There are 4 choices, 4 votes for Philosophical-Pug's debate

Environmental Suicide: Why don't we change?

With all the information available about our environmentally destructive habits, what is it that stops us from being able to change our behaviour? What form do the barriers take (psychological, philosophical, political power, economic etc)?


  • How about

    all of the above!

    Voted for by Energizer Bunny.
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  • because

    we think we are our brains. The brain desires control. When humans become extinct (or extinct themselves) they would have been the shortest living creatures that would have existed on this 4.5 billion yr old planet. Just a mere blip, but the brain seems to want to think it is the most important creature. It is suicide.

    Voted for by grant.
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  • Collectively

    we won't change. Extinction of our species is as inevitable as the extinctions of previous species. All we are able to do (as this suicidal momentum is uncontrollable) is come to some realisation about all phenomenal existance. Ultimately we die. Whether it is through war, famine, meteor stike, sun going nova, old age, disease, plane or car crash, extinction (sped up by all these other causes or not) we still will no longer exist at some point, near or far. If you regard our demise as negative, too bad. "No one gets off this planet alive".

    Voted for by grant.
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  • Economic

    The notion of growth economies, the belief that the economies of the richest nations must always be in a state of growth rather than stasis or decline, is the biggest reason for the apethy regarding the environments. The constant drive causes consumption, and consumption causes the rest.

    As a species we need to realise that we need to base our economies on 'enough' rather than growth. I disagree with Grant the we are doomed to instintion. While a possibility, it is not one I embrace. I do agree that our world ( read economy) is due to collapse. It is simply folly to believe that we can have continuous growth with finite resources.

    Voted for by Nosferatu.
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