Thank you, Jan, for articulating what are my thoughts as well, very eloquently.
My only issue is with your statement that the consequences of our inaction on
climate change will be felt only by yet unborn generations. No. They are being
felt already, whether it is drought in Africa leading to massive population
movements, or the increasing frequency of weather events including in places
which did not experience them before, or invasion of southern species into
northern waters that are getting warmer, and so on. The authorities in coastal
cities around the world are spending money on dealing with the rising sea level
TODAY.
So no, we are not talking some distant future. I expect to see much worse in my
lifetime, and I am 56.
Cheers,
Nathan
Nathan Wajsman
Alicante, Spain
http://www.frozenlight.eu <http://www.frozenlight.eu/>
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YNWA
> On 19 Jun 2017, at 16:05, Jan Steinman <Jan@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote:
>
>> From: Ken Norton <ken@xxxxxxxxxxx>
>>
>>> I just laugh. I doubt any of these people who doubts science would put up
>>> with anyone doubting how THEY do THEIR job. And yet, scientists seem to be
>>> a special target.
>>
>> When scientists inject themselves into politics, they become political
>> targets.
>
> Fair enough.
>
> But if an engineer at an auto company held a press conference and said a
> certain defect in the manufacturing process was killing people, you can bet
> there would be changes, and that engineer would generally be praised. Yet,
> that engineer took a political process.
>
> When a scientist holds a press conference and says a certain defect in
> civilization is killing people, it results in “disbelief.” Why?
>
> I’ll tell you why. In the first case, the loop is tighter and undeniable.
> That defect will kill someone TOMORROW, and the next day, and the next day.
> The auto manufacturers have to say, “Sorry, we’ll fix this pronto!”
>
> In the second case, the loop is longer. It will effect unborn grandchildren
> of those who must make the changes. “We’ll deal with it tomorrow.'" Humans
> have long shown a lack of focus on the Long Now.
>
> Also, there are powerful, moneyed forces arrayed against the AGW scientists.
> They are spending tons of money, because changing civilization will cost them
> money. They have a lot of inertia in the status quo, and would rather defend
> it than to be creative and figure out how to make money off this new
> situation. Pity.
>
> Finally, selfishness and innumeracy enters the picture. In many states, you
> cannot drink raw milk, because a few people have become sick from it. Yet, we
> continue to do an activity that KILLS some ~30,000 people each year -- one
> that will arguably kill many, many more in unborn future generations. Imagine
> if, say, hamburgers killed 30,000 people each year! Oh, the outrage! The
> speeches! The Congressional hearings! Yet, many of us jump in our cars each
> day, not even thinking that we may become one of those 30,000 that fateful
> morning.
>
> One more thing, then I’ll shut up, as this has become a political
> conversation. Bob Whitmore GETS IT. He spoke of a “preponderance of
> evidence.” The unnamed deniers spoke of “belief.”
>
> Science is not based on belief. A scientist may begin a hypothesis based on a
> hunch, but until EVIDENCE is gathered, they generally don’t talk about belief.
>
> Go look at that Tom The Dancing Bug cartoon I posted. He sums it up better
> than I ever could:
>
> “It makes sense that a man with absolutely no background in science would see
> right through 150 years of analysis and experimentation. Some people would
> have done even the most cursory inquiry, perhaps a Google search, before
> dismissing an entire branch of Science."
>
> :::: Jan Steinman, EcoReality Co-op ::::
>
>
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