I worry that we're moving closer to the society depicted in Idiocracy

Yeah but I need my glasses to see. That nerd over there wears glasses just to make me feel stupid.

All the time in the world if you can answer my second question instead. 😀

Yeah, came on a bit strong, didn't I? But you are right of course. I'm not really such a grouch as this comment may have implied. Sad thing is, I'm old enough and lucky enough to probably be dead before the shit really hits the fan. It's the young that's gonna feel the brunt of it, and possibly sooner than they expect. I grew up in the 70s and we had hope and a feeling that pretty much anything was possible. The cold war was a bit of a bummer, but the feeling was that we could change things for the better if we tried hard enough. I don't see that anymore and I'm pretty sad about it.

I know I'll be ok. Probably. But it's not about me. I've had a pretty good life, all things considered. Ups and downs, sure, but it's the hopelessness of these times that worry me. We had hope for a better future and kids today won't have that. All because my generation and those before us are selfish fucks who only look to number one.

If you're implying what I think you're implying, violence is rarely the way to go. It feeds on itself and those who are best at it or most inclined to use it tend to rise to the top and those are not the kind of people you want running things when the smoke has cleared. Those people tend to continue using those same methods that worked to get them where they are. History has numerous examples of when well meaning movements that came to power through violence and turned to crap afterwords because the leaders continued using violence to stay in power. Be very wary of simple solutions to complex problems.

You are right in the sense that change is needed and change never comes easy. I think it is a mistake to blame the people, despite my click-baity first question above. People are just trying to get by and do not see a way to improve things. If you got a mortgage and a couple kids you gotta feed and the boss is on your back with ever more work and there's just not enough time in the day, it is bloody hard to let go of that responsibility and join the revolution. Most people just want to get by and are too tired to do anything else. They are also fed an endless stream of propaganda that you got to succeed and if you just work hard you're gonna get rich one day. It is all lies, of course, but it is not easy to see through all that massive indoctrination that you've been forcefed since you were born. The shitty schools does not help much either.

Yes, people are too comfortable. But if your life is anything like I described above, you're too bloody tired not to be. You just want to get a few hours to watch the TV or look through your Facebook feed before you crash into bed with a few beers to numb the pain. People are still believing in the rugged individualism and it must be their own fault if they don't succeed. (Or some scary minority's fault) It is a very compelling story. Letting go of all the things you've been told your whole life isn't easy and there are very powerful forces doing all they can to prevent people from realizing they've been had. It's much easier to lie to someone than convincing them they've been lied to. Do not blame the people, blame the system.

I too feel like that a lot of the time. The problem with using game theory, is that game theory only works for a zero sum game. This isn't a zero sum game. Making us believe that is part of the propaganda. Helping someone else to a better life does not make your life worse. Our whole success as a species is proof plenty of that. A group of people helping each other is more successful than being alone and trying to fend for yourself. The propaganda is trying to make us forget that. Unfortunately, our whole economic system is built like it is a zero sum game and that is reflected in the values of society and the US is perhaps the most clear cut example of this. It is all lies. We must, however, widen the scope of our thinking. The community isn't just your little patch of dirt. It is the whole world. Helping another part of the world or other people will make it better for you as well in the long run. Even if it temporarily inconveniences you, welcoming people who can't survive in their patch of dirt to yours, will strengthen you in the long run. Even better is to stop exploiting other people so they can have a good life at home and doesn't need to work 18 hour shifts to make plastic shit we don't even need. It's not a zero sum game and we need to stop believing that it is.

I think there are a lot of things that could mitigate this, if we are lucky, such as:

• solar and/or other power sources becoming more efficient and cheap to the point that it becomes the most practical and cheapest solution, not just the most environmentally friendly one. This also is appealing from a geopolitical perspective for nations because it reduces or removes dependence on foreign oil.

• the production of microbial-based, artificially grown meat and dairy (milk, cheese) that is indistinguishable from the real thing and much cheaper than it (see also: most rennet in cheese is now microbial rennet, rather than rennet harvested from calves, because it's cheaper), plus the expansion/improvement of alternative non-dairy/meat products.

• the fact the most environmentally friendly parties currently are also in favor of standard of living improvement policies like universal healthcare, etc.

• the fact the youngest generations of voters are growing up exposed to the consequences of climate change and will expect to be alive to see it get even worse

• dramatic climate events like the recent India heatwave that had a high death toll because it was above the highest temperature humans can survive in.

It is also currently only a handful of countries that produce the vast majority of the problem, to the detriment of everybody else, so the agreement need not initially include every country in the world.

I do think we need better methods of carbon sequestration (taking it back out of the atmoaphere vs putting less of it in) urgently at this point however.

Edit: I do not think there is any feasible long term solution that doesn't include ditching capitalism as it currently exists. A circular econimics model might work, but the current "line goes up forever, don't ask when it ends" system is inherently unsustainable on every level.

Exactly. Mississippi checking in. o/

We note further that people who have isolated themselves from others or who live in solitude manifest this defect less frequently than individuals or groups of people inclined or condemned to sociability.

Heed my blue check mark.