--Elite Writer Alias: Orin Name: Orin Myth ASL: Just words on your screen Bio: [ Quick Bio ] Website:[ Education ] Days Away: 965 Life Story: Interesting [ Ignore User ]
Favorites: 0 Forum Posts: 1 Shoutbox Posts: 0 RP Posts: 0 Signup Date: 5822 D 15.95 Years 1.6 Decades 194.07 Months 831.71 Weeks 5.822000e+8 Heart Beats -There you go eggman Quote: Your lizard broke my dog.
Hey Orin,
I just wanted you to know that you are one of my favorite poets. I've wanted to comment on your pieces or say something for a long time, but I was worried I couldn't find the perfect thing to say. I know you don't really log in and may never see this, but I love your work. I read your poems and prose when I'm feeling down, and it always helps. I hope you keep writing.
-dancer
I'm sorry, but the "it helped us previously" argument holds no weight here. It's simply a strawman fallacy. There is no debate that oil (and cheap oil at that) helped drive progress here and around the world.
That progress has allowed us to come up with newer better ways to power our societies, ways that are cleaner and don't rely on outdated technology and oil barons, be they Middle Eastern or American.
Furthermore, it doesn't absolve the major oil companies, all of whom have been complicit in spreading misinformation regarding the nature of their product and the harm it inflicts. Just like the tobacco companies 30 years ago, they hired think tanks and publicists, paid an army of "scienticians" and muddied the conversation.
"Gee whiz folks, we've been looking for evidence that greenhouse emissions are bad for the human race, but we just can't find them. Golly! Better luck next year!"
All of the major oil and coal companies have spent countless money lobbying our corrupt politicians to ensure that they would be as under regulated as possible. There are no major oil companies who are innocent of this and other violations. While they may have happily helped human progress (to the tune of the largest sums of money in human history), they are now helping to ensure human regression through their misinformation campaigns and political lobbying.
Yes, we as people shoulder blame, but not all of it. It is beyond the scope for us to know the intricacies of things like climate scientists, and when oil companies spend billions of dollars to muddy the conversation, smear the reputations of legitimate scientists and promote false balance, it's hard to blame the ordinary consumer. It's also hard to blame them when oil companies and other fossil fuel companies have helped ensure that alternative energies can't get a foothold in our economy by lobbying and receiving massive tax subsidies, courtesy of the American taxpayer. They then use those subsidies while housing their operations offshore to avoid paying us back via taxes.
The people need to change our habits and modernize our lifestyles, but until certain corporations stop blocking our efforts at every turn, it will be a fruitless effort.
FTR, I do not use gasoline, I use biodiesel made from recycled chicken fat and vegetable oil. I'm working to decrease my footprint in a number of ways, including moving in-town to avoid even that low-impact driving, buying as much locally grown food as I can, and more. But until our central power sources (coal) and means of transportation changes on a world wide level, efforts like mine will play little to no role.
First I'd like to say thank you for commenting on my rant. I'd also like to say that I'm not trying to be argumentative for the sake of it, or trying to be rude or condescending at all. Just looking to further the conversation.
I'm well aware of the contributions that various industries make to GHG emissions, as it is one of my favorite topics. It doesn't change the fact that the oil companies, who this particular rant is aimed at, has consistently lied about their product and the effects it has on our climate (as well as land, water and air). FTR, I've included big coal and other fossil fuels in many other rants.
While I agree with your assessment of the consumeristic nature of our society and most societies worldwide and our need to make changes in our own lifestyles, I do not believe that absolves corporations of blame. They use their massive monetary and political clout to misinform us and ensure that the populace has little choice with regards to how we live. They intentionally spread lies just to confuse the populace.
Annoying as it is to me on this issue, it's a simple fact that we can't all be properly informed on all issues. It's hard to blame every person for not knowing all the intricacies of such a complex topic, particularly when compliant news media are helping to spread misinformation. I know about it simply because it's a passion of mine, however I wouldn't be able to argue persuasively about the stock market, for instance, because that is not a topic I've studied exhaustively. To some degree, I have to go on commonly accepted knowledge, which is what most people do on this topic. They just don't know that the commonly accepted knowledge is bull[censored].
Hey thanks for your perceptive comment on "Satan" and the comment about my work being surgical, i am really happy you enjoyed it! Ill be having a peek at your works soon
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