O/T:- Climate Change

[jackal2]

The shocking level of misanthropy by those saying they don't care about future generations of humanity not being able to enjoy the kind of lives we've been able to live...

I'm sure there are those with a misanthropic view that they simply don't care about future generations, but I doubt there are that many, and I certainly think it would be unfair just to categorise all climate change sceptics under that banner.

Like I've said above, I'm happy to accept the predominant scientific opinion on climate change, but I certainly don't believe human beings as a collective across the world will have the willpower to change or abandon, as you say, "the kind of lives we've been able to live", which is exactly what scientists identify as the problem.

Yes, that no doubt includes climate change sceptics (who presumably might not even try!) but it also includes many of the people who accept climate change is happening and purport to be living greener lives but only at a superficial level. You don't have to look too far to find people who say all the right words about living in a more environmentally-friendly way and do certain low-level gesture-type things that are consistent with it, but who then fly on holiday each year or keep three cars outside their house.

Then there's the whole global issue of countries like ours who in the past gleaned huge economic benefits from our industrial revolutions turning around to countries like China and saying "sorry, you can't have your own industrial revolution because we've now decided it is dirty and polluting". Unsurprisingly, the Chinese (and others in a similar position) tell us to get stuffed and build another batch of new coal power plants!

Are all these people misanthropes consciously and deliberately blighting future generations, or are they simply human beings being human beings: selfless at times, selfish at others. Perhaps as an imperfect species we're pre-programmed to self-expire as many other species have before us?