
There’s Always Something (Or, Why Are Environmentalists Always Complaining) - ngottlieb
https://medium.com/@ngottlieb/theres-always-something-1fd46d81e9f8
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mlthoughts2018
> “ that nitpicking is actually a critically important signal telling us that
> the framework with which we’re approaching these problems is faulty. First,
> our efforts at mitigation are rooted in the idea of harm reduction: how can
> we keep doing what we’re doing, but less bad?”

Unfortunately if you take this attitude you won’t get anywhere, certainly not
to a world with less climate destruction.

You have two options

(a) we keep doing what we’re doing, just as bad or worse

(b) we keep doing what we’re doing, but less bad

That’s it. There is no third option where we don’t keep doing what we’re
doing. The overwhelming preference of the humans on earth is to destroy the
planet and retreat into biodome bunkers if we have to, but absolutely no
option permits reducing consumption or material innovation. Extinction,
wasteland, whatever, nobody cares. You’ve got to deal with that inarguable
fact.

If you can show them a way to keep their comforts but less bad, even if they
must pay more, then you _might_ be able to solve problems. But you have to
take it as a constraint that people must keep doing what they are doing, come
what may. That part’s not changing.

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gnusty_gnurc
> retreat into biodome bunkers if we have to

hasn't humanity consistently been able to outpace any rise in climate-related
risk? i.e. greater access to energy that protects against the consequent rise
in weather related disasters, etc.

