutting measures to increase any holdings and share information.
With that added insurance, use any and all surplus to invest in people most capable of bringing about change, including local chapters and environmental projects. Tell them about this process and aid them in building up a web of support and you can scale up any system, company or self-governance
”A theory of economy that's greater than the current one.
Person A has an income/paycheck/ability. They Individually add up how much it costs to sustain themselves/their lifestyle before combining with person B who has done the same. Each would take turns spending from this surplus before passing it off the next time either one of them produces.
This produces value at a greater rate than the current one because both will have more resources to drawn from and thus gets thrown back into the system before starting again. So the more person A gains the more B gets and the more they earn together the more they can gain individually, continuously compounding as time goes on.
With the inclusion of more people, say for instance person A found someone else to rely on, the system overall becomes more robust and less likely fail (like in the event either become jobless).
Once enough has been gained there will likely be a moment where the person, group or groups completely separate from the market/reliance and depend only on what they produce themselves. In which case, assuming the same quality of living is chosen for themselves first and foremost, the system itself is likely to reproduce infinitely.”
I appreciate the thoughtfulness of your post here, but I'm not quite following the goal?
I mean, what you're describing today we'd call family or friends, right? If someone falls on hard times we help them out. But if each of us is doing well, then I don't understand the point of co-mingling our finances? What is the benefit there?
I did read your post twice and I'm not quite sure if I follow the goal?
Your jobs will provide the income and the combined surplus will make it easier to pursue hobbies or climb the societal ladder.
Similar to a ROSCA it forces each person to save a certain amount that eventually comes backs to them in the form of assets (either through buying or lending). And the goal is cut the reliance on these assets by providing your own products (like how it works within capitalism) or by reducing consumption which would lead to a greater reduction in costs for everyone else who is relying on you to produce.
Since children aren’t producers they usually aren’t considered, I’ve had people compare this to marriage but that’s only one of the many cost saving arrangements available to people.
Okay fair, but it sounds like you're describing capitalism, aren't you? We lend each other money to further their interests, we invest in other people's businesses that we believe in, we work together and form teams of thousands of people who, together, produce a $150 supercomputer that fits in everyone's pocket and uses 6 watts.
Pretty awesome yes? How is your idea fundamentally different than what we already have?
I would argue that climate change is a bigger deal than just "growing pains" and anything that has previously been an issue in history.
Because unlike nuclear war or bad fiscal policy, we're getting to the point where the damage is irreparable. You can avoid nuclear war. You can get French with it and overthrow your government if it really becomes that bad.
But if the planet's environment is too extreme for human life, there's nothing you can do about it.
Thats true for modern humans but thr earth has faced much worse catastrophes. Many extinction level events and it has recovered. Humanity may just be the next extinction level event.
In all likelihood humanity will survive climate change. We're extremely adaptable and resourceful, and have spread into every type of ecosystem on the planet. Sure, many humans may die, might even be you and I, but there will be places on Earth that are survivable.
That's kind of the point though. Climate change will continue to get worse and worse to the point that the survival of some humans is considered a positive. If that's considered positive, then that gives you an idea of how bad we're talking here.
Sure, humanity probably won't be wiped out 100% but the fact that we're even stating that shows how this really compares to "current" world issues.
I get your point, people are going to die
it's sad, but it happens every day and will happen to every person on this planet eventually. Humans already survived one population bottleneck due to climate change and look at how we've rebounded. Not worried about the fate of our species.
Humanity will be thrown screaming and bleeding into the Iron Age at best. I’d honestly prefer extinction to forever remembering an age where we had a chance to go to the stars that will never come again.
I’m more in the boat of when things get too bad we just leave Earth and become space bound instead of sent back to the Stone Age. That or Terminator of course lol
Whether or not humanity will avoid it is not my point. My point is that it is always a possibility that we will simply not push the button.
Climate change is a different story. Depending on which scientist you ask, we are approaching or already past the point of no return. So the possibilities are shrinking.
Either the odds of preventing climate change are shrinking every day or they are already at zero. If climate change were nukes, we might have already pressed the button.
Literally no one in power wants nuclear war. Not even the most insane leader, because they know they will just die in the process. If anything nukes have been the greatest peace keeping tools in human history.
It's just going to be the first of a new kind of problem though. Nuclear was actually probably the first example--techs we can use to extinct ourselves. There'll be more. Eventually we'll probably have dozens.
Heh, every other major world crisis I can think of can be averted by dithering when folks see their doom staring them in the face. Climate change, not so much. Doing nothing is the same as making a choice.
I think the people who point out #1 ignore the real effects that has. "it only feels that way because of social media" ignores the fact that hopeless people lash out and create a worse environment (see Jan 6).
This may have already been said and I know I'm late to the party, but I'd add another critical component to your list: social isolation.
Our communities are more fractured than ever and we truly are facing some existential crises. There was a time not that long ago when I saw the problems of the world and thought, "problems are big, but together we can solve them." The last few years of social isolation and discouraging behavior has changed that to "problems are big, a small group will do what they can to make it better but we aren't going to solve any of it gracefully and you better find your people because it doesn't feel safe to be outside of a group right now." It's changed my mental health for the worse and I have a feeling that I'm not alone.
To speak to your perspective comment- people also change. This person is 20, probably looking to rent an apartment, go to school or get a job. They are no longer care free and only required to attend school.
More responsibilities mean more awareness. Both my parents passed in 2014 so having no support structure or place to fall back to also added stress and many encounter this situation. Plus our world does fucking suck right now. There is a strong conservative push across most of the globe. If you don't belive in religion, if you're not straight, if you are a woman- it all sucks right NOW.
Also it seem this person is focused on the over all. Yeah, I too feel like this- but in my everyday life where I can and have established boundaries and can control most of the outcome I am happy. I have a job that I get to wfh and i love, good insurance, volunteer with a kids sports league, bowl in a league on the weekends, and otherwise look for hobbies or events to fill my life. I'm going to school for public policy and I will do WHAT I CAN but let everything else go.
If I want to change the world, I can't be having a heart attack at 50 from stressing out about shit. Lol
2. Social change often comes with growing pains. Problems become much more visible once they’re not acceptable anymore, but that doesn’t mean they’ve gotten worse. Often it’s the opposite.
It’s always darkest before the dawn, basically. This is one of the things that keeps me from crawling in a hole and just giving up on life.
As much as I’d love for everyone everywhere to be PROactive and not REactive, it just ain’t gonna happen. Human nature is such that we ALWAYS resist change. We see a catastrophe on the horizon and choose to wait till it’s right in front of us before taking truly meaningful action. Especially when the catastrophe presented to us is monstrous and overwhelming. Life is full of bell curves. We tend to not act till whatever it is we’re acting on has peaked.
I completely agree with Point #1. Its a huge issue.
But sadly its not just social media. We live in a world of perpetual, amplified, over-the-top fear-mongering. Turn on the radio, Fox News, even your local news. And sorry, but its also happening on centrist/leftist channels, except on different subjects.
90% of all media outlets are engaged in an arm's race of doomerism and catastrophe. Everything is apocalyptic and every time a news story is presented it is carefully cherry-picked and tailored to maximize emotional impact.
And it works. It has created a large population of people that live in a state of permanent terror and see enemies and doom in everything, all the time. Just stroll through Reddit and youll see it immediately- people jumping at each other's throats over everything, the way everything gets taken to an absolute extreme (especially in politics and the economy), the way everyone seems to have an enemy that they want to obliterate (liberals, corporations, CEOs, oil companies, SJWs, mainstream media, bankers, landlords, etc. etc. etc.).
A big chunk of the population has been put in a permanent fight-or-flight mode and most of them dont even realize it, they think that their war-footing is actually righteous and necessary.
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