Long-time readers know that I used to confront the Eco-Socialists over at Treehugger by 1) bringing a Freedom/Liberty viewpoint to them (which wasn’t all that well received most of the time) and 2) trying to hold up a mirror to their “inclusive” mantra to show their groupthink wasn’t inclusive nor “diverse.”
Well, Lloyd Alter has started a SubStack here, at which the same kind of articles are starting to appear. I have been leaving some comments, and I have started bringing them back here but on this one, it’s a very dubious assumption in the sub-title:
Quit whining. Even the Dutch don’t all cycle like the Dutch.
Many are complaining about a new study that says if we cycled like the Dutch, carbon emissions would drop by more than all of Canada’s emissions. But it wouldn’t be so hard.
Yes, he is anti-car and fits in well with the WEF (the communistic World Economic Forum that wants to control us all via corporate masters and is looking to severely limit private ownership of cars) so I’m not surprised – he’s “carbon emissions” obsessed to which I say “everyone has a ‘thing’.” He also talks about the USA but lives in Toronto, where he’s a professor of sustainability (which explains the obsession). But I started to read the post, and the first line was this:
I am turning the comments back on here because, notwithstanding a few who criticize everything that I write, comments are useful and often fun.
I was told he had turned them off because a few of us normal people, believing that Freedom is the highest value rather than “less carbon used,” started to comment on his new site. Hey, he did everything except use my name (heh!). So even though I didn’t know they were off, I left one that tried to make the case that comments are GOOD even if they take on the author or the ideas – or other commenters. And I try HARD to keep this attitude (‘cept for trolls. Don’t like trolls) here at the ‘Grok. But there is an important distinction I wanted to make:
“I am turning the comments back on here because, notwithstanding a few who criticize everything that I write”
There is a difference between criticizing (which, truth be told, I have done so in the past at TH) and challenging. I get both all the time. Frankly, I learn from both but the latter is far more fun to engage with readers holding viewpoints that are not mine.
TH – speaking of which: I’m betting that your former “heads of state” are wondering why its readership has plummeted as it has become “HGTV Lite” (the comment VB left bemoaning the paucity of “hard Eco stuff” that DEMANDED commenting upon). They should never have let you and Sami go as it has now turned into a feminist enclave, devoid of any of the stuff that made us THINK (and then, of course, comment) in discussing your main points AND with other commenters.
The posts themselves, as I hold over at my place, should just be the “jumping off” place – the commenting area should be a loud, boisterous, and rambunctious on the differences of opinions.
I certainly had my share that mostly didn’t agree with me [at TH, that is] – it forced me to sharpen my thoughts, logic, and presentation to debate better. It was a LOT of fun while it lasted.
Indeed – you learn a lot in the hot and heated battles in the Arena of Ideas. Either go hotter and smarter or just go home. And just like at TH, I just couldn’t help myself when a new commenter (to me) let this fly. As you read it, keep in mind the phrase “keep in lockstep” as you read Dubbeldam A+D (an architectural firm). What caught me is bolded now:
Love it Lloyd. A rational presentation. We can attest first hand that the Netherlands had a car culture like North America in the 70’s and it took decades (still happening) to build out the change to make that 28% modal share possible. fyi there are parts of The Netherlands in the south that border Belgium that have hills and the culture there is no different than in the North. In many of NL’s urban centres it’s actually preferable to commute by bike in terms of time and cost. Imagine if Toronto had the same bike infrastructure as Utrecht NL. By car it currently takes about 40 minutes to travel across Adelaide St from Bathurst to Sherbourne in rush hour. By bike its only 15 minutes. Like those who refused to believe the world was not flat, it will be an uphill battle to make change for those who can’t see the possibility for change. You have to want to change in the first place. Any smart person knows you have to “be the change you want to see” (Mahatma Gandhi)
Aye yeah, sure, I said:
“…it will be an uphill battle to make change for those who can’t see the possibility for change…”
Or perhaps it isn’t that they don’t see the possibility – should not others respect that they have other opinions on things? Why is it that those refusing to go along are talked about with nuances of “they have to be EDUCATED one way or other”. Which generally means force has to be applied to make them comply to make others happy at their expense.
We Conservatarians hear this a lot – “if we were better educated…go educate yourself…if you knew more, you’d agree with us”. It’s always a one way street. Look, you want to think that way and stay in your own groupthink monoculture? Knock yerself out and be happy. But don’t assume that your happy is my happy because my happy immediately is replace by other emotions when when you force me to change them up.
You won’t like me when I do. Ask my kids for an example. And a lot of adults, too.
