Unchecked overuse is draining and damaging aquifers nationwide, a New York Times investigation found, threatening millions of people and America’s status as a food superpower.
Thoughts don’t form in a vacuum. They are the product of the underlying material conditions, produced by the intellectual labor of the army of propagandists that work in the fossil fuel industry, the meat industry, the ethanol industry, etc. You’re putting the cart before the horse.
Thoughts matter, but they are a symptom of deeper structural problems that prevent reform. Combating bad ideas only treats a symptom.
I’m saying bad thinking guarantees defeat, and that this isn’t over yet.
Look at the Kansas abortion ballot initiative debacle. I’d wager that the climate deniers and anti abortion people are largely the same group. That election shows that they can be beaten and probably have more people on our side than they do. I.e. we are the proverbial elephant tied up with a string.
So what’s your objective here? Are you trying to refute my point that thought influences action?
My objectives: 1. pull doomers out of giving up and into trying 2. Inspiring people to take any action at all 3. Hopefully getting some lukewarm fence sitters on board 4. The giant challenge of turning this thing around.
My reason: I’m a parent. I want my kids to inherit a world that isn’t a climate apocalypse. Even if I lose, they know I cared enough enough to try.
Here is what frustrates me. Some actions save money, reduce GHG emissions, and are low effort.
It is this very thought that prevents reform.
It isn’t thought that prevents reform.
Thinking things can’t reform does prevent reform.
To quote a fictional character, Eleanor Shellstrop, “You’ve gotta try, man”.
If you don’t think you can, you won’t act. If you don’t act, you definitely won’t reform anything.
I think this is a case for pragmatism:
https://www.philosophizethis.org/transcript/episode-154-transcript
Thoughts don’t form in a vacuum. They are the product of the underlying material conditions, produced by the intellectual labor of the army of propagandists that work in the fossil fuel industry, the meat industry, the ethanol industry, etc. You’re putting the cart before the horse.
Thoughts matter, but they are a symptom of deeper structural problems that prevent reform. Combating bad ideas only treats a symptom.
I really don’t understand what you mean by this.
So are you giving up?
You’re saying that bad thinking is blocking reform.
I’m saying it is a result of reform being blocked.
I’m saying bad thinking guarantees defeat, and that this isn’t over yet.
Look at the Kansas abortion ballot initiative debacle. I’d wager that the climate deniers and anti abortion people are largely the same group. That election shows that they can be beaten and probably have more people on our side than they do. I.e. we are the proverbial elephant tied up with a string.
That election shows they can be beaten, it doesn’t show the power of positive thinking. That’s still putting the cart before the horse.
So what’s your objective here? Are you trying to refute my point that thought influences action?
My objectives: 1. pull doomers out of giving up and into trying 2. Inspiring people to take any action at all 3. Hopefully getting some lukewarm fence sitters on board 4. The giant challenge of turning this thing around.
My reason: I’m a parent. I want my kids to inherit a world that isn’t a climate apocalypse. Even if I lose, they know I cared enough enough to try.
Here is what frustrates me. Some actions save money, reduce GHG emissions, and are low effort.
Thoughts lead to actions, of which inaction based on defeatist ideas literally encouraged by the fossil fuels industries is included.
This is literally idealism; the theory that political action comes from ideas.
Ideas matter, but they can only reinforce the structural and material base.