• s_p_l_o_d_e [they/them,he/him]
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    4 years ago

    I mean, it's impossible to ignore that endeavors like the Green New Deal will require a level of extractivism and industrial activity that will not be offset by the "green tech" that it produces .

    Especially since the GND is built with the assumption that ("green") capitalism will be the prevailing economic system on which it relies, while ignoring the environmental damage and loss of human lives in the effort to quickly make up for lost time.

    The only way to truly protect vulnerable populations (and avoid Malthusian arguments of "humans need to accept their fate/reduce the population") from the worst effects of climate change, we really need to lower the standard of living of the most wealthy people (including the majority of middle-class and higher people in developed/industrialized countries) and heavily reduce energy consumption instead of relying on new tech to pretend to solve the problems for us.

    And of course, this requires a complete decoupling from capitalism and market-based economic systems in order to actually work.

    • TheCaconym [any]
      hexagon
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      edit-2
      4 years ago

      we really need to lower the standard of living of the most wealthy people (including the majority of middle-class and higher people in developed/industrialized countries)

      Exactly right. If we are to have a future at all, it's decentralized permaculture with much less commodities - and more local production and consumption. The only likelyhood of a future (and that's a weak chance at that, given how we've fucked the planet) is degrowth, which capitalism cannot provide.

      • s_p_l_o_d_e [they/them,he/him]
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        edit-2
        4 years ago

        I mean, degrowth will definitely happen, either by choice or as a result of just a lack of resources leading to population die-off (from disease, hunger, political instability).

        The problem is that if it doesn't happen through an anti-capitalist revolution (of whichever flavor you prefer 😉), degrowth and scarcity will happen in a bottom up direction, killing the poor etc, until only the wealthy are left clutching their few remaining non-irradiated water tanks and iPhone XXs. (I guess this is why so many tech capitalists are gunning for automation, but even that takes unrenewable energy sources to manufacture/maintain) even solar panels and wind turbines have an operational lifespan of maybe 10ish years

        States are going to contract as a natural consequence of this, maybe artificial borders will exist, but actual state control/functions will continue to focus mainly in the few remaining habitable urban centers, with rural areas becoming increasingly inarable.

        • TheCaconym [any]
          hexagon
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          4 years ago

          I don't have much to add except I mostly agree but also: how did you make pink text ? that's cool as fuck.

          • s_p_l_o_d_e [they/them,he/him]
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            edit-2
            4 years ago

            Oh sure thing!

            The pink text is the inline code markdown formatting (enclose your text in back ticks `), (you can see the full list of formatting options by clicking on the (?) button after the spoiler tag on the format options below a comment/post box)

            I like it since it lets me do another form of alt-text, since I talk in parentheticals a lot

            • TheCaconym [any]
              hexagon
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              edit-2
              4 years ago

              Thanks a bunch :-) thinking of using that instead of bold when I quote stuff.