Gas Bandit's Political Thread V: The Vampire Likes Bats

PatrThom

PatrThom

Hari Seldon would be so proud. And sad.

www.vice.com

MIT Predicted in 1972 That Society Will Collapse This Century. New Research Shows We’re on Schedule.

A 1972 MIT study predicted that rapid economic growth would lead to societal collapse in the mid 21st century. A new paper shows we’re unfortunately right on schedule.
www.vice.com www.vice.com
in the MIT World3 models, collapse “does not mean that humanity will cease to exist,” but rather that “economic and industrial growth will stop, and then decline, which will hurt food production and standards of living… In terms of timing, the [...] scenario shows a steep decline to set in around 2040.”

[...T]he scenario which was the least closest fit to the latest empirical data happens to be the most optimistic pathway known as ‘SW’ (stabilized world), in which civilization follows a sustainable path and experiences the smallest declines in economic growth—based on a combination of technological innovation and widespread investment in public health and education.

[...T]he rapid development and deployment of vaccines at unprecedented rates in response to the COVID-19 pandemic demonstrates that we are capable of responding rapidly and constructively to global challenges if we choose to act. We need exactly such a determined approach to the environmental crisis.
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(emphases mine)

"So we have a prediction from 50 years ago, and we have actual, empirical data showing that we appear to be following one of the least desirable options, eventually ending with worldwide poverty and overall societal collapse. What should we do about it?"
"Uh, continue business as usual and make massive profits for our shareholders?"
"BRILLIANT! Ha ha YES that's exactly the sort of go-get-'em, positive attitude we need around here. Somebody get that guy a promotion!"

--Patrick
 
Shakey

Shakey

So, this is fun. Line 3 is going through just a few miles from where I live. It’s been incredibly frustrating seeing the sheriffs posting an officer and blocking every road that intersects the construction. I’m guessing if I asked them to post guards at my house and block off my road because I was worried about getting robbed they’d laugh in my face.

bringmethenews.com

Line 3 activists win restraining order against Hubbard Co. sheriff

The dispute is over a local property used by protesters.
bringmethenews.com bringmethenews.com
 
Bubble181

Bubble181

See, that doesn't make me cry at all.
Want to beat some bloody sense in some people's heads, force them to look death in the eyes, relive the trauma they force and reinforce in others, abandon all pretense of free speech and force every one of the so called right wing media to be fed slowly to starving ducks, perhaps. Cry ? Not really. I dunno, my moods get translated more into anger and frustration than sadness, I guess. It's not the healthy mindset, I'm aware.
 
@Li3n

@Li3n

Imagine raising a crisis actor since he was born, and then he doesn't even share his deep state hoax money with you...
 
Ravenpoe

Ravenpoe

@Li3n said:
Imagine raising a crisis actor since he was born, and then he doesn't even share his deep state hoax money with you...
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To be fair, I spend every day in fear that at any moment a director might yell cut, and I'll turn out to have been Gary Oldman all along
 
Frank

Frank

Bubble181 said:
See, that doesn't make me cry at all.
Want to beat some bloody sense in some people's heads, force them to look death in the eyes, relive the trauma they force and reinforce in others, abandon all pretense of free speech and force every one of the so called right wing media to be fed slowly to starving ducks, perhaps. Cry ? Not really. I dunno, my moods get translated more into anger and frustration than sadness, I guess. It's not the healthy mindset, I'm aware.
Click to expand...
I burned through most of my anger last summer. It's mostly just despair now.
 
ScytheRexx

ScytheRexx

I think he realized that he only won by narrow margins last time and he basically killing off enough of his own supporters that it might make next time a narrow loss.
 
Frank

Frank

My anger is back. WHY FUCKING PAY TAXES FOR ANYTHING NANCY? People wouldn't be happy their tax money is being used for education? Go fuck yourself you ghoul. Why should we try to make anything better? Keep blowing half the world's GDP on harming anyone with a darker complexion than you.
 
figmentPez

figmentPez

Staff member
"paying taxes to forgive somebody else's obligations"

You mean what happens every time an industry gets bailed out? What happens every time billionaires pay zero in taxes? Is that what you mean, Speaker Pelosi?
 
GasBandit

GasBandit

Staff member
A few years ago, if you told me Pelosi would make a conceptual argument against taxation, I would have scoffed most derisively.
 
ScytheRexx

ScytheRexx

Be aware back then we actually could argue about policy and ideology. Trump gave a large amount of conservatives the A-Okay to be their worst selves, and have dived into conspiracy and contrarianism as their only key values at this point. Anyone with even basic critical thinking skills is going to look at that and be like, "No, I don't think this is a good."
 
Chad Sexington

Chad Sexington

I feel like this basically is an argument for libertarianism, though:

"Let me decide how to spend my money, so that you can neither bomb people I do not want bombed nor pay for education I do not think is educational."

Like, how do you create a government with the power to cancel student but without the power to bomb? Both are going to be funded through taxes. Suppose you do get a president who checks your wish list of things (right or left), nothing stops the next one from undoing it. When so much decision making power/money is in one place, isn't the inevitable outcome existential terror of who will be power next?
 
GasBandit

GasBandit

Staff member
Yeah, I wasn't commenting on change in my own ideology, just that I never would have believed that Pelosi would argue against taxation from a philisophical standpoint.
 
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