gerritbeineMar 13
Björn Brembs

TIL that "carbon footprint" is a campaign started by British Petroleum (BP) in order to distract attention away from coporate responsibility and culpability towards individual responsibility and culpability.

https://www.publishersweekly.com/9781541700116

If you are concerned about your carbon footprint or shame others about their's, it shows how well this campaign has worked and is still working.
But you know what is really on us? To stop this madness right now and demand more corporate regulations!
#climatecrisis

It’s on You: How Corporations and Behavioral Scientists Have Convinced Us That We’re to Blame for Society’s Deepest Problems by Nick Chater, George Loewenstein

In this sharp takedown, psychologist Chater and behavioral economist Loewenstein (Exotic Preferences) argue that “nudge” theory,...

Mar 12 at 11:03amWeb
Show threadAllan Svelmøe HansenMar 12
@brembs I still think it's okay to shame millionaires for flying everywhere just because.
Show threadBjörn BrembsMar 12

@svelmoe

Absolutely!
That's akin to corporate regulation, of course 😆

Show threadCadeMar 12
@brembs the problem with carbon footprint was "truthiness" - it sounded plausable if you did not think too much about the concept. Assigning emissions to acts of consumption seemed like it could be helpful. But consider the carbon footprint of a lowly carton of ice cream. The emissions from field to factory to refrigerated distribution to grocery, they can all pale beside the emissions if you suddenly decide you deserve a treat, hop in the car, and drive ten miles just to buy that ONE thing.
Show threadBjörn BrembsMar 12

@CadeJohnson

The strategy is similar in other areas, too. Like blocking children from using social media, instead of regulating the media corps. When I discussed this topic with my teenager, I asked her if she also thought it was reasonable to prevent teenagers from drinking Coca Cola, if the corporation were to add cocaine to the drink again:

https://daily.jstor.org/who-took-the-cocaine-out-of-coca-cola/

She felt that analogy was an eye-opener for where the best outcome might be had.

Who Took the Cocaine Out of Coca-Cola? - JSTOR Daily

The medical profession saw nothing wrong with offering a cocaine-laced cola to white, middle-class consumers. Selling it to Black Americans was another matter.

JSTOR Daily
Show threadSune AukenMar 12

@brembs

Interesting thing. I always teach that my students should focus on their handprint: The things they can change rather than fret too much about their individual guilt. One obvious thing to change is how we talk about individual vs systemic responsibility as a precursor to talking about structural change.

Show threadBjörn BrembsMar 12

@SuneAuken

Yes!
It's not that individuals colectively have no effect, but it's important to understand and compare the individual and the system contributions to find out where the best outcome can be had most easily.