Earth Hour: helpful or fascist?

[Kire]

Earth hour is this Saturday at 8 p.m. (wherever you live), and I'm considering doing it. Even though there's debate to whether or not climate change is caused by humans, and whether there's anything we can do about it, I'd like to be optimistic about it and at least do this little something.

I've seen some criticisms from right wing and libertarian talkers saying that this is soft global fascism...and it all comes down to the question of whether or not we should be taking action to address the possibility of global warming. Personally, I think there ARE alternative fuels out there (electric cars and the like) we can run our cars off of, but introducing them mass market would probably bring economic instability and maybe even wars.

What do you guys think? Is this worth participating in?

[The Toecutter]

Re: Earth Hour: helpful or fascist?

I don't know exactly what Earth Hour is. I'll have to research it.

Even though there's debate to whether or not climate change is caused by humans, and whether there's anything we can do about it, I'd like to be optimistic about it and at least do this little something.

It is a relative consensus within the scientific community(> 95% of scientists) that global warming is in fact a mostly man-made phenomenon.

Personally, I think there ARE alternative fuels out there (electric cars and the like) we can run our cars off of, but introducing them mass market would probably bring economic instability and maybe even wars.

Introducing them mass market would more likely reduce market stability and wars, which is precisely why we aren't seeing them. Wars make money, and market instability keeps the populace perpetually consuming and working in fear that they may miss an opportunity or that hard times are around the corner, exactly what big government and big business seems to want. A scared populace makes an obedient workforce and wasteful consumer base. This in turn is very profitable.



That being said, carbon tax proposals and the like really are a form of soft fascism, and they would fail to address the real problem: the top 1% that could afford to pay the taxes anyway are accounting for 32% of the resources all of humanity is consuming. 'Carbon taxes' as currently proposed in Europe and elsewhere are merely a convenient means to regulate personal mobility of large numbers of people in what will soon without a doubt be a post peak-oil world. Meanwhiloe, the super-rich who will be able to afford the taxes can keep on consuming, while the middle class will have to do without. After all, there's a planet to save.

We need solutions that will work. Give the middle class a means of maintaining their current living standard that does not involve unreasonable expense or sacrifice, and they will adopt them. Unfortunately, these means will severely reduce the flow of cash from the middle class top 20%(excluding the top 1%) to that top 1%.

Therefore, we get fascism in various forms, whether hardcore or 'soft', because the rich and powerful want to stay rich and powerful.

To hell with them.

[Gustaff 13]

Re: Earth Hour: helpful or fascist?

As always, Terr pwns the topic.

I'll be doing it.
Why're conservatives so reluctant to conserve?

[Dusk Raven]

Re: Earth Hour: helpful or fascist?

I have no idea why some people think that it's fascist. For that matter, I don't remember exactly what fascism is.

Isn't Earth Hour when everyone turns out their lights or something?

[thetruecoolness]

Re: Earth Hour: helpful or fascist?

Shouldn't people just turn them off when they're not using them? Why does there always have to be some stupid hour, or day or whatever for it. Oh yes everyone turning their lights off for one hour is going to make a huge difference. Well hopefully they invest the money in campaigns to tell people to be more energy conscious in their everyday habits, and invest in researching lights that are only one when someone is in the room.

I personally think it's a weak gesture, but I guess maybe it will get some people thinking. I can't say too much myself as I use a lot, but I normally turn off monitors and my light when I leave my room and everything is off at night. I think telling people they can save money on their power bill will be more convincing than guilt tripping them into turning their lights off for one hour.

As for Climate change I think it's still on the fence since it could just be a natural phenomenon that occurs every so often and follows a cycle, doesn't mean cutting our pollution won't help other things, and is certainly a good idea.

[Kefka Jr.]

Re: Earth Hour: helpful or fascist?

I did a ctrl+F for "Earth Hour is" and I didn't get an answer.

I guess I'm, not doing it.

[thetruecoolness]

Re: Earth Hour: helpful or fascist?

I did a ctrl+F for "Earth Hour is" and I didn't get an answer.

I guess I'm, not doing it.

Earth Hour

[Karr Lord of Chaos]

Re: Earth Hour: helpful or fascist?

its a full fail, it really is. as mentioned, the hour is moot and the issue is not even addressed. i suppose its supposed to point out that saving energy is good or something but the way they do it just doesnt work.

its a bad idea as bushs idiotic daylight saving time to cut back on energy.

[Stormy]

Re: Earth Hour: helpful or fascist?

I think the phrase some of you are looking for is 'token gesture.'

Its just something that makes people feel good, like they contributed something, like they made a positive change, a difference. Its like ordering Diet Coke with your Whopper

[gray]

Re: Earth Hour: helpful or fascist?

i checked my carbon footprint awhile back. found out i'd have to quadruple it to reach the "average" level



so, no, lamps staying on

[orius]

Re: Earth Hour: helpful or fascist?

Why do we need an Earth Hour when we already have an Earth Day?

[Kefka Jr.]

Re: Earth Hour: helpful or fascist?

Seriously, they coulda come up with a better name.

Like ZERO HOUR!!

[IRC]

Re: Earth Hour: helpful or fascist?

Didn't NBC already do for a week? You know when every show did a storyline about going green and some went balls to the walls with it and other just had a line about cutting up six pack holders.

[SkylureX]

Re: Earth Hour: helpful or fascist?

Has anyone seen Google.com today? It's all black, for Earth Hour.

[DarkwingChuck]

Re: Earth Hour: helpful or fascist?

Is it only the lights they're asking you to turn off, because most of my lights besides the kitchen are off anyway. The kitchen light stays on because otherwise it'd be impossible to walk around the house at night.