Brendan JonesJul 7, 2023

Still can’t get over the fact that an editor of the Financial Times said that we need to do away with #capitalism in order to deal with the #climate. If that’s not a sign of mainstream economics/finance finally waking up to the reality of the situation we’re in, I don’t now what is.

edit to add link (thanks Boud): https://archive.ph/2023.06.29-113742/https://www.ft.com/content/86d71297-3f34-48f3-8f3f-28b7e8be03c6

Show threadBrendan JonesJul 7, 2023
Goes hard:
"If we want oil companies to stop selling fossil fuels we should consume less of them and we should vote for governments that make them more expensive, not less. Yes, our physical infrastructure has been built over decades around petroleum use. Yes, oil companies have lobbied forever to preserve this arrangement and slow down alternatives. But no one is compelling those of us in the rich world to fly so much, drive Escalades, devour so much meat, or buy so much stuff.
…”
Show threadLoad of Shananigans 🦥 ✍️Jul 7, 2023

@Brendanjones
On the rhetoric of 'it's not individual consumption, it's systemic' ...

If it's not the individuals who are consuming, who is behind this 'systemic' consumption?

Truly the problem is both but shall we throw up our hands and say, "Oh well," and get on a flight to our holidays?

Damn right we have to be willing to change the way we live.

It sure rankles though, when I'm ground-bound, waving off Hawaii-bound friends.

Show threadQBAS81- learn #degrowthJul 7, 2023

@shans @Brendanjones

Behind systematic consumption are marketing and sales specialists who work tirelessly to increase sales, banks and finance which provide credit to increase sales, laws which encourage cheap air travel (there is no VAT on jet fuel) etc.

Individual choices are important but the system has to change.

Show threadLoad of Shananigans 🦥 ✍️Jul 8, 2023
@qbas81 @Brendanjones You know what, that's a good point.
Show threadQBAS81- learn #degrowth

@shans @Brendanjones

Compare with cigarettes smoking - good people knew that they are not healthy and didn't smoke - but still had to breath smoke as it was common policy to allow smoking everywhere.

Only pressure of activists and court cases forced changes in laws, bans, reduction of sales - top down approach.

Smoking in public reduced greatly.

We need a similar situation here - pressure to have top down changes enforced.

BTW the same people who advised the tobacco industry advise fossil fuels industry...

Jul 9, 2023 at 12:12amWeb