Yes, let’s argue over which functional definition of “surviving” is most appropriate. We can create all kinds of global tragedies, mass deaths, endanger the very fabric of civilization by creating economic disaster, have a climate that’s too hot to survive without technology in most places, etc etc. But sure, if a few spots with humans might make it, what’s the big deeeal?
You say you’re not trying to dismiss it, yet enough of your replies are massively downplaying the danger because “it hasn’t happened yet, and look! we’ve done a thing or two” and this is precisely the issue today.
People don’t and so far have not been able to understand the rate of change and the relative shortness of the time scale, as well as the range of many mass-scale tragedies that are possible which are not the worst outcome.
Comparing it to doom-saying about nuclear war is simply illogical. Nuclear warfare either will happen, or it won’t. Climate change is already a reality, the control of which we’ve already been largely failing to attain, and due to a combination of mass misunderstanding of it, ineffective government, and economic overdependence of growth, there is no certainty we will in the time that we need to, to prevent more crises. We have a clear understanding of where we’re headed and where we will end up from whichever course of action we take, and it ranges from not-great to toppling civilization, with deaths of billions and global economic breakdown somewhere in that range.
But yes, you can keep your point about survivability, some humans will probably make it, they’ll wonder why we were this stupid. I’m sure they’ll recognize the brilliance in needing to split hairs about the definition of surviving, if the record of this conversation makes it to that point and they have the ability or desire to retrieve it. Those of us who include basic characteristics of our modern quality of life in the identity of “us” as a society, and the hundreds-of-millions-to-billions that die might take issue with your definition, though. But sure, you can have that one. “We’ll” “survive” it.
Yes, let’s argue over which functional definition of “surviving” is most appropriate. We can create all kinds of global tragedies, mass deaths, endanger the very fabric of civilization by creating economic disaster, have a climate that’s too hot to survive without technology in most places, etc etc. But sure, if a few spots with humans might make it, what’s the big deeeal?
You say you’re not trying to dismiss it, yet enough of your replies are massively downplaying the danger because “it hasn’t happened yet, and look! we’ve done a thing or two” and this is precisely the issue today.
People don’t and so far have not been able to understand the rate of change and the relative shortness of the time scale, as well as the range of many mass-scale tragedies that are possible which are not the worst outcome.
Comparing it to doom-saying about nuclear war is simply illogical. Nuclear warfare either will happen, or it won’t. Climate change is already a reality, the control of which we’ve already been largely failing to attain, and due to a combination of mass misunderstanding of it, ineffective government, and economic overdependence of growth, there is no certainty we will in the time that we need to, to prevent more crises. We have a clear understanding of where we’re headed and where we will end up from whichever course of action we take, and it ranges from not-great to toppling civilization, with deaths of billions and global economic breakdown somewhere in that range.
But yes, you can keep your point about survivability, some humans will probably make it, they’ll wonder why we were this stupid. I’m sure they’ll recognize the brilliance in needing to split hairs about the definition of surviving, if the record of this conversation makes it to that point and they have the ability or desire to retrieve it. Those of us who include basic characteristics of our modern quality of life in the identity of “us” as a society, and the hundreds-of-millions-to-billions that die might take issue with your definition, though. But sure, you can have that one. “We’ll” “survive” it.