I think sometimes we get used to doing things a certain way and its difficult to change bad habits.
Fossil fuels were never a good idea environmentally and even socially as it concentrated power massively... we just didnt know. You know how romans used to put lead in their drinks because they had become accustomed to the taste? I think our situation is similar.
I think this is due for a much longer discussion but it seems really silly to think we simply ought to repair externalities when theres just so many of them.
Poor countries should spend more in education for sure but, realistically, under our current economic and social systems: is it even desirable? I think the answer is no. Why would you want people who are mining cobalt, young men in many cases (an euphemism for kids) to be educated? Who would want do such an onerous task? If you give these people knowledge then how will that affect the price of these materials?
I mean, as I said in another comment, the inertia of this machine is too much. But, yeah, ideally we could just get rid of externalities and I think in many ways we try to hide them... but it seems to me (and i live in a mining country) the externalities really are much more difficult to deal with than it might seem at first glance.
> Poor countries should spend more in education for sure but, realistically, under our current economic and social systems: is it even desirable? I think the answer is no.
How is it possible to have a rational debate in the sphere of morals when attitudes like this are not carefully hidden away because those that hold them are so ashamed.
How can it be possible that this year a person here could advocate what is essentially enslaving whole communities to maintain the developed world's standard of living?
The developed world can change life style voluntarily with massive disruption or change with catastrophic disruption.
Trying to keep LDC's down will only make things worse in the future.
Fossil fuels were never a good idea environmentally and even socially as it concentrated power massively... we just didnt know. You know how romans used to put lead in their drinks because they had become accustomed to the taste? I think our situation is similar.
I think this is due for a much longer discussion but it seems really silly to think we simply ought to repair externalities when theres just so many of them.
Poor countries should spend more in education for sure but, realistically, under our current economic and social systems: is it even desirable? I think the answer is no. Why would you want people who are mining cobalt, young men in many cases (an euphemism for kids) to be educated? Who would want do such an onerous task? If you give these people knowledge then how will that affect the price of these materials?
I mean, as I said in another comment, the inertia of this machine is too much. But, yeah, ideally we could just get rid of externalities and I think in many ways we try to hide them... but it seems to me (and i live in a mining country) the externalities really are much more difficult to deal with than it might seem at first glance.
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